Why Don't They Believe in Creation?

After an ICR scientist presents convincing evidence for biblical creation, listeners often ask, “If all you just said is true, then why don’t most scientists believe it?”

We may discuss Y chromosomes that contain only a few thousand years’ worth of mutations, as expected from Noah.1 We may talk about a sedimentary rock layer deposited by a mud pulse that blanketed a whole continent at once, as expected from Noah’s Flood.2 Hundreds of similar superb science examples support Scripture. How do nature-only scientists treat these observations?

For the most part, they won’t even look at them.

A human behavioral trend called the bandwagon effect might play a role in this avoidance. The American Psychological Association’s online dictionary defines it as:

The tendency for people in social and sometimes political situations to align themselves with the majority opinion and do or believe things because many other people appear to be doing or believing thesame.3

When we ask “why don’t they believe in creation?” we assume that secular scientists use more pure logic than people typically do. Perhaps some robot mind would unerringly follow every data trend to its logical conclusion regardless of consequence, but not scientists. Humans may well refuse to see a conclusion that contradicts what everyone around them believes about origins.

In other words, one reason why they don’t believe in creation is that if they did, they would have to admit that almost everyone they respect is wrong about nature making us without one miracle. They would have to jump off the world-size bandwagon that refuses the divine.

A prior commitment to naturalism—the philosophy that nature is all—trumps evidence that points to the miracles of creation and the Flood.4Can any evidence weaken their confidence in nature as the substitute creator? I suspect that depends on various factors, alongside the Holy Spirit’s work in a person’s heart.

Naturalists who bail from their bandwagon face ostracism.Do they have the emotional strength to stand against their peers? If “they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John:12:43For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
See All...),then they let peer pressure trump good science.

Then there are spiritual implications. If a committed naturalist examines, say, the Y chromosome mutation rate or global sedimentary rock coverages that lead straight to Noah and his Flood, then whereelsedoesthat lead? It would mean that the Bible has correct history and thus a correct assessment of personal sin. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?”(Jeremiah:17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
See All...). Many who refuse to admit to sin likewise refuse to hear evidence that implies it.

That’s what happened with the Pharisees in the New Testament. The Lord Jesus made the lame walk, the blind see, and raised people from the dead right in front of them. Talk about convincing evidence! He proved to be the One to “bear our iniquities and…the sin of many” (Isaiah:53:11-12 [11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. [12] Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
See All...). Those religionists rode a bandwagon of belief in Christ as a king and not an offering.

But some of them believed when they saw the evidence in Jesus Himself. Even some naturalists overcome peer pressure and begin to track with truth. I was one of them! I needed to see lives of peace renewedin Christ, and I needed to see that the Bible aligns with reality. God was kind enough to oblige.

We can cast seeds of truth with words of grace. The people we encounter might believe after all.

References

1. Tomkins, J. P. Y-Chromosome Study Confirms Genesis Flood Timeline. Creation Science Update. Posted on ICR.org December 17, 2019, accessed January 6, 2020.
2. Clarey,T. 2019. European Stratigraphy Supports a Global Flood. Acts & Facts. 48 (12): 10-12.
3. Bandwagon effect. APA Dictionary of Psychology online. Posted ondictionary.apa.org, accessed March 2, 2020.
4. Peter foretold exactly this, writing, “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water” (2 Peter:3:5-6 [5] For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: [6] Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
See All...).

https://www.icr.org/article/why-dont-they-believe-in-creation/