Great Men and the Bible
There has been a belief perpetrated that if one is educated, one does not believe in God and his book, the Bible. Atheistic scientists have been successful, I am afraid, in disseminating the false belief that the Bible and science are in hopeless conflict and are totally irreconcilable. It is often they who have also been influential in causing many to believe that only the illiterate believe and accept the Bible to be the inspired and inerrant word of God (2 Tim. 3: 16, 17). I am aware that those who glory in their own learning and possess a prideful attitude are not in a position to benefit from the gospel. Please observe Paul's statements regarding those who look to themselves and their secular knowledge:
"18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19: For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20: Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21: For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 22: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25: Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26: For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28: And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29: That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30: But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (I Cor. 1: 18-31).
Regarding the erudite who trusts in his own learning, Paul penned the following: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him…" (I Cor. 2: 14). Not only is there the class who in their academic acquirements look down on the Christian, but there are also those who are religious that believe no educated person can be a Christian. The truth of the matter is, true education can be an asset to the Christian.
True knowledge and learning involve a knowledge of God. How can man in all his wonder of physical being question there is a Creator who created him? Yet, this is exactly what the atheist does. "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God…," the Psalmist wrote (Ps. 14: 1). Creation itself implies a Creator as design necessarily infers a Designer. The basic scientific law of biogenesis is scientific proof that life begets life (life did not come from non-life).
Great men of science and knowledge and the Bible. As stated, Americans have been constantly subjected to the lie that learned men reject the Bible and view it as a collection of fables. I want to disprove this myth and briefly present to you great men of science and academia who have acknowledged the Bible and their decided belief of a Supreme Being (see addendum one).
I do concede that the basic discipline of real laboratory science is that of empirical evidence (physical and tangible proof). In view of the stance of real science demanding that proof be produced in the laboratory, science must consistently reject Darwinism as the accepted explanation of beginnings.
The truth of the matter is that there are thousands of scientists of the past and present who claim to believe the Bible and acknowledge the reality of the Creator. Some of the well-known scientists and intellectuals lived before Charles Darwin popularized organic evolution, but the philosophy of material evolution greatly predates Charles Darwin.
Johann Kepler (1571-1630). Many view Kepler to be the father of physical astronomy. Kepler is accredited with discovering the laws of planetary motion and developing the science of celestial mechanics. It was Kepler who led the way regarding tracing star movements and contributing largely to the development of mathematical calculus. Kepler was and is held as a great scientist/astronomer. Kepler is reported to have said thus regarding his astronomical researches:
"I was merely thinking God's thoughts after him. Since we astronomers are priests of the highest God in regard to the book of nature," wrote Kepler, "it befits us to be thoughtful, not of the glory of our minds, but rather, above all else, of the glory of God" (all quotations herein are from Men of Science, Men of God, by Henry M. Morris, Master Books Inc., P. O. Box 727, Green Forest, AR 72638, hereafter abbreviated as "Men of Science." The quotation regarding Kepler is found in Men of Science, pg. 11, 12).
Francis Bacon (1561-1626). Bacon is recognized as the basic author of the formulation and establishment of the often-called "scientific method," which remains followed today in the true scientific community. Bacon wrote the following regarding the Bible:
"There are two books laid before us to study, to prevent our falling into error; the first, the volume of the scriptures, which reveal the will of God; then the volume of the Creatures, which express His power" (Men of Science, pg. 13, 14).
Blaise Pascal (1623-1662). Pascal is renown for his work in mathematics. He led the way for differential calculus. Pascal is quoted as having said:
"How can anyone lose who chooses to become a Christian? If, when he dies, there turns out to be no God and his faith was vain, he has lost nothing - in fact, he has been happier in life than his non-believing friends. If, however, there is a God and a heaven and hell, then he has gained heaven and his skeptical friends will have lost everything in hell" (Men of Science, pg. 15, 16, after reading Pascal's statement, it is no surprise that Pascal is also famous for his work in the mathematical theory of probability).
Isaac Newton (1642-1727). Newton is preserved in history for his discovery of the law of universal gravitation and many other famous scientific accomplishments. All in the scientific community revere Newton as a scientist of enormous intellect.
"We account the scriptures of God to be the most sublime philosophy," Newton wrote, "I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatsoever" (Men of Science, pg. 26).
Samuel Morse (1791-1872). All acknowledge Samuel Morse as an intellectual giant. The first message that he sent on the telegraph that he invented was, "What hath God wrought!" (A reference to Numbers 23: 23.) Shortly before the end of Morse's life, he wrote the following:
"The nearer I approach to the end of my pilgrimage, the clearer is the evidence of the divine origin of the Bible, and the grandeur and sublimity of God's remedy for fallen man are more appreciated, and the future is illumined with hope and joy" (Men of Science, pg. 47).
George Washington Carver (1864-1943). Carver as a scientist developed over 300 products from the peanut and over 118 from the sweet potato. In 1939 Carver received the Roosevelt Medal that had the following citation:
"To a scientist humbly seeking the guidance of God and a liberator to men of the white race as well as the black" (Men of Science, pg. 81, 82).
Charles Stine (1882-1954). Stine was for a number of years the Director of Research for the E. I. duPoint Company. Stine was an organic chemist of note because of his development of many products and patents for his company. Dr. Stine wrote the following:
"The world about us, far more intricate than any watch, filled with checks and balances of a hundred varieties, marvelous beyond even the imagination of the most skilled scientific investigator, this beautiful and intricate creation, bears the signature of its Creator, graven in its works" (Men of Science, pg. 83).
Wernher Von Braun (1912-1977). Dr. Braun was one of the world's top space scientists. Braun wrote:
"Manned space flight is an amazing achievement, but it has opened for mankind thus far only a tiny door for viewing the awesome reaches of space. An outlook through this peephole at the vast mysteries of the universe should only confirm our belief in the certainty of its Creator. I find it as difficult to understand a scientist who does not acknowledge the presence of a superior rationality behind the existence of the universe as it is to comprehend a theologian who would deny the advances of science" (Men of Science, pg. 85, 86).
I have provided for your consideration a few samples of the many quotations from the founders of modern science, just before the age of Darwin, and those who have written during the modern period of science (see addendum two for more quotations). All these men from intelligentsia (themselves Icons) share a common belief in the existence of the Creator and the Bible. The whole point is that "no true scientist could believe the Bible" is a bias and untrue statement. Every known field of science and academic accomplishment owes much to great men who also believed in the Bible (Ps. 19: 7-14).
Addendum one: I am not suggesting to you that all the mentioned men are Christians in the biblical sense and have a biblically accurate understanding of God and his nature. My point is only that they have expressed their belief in a Higher Power and the Bible. Hence, disproving the claim that all scientists and intellectuals of great note deny and refuse the Bible.
Addendum two: Here are some additional quotations of men who are unquestionably renown for their genius:
"I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior of the world is communicated to us through this book." -Abraham Lincoln.
"If we abide by the principles taught in the Bible, our country will go on prospering but if we and our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity." -Daniel Webster.
"I have known ninety-five of the world's great men in my time, and of these eighty-seven were followers of the Bible." -W.E. Gladstone.
"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." -George Washington.
"All human discoveries seem to be made only for the purpose of confirming more and more strongly the truths contained in the sacred Scriptures." -Sir William Herschel.