The Christ in Prophecy Journal

How I Lost Faith in Evolution

PDF

James Hugg

(Editor’s note: Dr. Hugg earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in physics at California Institute of Technology. His doctorate is in nuclear physics and was earned at Stanford University. After serving for ten years as a research physicist for Shell Oil and British Petroleum, he decided to change careers and focus on the field of medicine. He received a post-doctoral fellowship in medical imaging from the University of California in San Francisco. He then served in academic positions with The Henry Ford Health Science Center in Detroit and the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

After discovering his Jewish heritage, James decided to emigrate to Israel, together with his Jewish wife, Susan, and their two children. He became an Israeli citizen and went to work for General Electric Global Research in Haifa, focusing on the development of MRI technology. He currently serves as vice president and chief technology officer at Gamma Medical-Ideas in Northridge, California. He and his family attend Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch. Dr. Hugg has been the recipient of many prestigious scientific awards and research grants. He currently serves as vice president of the Lamb & Lion Board of Trustees.)

As a child, I believed in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, God, and the Bible. When I discovered that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy were lies, I suspected that God and the Bible were lies, too. As I approached adolescence, I read many science books and developed a skeptical attitude about the supernatural.

As a Boy Scout I worked to earn the God and Country award by volunteering my service in my family’s mainline church. I questioned the pastor about the authenticity of the Bible, the divinity of Jesus, and the existence of God. He cynically denied them all and said his ministry was to offer the congregation psychological help to cope with life and feel better about themselves!

Rejecting God

I was 13 when I rejected God, declared myself an atheist, and enthusiastically embraced Evolution as my worldview. My humanistic textbooks and teachers further convinced me that the Bible was an invention of ruling men who wanted to control the uneducated multitude. I frequently quoted Karl Marx who proclaimed, “Religion is the opiate of the masses.” The Bible was supposedly full of mythology, superstition, and contradictions — a compilation of legends taken from many cultures.

I ridiculed Christians and persecuted them for believing imaginary nonsense. I competed successfully in several high school debate and oratory tournaments, winning first place trophies by delivering a dramatic (although mocking) rendition of Jonathan Edward’s famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” earning for myself the facetious nickname “Reverend.”

Turning Points

Two events caused me to question atheistic Evolution while I was studying physics at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech). The motto of CalTech is “The truth shall set you free” (although the quote is never attributed to Jesus).

The first event was the sudden death of my father. He was killed in a gas-well explosion on my 18th birthday, which led me at his funeral to begin to wonder if there might be life after death.

The second turning point came during my sophomore year. I took a biology course called “Topics in Evolution Theory.” It was taught by Nobel Prize winner Max Delbrück. He frankly told the class that the Bible offered a simpler explanation of the scientific observations related to the origin of life and the universe. However, he rejected the biblical account simply because of his worldview that there was nothing supernatural in the universe.

He claimed that no scientist could even entertain the possibility of the supernatural. He had tremendous faith that natural science would eventually explain the universe as the result of a Big Bang followed by the spontaneous formation of galaxies, stars, planets, and life — evolving all the species living and extinct over billions of years guided only by natural selection from random mutations of DNA. Professor Delbrück revealed in his course that the Theory of Evolution is full of holes, is contradicted by many facts, and is based on blind faith in the non-existence of God.

I rejected Professor Delbrück’s claim that a scientist could not consider the possibility of the supernatural. In contrast, I believed that true science is the pursuit of truth, wherever that pursuit leads, even to consider the supernatural.

Competing Worldviews

As a result of that class in Evolution, I re-examined God and the Bible. In the process I discovered that many reputable scientists believe that the Bible provides a better explanation of the facts of nature about the origin of the universe and life on earth. The two worldviews, Evolution and Creation, provide opposing explanations of these facts. Both worldviews are scientific and both are also religious.

The order and beauty of the universe are either evidence of billions of years of gradual godless evolution, or they are evidence for the work of a Creator. I decided that it takes much more faith to believe in godless Evolution than to believe in the well-supported biblical account of Creation by God. I lost faith in Evolution, renounced atheistic humanism, and accepted God, His Bible, and His account of Creation as the truth in June of 1972.

Growing in Faith

Over the past four decades, I have continued to find evidence of the truth of God’s Word, and my faith in God and His Son, our Messiah continues to grow. I am convinced that the Genesis account is true and more plausibly explains life and the universe than the Theory of Evolution. I have found the Bible to be accurate in all fields of science, including physics, medicine, and archaeology.

I do not have space here to explain Creation Science, but I recommend to parents and children the publications of the Institute for Creation Research. They have outstanding publications for all levels, pre-school through college.

The contradictions I once thought filled the Bible have evaporated as my understanding of God’s Word has grown. I believe that many cultures have borrowed from the truth of the Bible to shape their myths and superstitions. I believe that the recently discovered “Bible Codes” confirm the supernatural origin of the Bible and emphasize the importance of believing the plain sense meaning of this incredible “love letter from God.” Most importantly, God has transformed my life and proven to me His existence and His love for His creation. I can see His hand at work daily. The instructions for life given by our Creator God are reliable and good.

Finally, I am impressed by the fact that multitudes of Bible prophecies have been fulfilled with 100% accuracy. And I am confident that the remaining Bible prophecies will be fulfilled precisely and completely as “the Lord has declared.”

Confidence in God’s Word

I too am confident that God’s Word is absolute truth from Genesis through Revelation. God is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe; He is the loving Father who sent His only Son to be the Savior of His creation; He is the Righteous Judge who will one day judge His rebellious creation and send His Son back to Earth as King of kings and Lord of lords to reclaim it and establish a reign of perfect peace, justice, and righteousness.

Just as God’s Prophetic Word foretold exactly the events surrounding Messiah’s first advent, the same Word is clear about His second advent. He will come precisely as He said He would.

Maranatha, come quickly, Lord!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

RELATED ARTICLES

ABOUT AUTHOR View all posts Author Website

Dr. Nathan E. Jones

As the Internet Evangelist at Lamb & Lion Ministries, Nathan reaches out to the over 4.5 billion people accessible over the Internet with the Good News of Jesus Christ. He also co-hosts the ministry's television program Christ in Prophecy and podcast The Truth Will Set You Free.

3 CommentsLeave a Comment

  • It's worth repeating that Evolutionist's are practising a FAITH. Dawkins said something like, 'no, we don't have all the evidence YET; but it will come given time…'

    If that isn't faith in an idea – a RELIGION, then I am a blue bottomed ape stuck up a Gum tree.

    Don't you dare…
    😉

  • I have my own theory of evolution involving the United States and the European Union. It appears that the West has orchestrated a plan for a "New Middle East" involving the unified destruction of the enemies of Israel and the Jewish State itself. The "Arab Spring" did not happen by chance, it was fomented by Western intelligence agencies.

    The plan involves replacing current regime leadership with Al Qaeda and/or Muslim Brotherhood in an effort to foster a regional war. The operation in Egypt and Libya is a success, Syria and Jordan is still a work in progress. The ultimate plan is to corner Israel to be forced to impliment "Operation Samson". Turkey will be the foremost puppet of this plan.

    While Turkey currently exists as a N.A.T.O. member they are being pushed to confront Israel militarily by attempting to break the Gaza blockade. European partners of N.A.T.O. will of course support this as will the United States, however subtle. While this plan has been formulated to make an end of Israel and many of her enemies to allow for easy conquest of the regions resources, it's planners have dismissed on important element.

    The element they have not included in their plans is the Lord God of Israel. The Lord God will of course destroy these enemies as prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39 and the strategic plan of the West to capture the regions resources at the expense of Israel and many nations will have failed. Those responsible will reap the whirlwind, receiving fire from heaven as they have dwelled confidently in their plan.

  • Rodney said

    "…The ultimate plan is to corner Israel to be forced to impliment "Operation Samson"…"

    Wow Rodders! – now there's a horrible thought; it certainly makes sense as Israel has been very vocal about O.S.

    With this warship threat plus today Euronews reported "Turkey aims to stop Israel from exploiting the Med. natural resources…

    Praise the Lord we don't have to guess the end!

    God bless
    Sue

LEAVE A REPLY

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *