“J. Warner Wallace has done something rare in ‘God’s Crime Scene.’ He has managed to wrestle complex issues in science and philosophy into a coherent, accessible, and wickedly fun defense of the theistic view of the world that readers will thoroughly enjoy.” – Craig J. Hazen, PhD, founder and director of the Graduate Program in Christian Apologetics at Biola University
If we are honest most people have at least thought about the possibility that there is an intelligent designer out there somewhere. Some reject it whole-heartedly, others accept it without question, and then there are those of us who are excited to explore the evidence in order to become better ambassadors for the Gospel.
I’m just finishing up chapters 5 and 6 of J. Warner Wallace’s God’s Crime Scene: “Our Experience of Consciousness: Are we more than matter?” and “Free Will or Full Wiring: Are real choices possible?” Without getting side-tracked into all kinds of philosophical and theological rabbit trails Wallace stays on point by examining the evidence in such a clear and concise way so that the question of consciousness and free will leaves us with only two choices:
- Physicalism: The belief that consciousness is the result of random chemical reactions going on within our brain and the mind is part of the brain consisting of only material substances. The logical conclusion to this idea is that free will does not exist and when humans act out a particular behavior or have a particular thought (mental state) it is only because of the way they are chemically wired.
Or…
- Dualism: The belief that we have minds that exist separate from the physical or material components of our bodies and brain. The logical conclusion to this idea is that when humans act out a particular behavior or have a particular thought (mental state) it is self-determined based on free will choices of our dualistic nature.
The evidence presented so far in this book has helped lead us to a logical conclusion about the nature of the “suspect” for the cause of the universe: The mind “in here” points to a mind “out there.” By the end of chapter 6 Wallace has narrowed down the profile of this “suspect” to something (or someone) who is “external to the universe; nonspatial, atemporal, and nonmaterial; uncaused; powerful enough to create everything we see in the universe; specifically purposeful enough to produce a universe fine-tuned for life; intelligent and communicative; creative and resourceful; a conscious Mind; and free to choose (and create) personally!”
Wow, only a few chapters left and I can’t wait to see the final analysis of the evidence!
Why do we need to know this information?
As Christians we are called to give reason for the hope that we have in Christ. I believe that in the culture and times we live in today it is more important than ever to have answers, especially when it comes to our young people. I urge you to purchase “God’s Crime Scene” for your home library. Encourage your young people to use it and its sources as a reference for their own research.
But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. Jude 1:17-18
Through the end of August I am going to continue to post reviews of this book with some of its highlights and insights. I am planning to incorporate much of its research into my next Case for Christianity class that will include presentations of evidence for objective truth, intelligent design (via our Creator) versus the secular theory of (neo-Darwinian) evolution for the origin of life, and a case for the historicity and reliability of the Bible. This class begins September 8th and corresponding blog posts will begin that week as well.
Let me know what you think: Buy “God’s Crime Scene” and join me this month by reading along. Give feedback, ask questions and share thoughts. Be someone who searches for truth and then shares it with others.
In these posts I am going to continue to present logical reasoning and sound scientific evidence not found in the public school textbooks.
This blog will begin a new series in September 2015. If you’d like to review the previous series you can start by going back to the September 1, 2014 Introduction called A Case for Christianity: Why do we need one?
Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
Always be ready to give an answer for the hope that you have in Christ Jesus as Lord. 1 Peter 3:15
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