United Kingdom

'My pilgrimage to creation'

Did Einstein believe in God?

Feedback

Monty White writes:

Graham Scott writes:

Olympic Games Evangelism

Answers in Genesis - United Kingdom
Prayer and News Update
On-line edition
October 2000

‘My pilgrimage to creation’
By Dr Monty White, CEO of AiG (UK)

Although my pilgrimage from evolution to creation was not a long one, it was a fairly difficult one. The main reason for this was that at the time (1960s) there was no one I knew to whom I could turn to for satisfactory answers to the questions I had about creation and evolution.

As soon as I became a Christian, I went home and told my parents about my conversion. Their reaction was one of violent opposition. They rejected me and my Christianity and I felt very much alone.

The first geology lecture I attended at the University of Aberystwyth (Wales) was on the evolution of life on Earth. I went away thinking: How could I reconcile the lecture with what the Bible teaches in Genesis?

I decided to ask my Christian friends about creation and evolution, and I must say that I was amazed at their response. They all told me to believe in evolution and interpret the early chapters of Genesis accordingly (a belief called "theistic evolution", i.e., evolution occurred and God has controlled the process). My pastor and older members of my church told me not to worry about this issue. I thus became a theistic evolutionist.

In 1967 I obtained an honours degree in chemistry and decided to continue my studies by carrying on research in the field of gas kinetics for a PhD. In the middle of my doctorate programme, I got married. I had met Irene in 1965 and we had courted for just over three years.

During that time we had discussed every major doctrine to ensure that we were ‘equally yoked’, something we had considered to be important. Although I had told Irene that I was a theistic evolutionist, it transpired that she did not really believe me; she thought that I was only saying this in order for her to argue in favour of special creation. This was a ploy we used in order to discuss our beliefs–I would often take an opposite view to get her to argue in favour of the orthodox view.

Silly questions?

One day Irene remarked that she thought that God was wonderful in making the scenery around our Welsh home so beautiful. I replied by telling her that all the scenery was the result of geological processes starting with mud being laid down in the Ordovician Period millions of years ago.

My wife did not like this idea and so we started arguing. Every time she argued for a literal interpretation of the early chapters of Genesis, I told her that she did so because she did not know anything about geology or science.

After a few weeks, Irene tried a different ploy. I came home one evening and she immediately asked me if I believed in Jesus Christ. I said that she knew very well that I did! She then asked me if I believed in death, and I answered in the affirmative, and asked where such questions were leading.

Irene then asked me where I thought death came from. I remember answering that every living creature eventually reaches a point where it cannot replace all the worn out bits and pieces and so it dies. She told me that I was wrong, for there was a verse which taught quite clearly that ‘For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive’ (1 Corinthians 15:22). She then pointed out that I believed that three things in this verse were real: Christ, life, and death, but that illogically, I did not believe in a real Adam. Hmmm!

Was Adam real?

Like all theistic evolutionists, I had problems answering the question, ‘Who was Adam?’ I did not know whether to believe that the story of Adam was mythical, to teach us that the human race was sinful, or to believe that Adam was a man (or even a group of men) into whom God breathed His spirit so that the human race is endowed with a spiritual nature. Yet here was my wife showing me a verse from the New Testament that seemed to teach that Adam was a real historical person, and by implication that he was the one who was responsible for our dying.

I remember thinking that if I had to believe in a real Adam, then I would be forced to believe in a real Eve, a literal Garden of Eden, a literal six days of Creation, and so on. I thought, ‘In order to believe in all that, I would have to commit intellectual suicide!’

This question of who Adam was really bugged me. I read the New Testament to see what the writers’ attitude towards Genesis and Adam was. I soon began to realize that in the New Testament, all the events that were recorded in the early chapters of Genesis–the Creation, Adam/Eve, the Fall, Noah, the Flood and so on–were accepted as literal and historical. There was nothing in the New Testament about their being mythical, allegorical, legendary or even evolutionary.

I saw that the Lord Jesus Christ accepted Genesis as being literal and historical by his reference to the creation of Adam and Eve in His comments on divorce (Mark 10:1-12), and also by his reference to Noah and the Flood (Matthew 24:37-39) in relation to His second coming.

I was amazed at how many times the Apostle Paul compares and contrasts the Lord Jesus Christ with Adam. It was obvious that a belief in a literal Adam is absolutely crucial to the plan of salvation. If Adam did not fall from his original perfect state, then there is no sin, and hence Christ died for nothing.

Evolution: True or false?

The question that then confronted me was: Is it possible not to believe in evolution?

Even though I was extremely busy pursuing my PhD, I made time to examine three main areas concerning the creation/evolution controversy: chemical evolution, the fossil record, and dating methods. At that time I was totally unaware of any pro-creation books or articles. It may therefore come as a shock to many to realize that I became a creationist by reading about evolution!

I was amazed at the naivety of the statements that were being made by the chemical evolutionists. They were purporting to have proved that life originated by chance on the prebiotic Earth. I also soon realized that the fossil record did not show the gradual evolution of one life-form into another as predicted, and demanded, by evolution. Third, as a chemist, I could see that the accuracy of any dating method relied on a number of assumptions, some of which were unprovable, and others unknowable.

I began to realize that the idea of evolution was at best a hypothesis, and that it certainly had not been proved. I became convinced (and still am) that people believe in evolution because they choose to do so. There is not a shred of real evidence for the evolution of life on Earth. I thus reached the conclusion that the early chapters of Genesis could be accepted as being literally and historically true.

I soon found out that there were others who had come to the same conclusions as I had (for example, The Genesis Flood by Whitcomb and Morris).

A few months after moving to South Wales, I was invited to speak on creation/evolution. Over the next few years opportunities came my way to go to churches all over the UK to speak about why I believe in creation. I was also asked to write articles and books. The Lord was calling me to be used in this vital area of creation vs. evolution.

It is a great privilege to be a part of the Bible-proclaiming, Gospel-preaching ministry of AiG!

Return to top

---

Did Einstein believe in God?

Albert Einstein changed forever our views on time and space, light and gravity, matter and energy. He also said, ‘God does not play dice with the universe.’ So did he believe in the God of the Bible? And what did he mean by this famous saying of his? We tell you all about it in the December 2000 issue of Creation magazine.

Also in the December 2000 issue:

• How do geckos walk upside down?
• We evaluate a reported dinosaur sighting in Papua New Guinea.
• Earth looks its age–young!
• We interview creationist Dr Saami Shaibani, consultant for the FBI and teacher of the physics of medicine to physicians and surgeons.
• The word games evolutionists play.
• Life from non-life–is it possible? If not, why do our schools still teach it?
• Ken Ham interviews John Whitcomb.
• And much, much more, including a 4-page children’s section.
•  £12.95 for four 56-page, full-colour issues.
• Subscribe now by phone or post, or use our transaction-secure Web site

Return to top

---

Feedback

‘I have been receiving Creation for eight years. While I have enjoyed browsing through them time and again, I realised that they could be used more effectively in a Christian library.

‘We have a travelling Christian library in this area that visits …about once a month, with a wide selection of Christian books, videos and audio tapes available.

‘I have put my magazines to good use by having them in folders, about five or six in each, thus making them available to a far wider group of people.’

–I.H., Waterlooville, Hants

‘Thank you for the April AiG Prayer News, which contained the testimony of Sonia and how the rejection by Christians of the Genesis account caused her to reject all that Christianity stands for.

‘That theme also comes across in Ken Ham’s book, Creation Evangelism for the New Millennium, which shows so clearly what great damage evolution has done to young people.

‘Ken Ham’s book has shown me that a literal Genesis is a key to unlocking a door for the Gospel. Not the only one, yet a very significant one.

‘Like many sincere Christians, I have sought to proclaim Christ without realising many do not have a full awareness of how and where sin originated, and therefore do not regard themselves as sinners. It would be good if this book was available to the general public and I intend asking the library if they would accept a donated copy. … I now see the Creation / Evolution debate in a new light.’ –D.V., Sheffield

‘I’ve been praying that the Lord will use your books, videos, tracts, etc., to saturate the colleges, universities, and people in positions of authority will be stirred up and blessed by all this information, bringing glory to God as Creator. I do a lot of open-air preaching and outreach, using much of your material, to sow the seed, in this vital area of the Gospel.’ –A.J., Chester

‘I lent a Creation booklet at work and it has led to a workmate receiving a free Bible so he can read Genesis. He has asked for the loan of some of my magazines so he can let his brother read them. Then he was discussing what he had been reading with another workmate who in turn started to read Stones and Bones.’

–J.H., Shaftesbury, Dorset

(Ed.: The creation materials often kindle interest in people who are otherwise disinterested in the Gospel, and many conversions result.)

Return to top

---

Monty White writes:

AiG has its Headquarters in the City of Leicester (or Ratae Coritanorum, as it was known in Roman times).

During the first few days of being the CEO, Irene and I have thought many times of Julius Caesar’s words Veni, Vidi, Vici (I came, I saw, I conquered). We know all about coming and seeing–we are hoping to get to grips with the conquering, but we are still on a very steep learning curve!

One of the very many tasks Irene has accomplished during her first week has been putting the final touches to Dr Tas Walker’s forthcoming itinerary. This involves checking that we have the correct venue addresses/times etc. for the meetings, that accommodation has been booked for Tas, Lorraine and ourselves, that the vehicles have been hired, and the ferries booked. This very much is taking over from work begun by Graham.

We are looking forward to Tas’ visit and I am looking forward to sharing the ministry. There will be many highlights. I know that Tas is particularly interested in seeing the caves at Bridgnorth, which were inhabited until the early 20th Century. We praise God for the opportunity of addressing some of the members and civil servants of the Northern Ireland Assembly. We are also looking forward to our visit to the Giant’s Causeway!

Please remember this visit in your prayers, trusting that God will use Tas’ ministry for His Glory.

Return to top

---

Graham Scott writes:

I have now handed over to the new AiG Chief Executive, Monty White. I have had to wait for my relief, but in Monty and Irene the Lord has abundantly supplied.

For these last few days I have been going through the files, tidying things up. What memories the older files evoke! How quickly we forget past battles, and the wonderful answers to prayer. Reminders of the way we outgrew the space available as the work grew. How we had to insulate the outhouse roof with bubble wrap and install power points when our spare room could no longer cope. Then, when there was absolutely no more room, we rented space in BSS House. Reminders too of the hard work when our hand-written VAT records took two full days to prepare every quarter (an unpaid tax collector for the government).

Perhaps the most lasting memories are not of the struggles, but of the many people we have had the privilege of meeting and working with: those whose lives have been changed, those who always believed Genesis, but needed the encouragement and confirmation that our meetings, books and magazines brought, and those fellow labourers in this country and abroad it has been my joy to know.

I shall not be entirely disappearing, as I have been invited to join the Board of Directors. Nor shall I be retiring to the South Coast to grow roses. The Lord has called us to settle for the moment in South Wales, where we believe He has a work for us to do. We are looking for a house suitable to our needs, confident that the Lord will provide. One day we would like to live beside the sea, but that must be for the future.

Although we will not be travelling round and meeting our friends and supporters any more, we are confident that we shall meet again, ‘here, there or in the air’. Hallelujah!

Return to top

---

Olympic Games Evangelism

To assist with Gospel outreach by a team of over 100 Christians during the Sydney Olympic Games, AiG (Australia), produced 20,000 giveaway copies of a 64-page, A5-size book entitled Answers to the 4 Big Questions.

These are: 1. Doesn’t evolution explain our existence? 2. How did the different ‘races’ arise? 3. Cain’s wife–who could she have been? 4. Does God exist? It also contains a clear presentation of the Gospel.

It is intended to be an adjunct to the tracts that Christians use. If someone says something like, ‘I don’t believe in God’ or ‘Evolution explains my existence’ or ‘You Christians can’t even tell me where Cain got his wife’, then the Christian has the book to answer their questions and challenge their disinterest.

The team is now very enthusiastic about the book’s potential for the 2004 Olympics in Greece, as they are one of the few Christian groups who will be allowed to reach out at those Games.

Moves are afoot to translate the book into several languages, including Greek.

For general use, see our catalogue.

Return to top