Why a Physician Believes in Creation

Why a Physician Believes in Creation

By Charles Webster, M.D.

Publication: The Lookout

Date: November 1, 2009

Column: First Look

Category: Creation; Science; Medicine

I have been a physician for 12 years. I spent the previous 12 years studying biochemistry, mathematics, and molecular biology in order to better understand the human body. The more I have learned, the more I am convinced that there is indeed a great Architect.

The intricacies of the human body have helped solidify my belief in creation. A number of incredible features about the body show the presence of the hand of God.

The cell. This seemingly basic unit of life is actually the most complex. If we weren't created—if it were merely a first step in evolution—the cell should be very simple. I would think it would resemble a little plastic Lego block. However, the cell is more complex than even the most impressive processing plant. Even though we understand how some of this intracellular machinery works, we have just begun to touch on its vast complexity.

The immune system. Our immune cells are prepared not only to recognize foreign material that has entered the body, but to differentiate normal body cells from cancer cells as well. Immune cells also have memory that protects us from the same invader if it attacks again.

Our ability to heal. We can recover from significant injuries because the body was built to put things back together in the original way. When repair by a doctor is not possible, the body will adapt. Broken bones will mend. An injured liver can regenerate itself. A blocked artery in the heart causes the body to create new blood vessels that carry blood around the blockage so that the area "downstream" can receive blood.

Feedback mechanisms. The chemicals and ions in our bodies are very carefully balanced. Even slight deviations in levels of sodium, potassium, or calcium can quickly lead to significant problems like seizures, heart rhythm disturbances, or even coma. Intricate systems carefully monitor the levels of these chemicals and adjust them when they get too high or too low. Barring disease, these systems work amazingly well. If my personal computer worked as well as our body's feedback loops, I wouldn't need to take it in for repairs every year or two.

DNA. The chromosomes that make up our DNA are formed by four bases joining together to create a long chain. The pattern in which these four bases are combined determines our genetic makeup. There are billions of base pairs in our chromosomes. Every time our cells divide, these chromosomes are copied. A set of proteins proofreads each copy, removing mistakes and inserting the correct base. Despite billions of copies, our DNA almost never makes an error. Moreover, every time our DNA gets copied it gets unwrapped from a very organized, compact package into a long string. Then it is copied and wrapped up again. It never gets tangled. Sometimes I have a hard time getting the knots in my shoestring untied.

The vestibular system. In the inner ear, we have a set of loops called semicircular canals. These canals help us to coordinate getting our hands to our mouths when we eat, and to maintain balance when walking. The amazing thing about these canals is that they are placed along a perfect x-y-z axis in our heads, so that each canal is oriented 90 degrees to the others. This allows us to tell the difference between up, down, right and left and whether we are moving or remaining still.

Neurotransmission. Our nerves conduct impulses by releasing chemicals that transmit signals to the rest of the body. These chemicals are taken up so quickly that the concept of moving the big toe is accomplished before we can even comprehend it has happened.

The brain. Cells and chemicals work in unison to give us the ability to use judgment, to have insight, and to be creative. We can love, hope, and exercise faith. No other creature on earth has the ability to yearn for Heaven.

The eye. Our eyes give us a vivid image of the world. Better than any camera ever made, they give us a picture of the world in color and in three dimensions. If you scratch the surface of the eye, it can repair itself. Even Charles Darwin stated, "To suppose that the eye . . . could have been formed by natural selection, seems, I freely confess, absurd in the highest possible degree."

I continue to be amazed every day that the human body can do what it does. Rather than being surprised that things sometimes go wrong, it is more amazing to me that the body can work at all. The human body shows evidence of incredible design. It reaffirms my faith in the Designer.

Charles Webster, M.D., is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati Medical School and practices medicine in Batesville, Indiana. He is the son-in-law of The Lookout's Executive Editor, David Faust.