Many atheists claim that evolution is a proven scientific fact. If you disagree, they usually laugh, and go on to say things like:
“You’re one of those Bible thumpers aren’t you? You believe Noah and the arc too, right?”
But what if I told you that evolution was such a bad theory, that if an 8th grader presented it for his final project, he would get expelled from school for how irrational it was?
Well, that’s true, and I’m going to show you why in the next few posts. Today, we’re going to talk about how the fossil record doesn’t confirm evolution, it confirms something much scarier.
Recent Posts from the Devolved Series
Evolution in the Fossils?
As we’ve seen from the previous posts in this series, evolution can’t even start. Cosmologists and Chemists certainly can’t help the evolutionists here.
But what about the fossil record? If the theory of evolution were true and there was a gradual change in lifeforms, the fossil record should show any number of connecting links between lifeforms.
Well, does it?
Nothing :/
Unfortunately for the evolutionist, the fossil record shows life happening abruptly and in complex forms. There’s also gaps between different types of lifeforms.
There is also no fossil trace of an ape-like creature turning into a man. There have been many claimed missing links, but upon further observation, they are either man-made hoaxes, or misinterpreted chimp fossils.
Well then, paleontologists would be the first people to give up the theory of evolution, right? If they know the fossil record, they couldn't possibly continue holding to evolution…right?
Well a very prominent academic in evolution, Stephen Jay Gould, knew the fossil record very well. He knows it doesn't support Darwin’s theory.
So in 1977, as a leading advocate of evolution, he wrote an article entitled Punctuated Equilibrium in the journal Paleobiology, volume 3, page 145.1
According to Gould, the fossil record doesn’t support evolution as interpreted in a gradualistic sense. But, since we just know evolution is true (👀), the fossil record must prove to us that evolution took place.
According to Gould, when evolutionary change happens, it doesn’t happen gradually at all. It happens very fast, and then you have long periods of equilibrium (things staying the same).
So we just so happened to only have hundreds of millions of fossils that were laid down during one of those nice equilibrium periods, and not one of those pesky punctuated evolutionary periods.
Dr. Greg Bahnsen had this to say about Gould’s view:
“That amounts to saying; The proof of my theory in the fossil record is that there would be no proof in the fossil record.”
So…the Creation Account?
The main problem with this view is that it turns into a creation account by natural means. Remember, if we assume this punctuated equilibrium is true, that means that:
There were different “periods” of evolution
These periods were all “very short”
These periods were powered by “creative energy and change”
There are ‘gaps’ in between these periods
Well, the Genesis account already documents periods of creative bursts, separated by a gap of a day.
The difference with this theory is that, instead of God’s infinite mind powering the creation, its just a random force. This is absurd because, we have to ask…what generic natural force is powering these random ‘bursts’ of evolutionary change?
If the changes in evolution were random, we would expect that change to happen constantly over time, not in short bursts.
To continue, Stephen Jay Gould explains why gradualistic evolution has been preferred:
“The general preference that so many of us hold for gradualism is a metaphysical stance embedded in the history of western cultures. It is not a high-order empirical observation induced from the objective study of nature.”
And moving further on page 147:
"At the higher level of evolutionary transition between basic morphological designs, gradualism has always been in trouble, though it remains the 'official' position of most Western evolutionists. Smooth intermediates between Baupläne are almost impossible to construct, even in thought experiments; there is certainly no evidence for them in the fossil record..."
As stated previously, gradual evolution is a philosophy, not a strict scientific theory. The fossil record simply confirms this.
So if the fossil record doesn’t support gradual evolution, what does it confirm? What can we conclude based on the evidence?
What is a Fossil?
Well, what is a fossil?
fossil
the remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock.
Basically, fossils are the remains of a once living creature found in rocks.
When you see a dead deer on the side of the road, what will happen in the coming days and weeks? Will it fossilize?
Well no, it’ll be eaten quickly by scavengers and bacteria. Nature will take its course.
So why do we see billions of fossils all over the world, with many of them being well preserved? What could explain this?
Rapid burial. If these animals were buried rapidly, their bodies would be preserved, out of reach from oxygen and burrowing animals. Fossilizing can happen very quickly, in fact, you can literally make a fossil at home, today.
Even evolutionists agree that the fossil record is mostly a history of catastrophe, not gradual development.
However, as Rampino notes, geological history is now commonly understood to be marked by long periods of stability punctuated by major ecological changes that occur both episodically and rapidly, casting doubt on Darwin's theory that "most evolutionary change was accomplished very gradually by competition between organisms and by becoming better adapted to a relatively stable environment."2
1. Marine Life
So, what kind of fossils do we find in the fossil record? For one, we find marine fossils (sea creatures) in rock layers way above sea level all over the world.
If these rock layers were created over thousands or millions of years, we wouldn’t expect to see sea creatures at this elevation.
Something carried these marine creatures to this height, something that we certainly don’t see today.
Dr. Andrew A. Snelling said this about the marine fossils
These marine fossils are found haphazardly preserved in this limestone bed. The crinoids, for example, are found with their columnals (disks) totally separated from one another, while in life they are stacked on top of one another to make up their “stems.” Thus, these marine creatures were catastrophically destroyed and buried in this lime sediment.3
2. Fossils in Action
We also find fossils of animals who are in the middle of a very temporary state. Take for example the picture above. This is a documented fossil of a fish in the middle of eating another fish.
If this fossil was laid down over a long period of time, it wouldn’t be found in this position. It would have already eaten the other fish by now.
Something happened to this fish that was so quick & abrupt, there was no time for it to even finish its dinner.
So What Happened?
To recap, we know that fossils are evidence of a rapid burial. We find billions of fossils all over the globe, which points to a global event.
We find marine fossils in elevations way above sea level, which means this global event carried them up there. And we even find fossils of animals in the middle of a very temporary state.
The question is…what kind of global, cataclysmic event could have possibly buried this many animals, in such a short period of time, simultaneously, while having the strength & capability of throwing T-Rex’s around like chew toys?
The Judgement of God
It was the global flood, as detailed in the genesis account. About 4,300 years ago, God judged the entire world with a global flood due to the wickedness of humans.
The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Genesis 6:5
God caused the fountains under the earth to break open with water, as well as torrential rain to pour down to create this flood condition.
…on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
Genesis 7:11–12
Dr. Terry Mortenson explains more about what this was like:
The language therefore clearly implies earth movements on the deep ocean floor as it broke open (i.e., earthquakes), which would trigger volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis, coupled with torrential global rain, all of which would result in unimaginable destruction.4
The global flood was a historic event that absolutely decimated the planet. The judgement of God was on full display against the rebellion of man.
With the exception of Noah, his family, and the animals on the ark, no other land creature was saved.
He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark.
Genesis 7:23
Now What?
So if you’re someone who holds to evolution, maybe you’re an atheist, or you reject God and his word, what should you do in response to the fossil record?
Repent (turn in sorrow and remorse), and ask God for forgiveness. The same God that once judged the earth at the time of the flood, will execute a greater judgement by fire at the end of history.
and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
2 Peter 3:5–7
We have all fallen short of God’s standard, but by turning to Jesus as Lord and believing in his sacrifice, we can be saved. If you believe that Jesus Christ paid for your debt on the cross, and acknowledge him as LORD, you will be saved from the final judgement.
We’re Not Done
So, if the theory of evolution was true, we’d expect the fossil record to support it. But as we’ve seen today, the fossil record doesn’t confirm evolution, it reminds us of God’s previous judgement, and the certainty of his future one.
But that’s not the only problem with evolution. Next week, we’re going to talk about dinosaurs.
The Fossil Record Should Terrify You: Devolved Part 5