The Lie: Evolution

May the Lord continue to bless Ken Ham and the Answers in Genesis ministry. What an important book this is! In this day and age when people are venerating and idolizing the unprovable words of mere men (i.e. humanism/evolution), how refreshing it is to spiritually feed on the soul-stirring, bible-based creation apologetics contained in this powerful book. I highly recommend THE LIE: EVOLUTION. 5 stars is not nearly enough!!!<br /><br />"I am often asked how people change their biases. This is a good question. As a Christian, the only way I can answer is to say that in this area it has to be a work of the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that we walk in either the light or in darkness (Acts 26:18), gather or scatter, are for Christ or against Him (Matthew 12:30). The Bible clearly declares that no person is neutral and that each one does have a bias. We are all dead in trespasses and sin. Our very nature is that we are against God. Since it is the Holy Spirit who convicts the world of sin (John 16:8) and convinces people of the truth through the proclamation of the Word of God, then it is only through the work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God that our biases can change." - Ken Ham in THE LIE: EVOLUTION

25 years later, this book still rings true and is even more important to read today as evolution and millions of years is taught as "fact". Over the last several decades, schools and society in general have been steering people to look within themselves for some type of enlightenment. Accepting that there truly is a God who is Creator of all means accepting individual responsibility for our sinful lives. It would mean acknowledging that God really did set beneficial rules in the beginning. Our choice to not obey and follow His guidelines means eternal separation from the most High Lord of all life. Ken Ham brings lies we are told to light and stresses the additional concerns we should have over Christians buying into these lies.<br /><br />While I didn't read the original The Lie book, it seems that one of the most important additions to this book is found in addressing Christians who are compromising the Truth; those trying to make evolution fit into the Scriptures. There is no possible way for evolution and Biblical Creation to mesh. The most pointed fact is found on the 6th day of creation, when God created man in His own image (not in the image of an ape or pond scum). There was no death before sin, thus no death before Adam disobeyed God. Trying to fit millions of years into 6 days just doesn't work because there was no sin/death before Adam and Eve's devastating choice. In addition, God ended each day commenting that His creation was "good", culminating in it was "very good." God would never call sin or any of it's horrific after-affects good; thus there was no sin/no death/no millions of years.<br /><br />Differentiating between OBSERVABLE science and HISTORICAL science is something that is left severely understated (or missing completely) in many circles (Christian and secular). How many times have I heard or read the argument that someone is "all about science" so to them that is the end-all to the Creation vs evolution debate! Just being able to give someone the definition of what observable and historical science mean is a huge first step to understanding how "science" itself is defined and how it relates to the past. I love that this is explained and expanded on in this book. It's something we need to not only know for ourselves but is of utmost importance to teach this differentiation to our children so they understand and will know how to defend the Bible/Biblical Creation against attacks to God's truths.<br /><br />One quote that stood out is, "The public has genuinely been misled into thinking that evolution is only scientific and belief in God is only religious." (pg 72/73) Ken Ham explains this in much more detail than I could. Even secular museums displaying fossils, plants, and animal specimens are merely displaying evidences that they are interpreting based on "evolutionary beliefs"; a hypothesis of what could have happened. The same fossils, plants, and animal specimens could be on display in a Creation museum with interpretations based on the Biblical details of Creation, the sinful fall of mankind and and resulting corruption of everything in this world, the worldwide flood of Noah's day (with resulting upheavals/carving-out of the global surface and laying down of massive amounts of rocks layers/fossil-creation), etc. Interpretation is all relative to the glasses you are looking through. No one is here now to tell us all about the beginning of creation/time itself, but God was there and as Creator He has left us with THE record of the history of the world.<br /><br />This is an excellent book to begin with or to read in addition to other Biblical-creation based books. Expand your knowledge on the subject and don't be the one to shrug your shoulders or walk away the next time someone throws the "well, I just believe in science" card on the table. Evolution and millions of years isn't observable, testable science. It's a theory that has no proof; just many voices that try to fit pieces together in an effort to push the one true God they don't want to acknowledge out of the picture. If you look at the same 'evidences' through the light of what God tells us happened in the last 6,000 years, there is ample proof (using the same 'evidences') that what God said happened did happen. <br /><br />Psalm 11:3 "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Our battle today isn't just evolution/millions of years versus Creation. The Christians who are trying to fit evolution into the Bible are ultimately destroying the foundations of God's Word. His Word is infallible. What He says is truth and when you mess with God's Word you are causing people to question that anything in the Bible is true. Don't be the one to corrupt His Word with lies or you could be the one to lead others on a wide path away from the God who created and loves them.

Ken Ham first wrote “The Lie” twenty-five years ago. This is an updated edition of that book. Mr. Ham is head of ‘Answers in Genesis’, a group of people dedicated to the truth of the Word of God, particularly the first eleven chapters of it. The title of the book “The Lie” refers to the theory of evolution and/or the idea that it took millions or billions of years to get where we are today.<br /><br />Mr. Ham writes that Christianity is under attack. If non-believers can foster doubt about the first book of the Bible, it is easier then for them to call into question the rest of God’s Word. “The Lie” says that most every conflict between believers and non-believers stems from a question of authority. It is a case of ‘man’s word vs. God’s Word”. <br /><br />Much of our society’s thinking today is based on relative morality, “…that is, a person can do what he likes and is answerable to no one but himself as long as the majority of people can be persuaded that their interests are not being threatened” (p. 34). God has placed a set of standards into our hands in the form of the Bible, therefore, we see the idea of ‘man’s word vs. God’s Word’ played out daily in our culture.<br /><br />Mr. Ham believes, rightly so, that there is a religion (a belief system), called evolution, being taught in our public schools today. It is a religion whose faith is in the belief that the universe did not need a creator. They believe that the universe somehow created itself; and it is with this presupposition that they evaluate the universe. Granted, Christians begin with the presupposition that God created the universe; but Christians have a record of our origins written by the only one who was there, the Creator.<br /><br />Mr. Ham cautions believers never to give up their presuppositions when debating or discussing with non-believers or skeptics. He says that there is no neutral ground; everyone comes to the discussion with presuppositions based on whatever he or she holds to be authoritative.<br /><br />Mr. Ham believes that much of Christianity’s energy is being squandered in addressing the symptoms of godless worldviews (i.e. same sex marriage, abortion, permissiveness, moral relativism, racism) when we should be challenging the foundations of their worldview, and the basis of their authority. One major lesson presented in “The Lie” is that Christians, young and old, need to be taught why they believe what they believe and how to defend that belief. “…always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you…” (I Peter 3:15 ESV).<br /><br />The reasons and reasoning in this book are sound. I encourage every Christian to read it, it will strengthen the Christian’s faith in the historicity of the Bible by showing that the first chapters of Genesis, which concern the origins of the universe, can be taken as written and do not have to be altered to fit a secular-naturalistic-humanistic concept of evolution.<br /><br />[I was given a copy of this book to review. The opinions stated here are expressly mine unless otherwise note.]<br />

Ken Ham has done it again. He wrote an awesome book about the lie of evolution/million of years. The Lie: Evolution/Million of Years is an eye opener to say the least.<br /><br />This book was an eye opener for me. I have struggled with the idea of Evolution/Millions of years. Since I became a Christian about 12 years ago and began to understand that what the Bible said was the truth and what I learned in school about evolution was a lie. I knew that we weren't from Apes and when I would question my science teachers they never had a response. I used to just shake my head and say okay.<br /><br />I think everyone should read this book. I was shocked to learn that some pastors didn't think that Genesis was the truth and the start of our history. Some believe that its either poetry or just a cute story. I would love to meet Ken Ham in person because I would love to discuss this book with him and thank him for writing it.<br /><br />Creation the way the Bible says is how it happened and when the time comes I hope more people believe that cause I think they will have to answer to the maker why they don't. I personally believe in the whole Bible and I don't try to question it but pray that I can understand it fully one day.<br /><br />I pray that more people take the time to read this profound book and understand it and then go to their Bible and read Genesis and believe.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />*Disclaimer: I was given this book for my honest review from Master Books division of New Leaf Publishing Group

“The Lie: Evolution/Millions of Years”<br /><br />"Revised &amp; Expanded for this special 25th anniversary edition, Ken Ham once again takes the lead in pointing out the looming precipice too many church leaders are rushing towards: a denial of the full authority and accuracy of the Bible from its very first verse.<br /><br />In addition, Ken powerfully shows how the ideas of evolution and millions of years are driving young people away from the Christian faith, and provides solid, biblical solutions to turn things around.<br /><br />Published in 1987, this book took a bold stand which became prophetic. Ken warned the church about the destructive effects of compromise with evolutionary/millions of years ideas. He warned that compromise in Genesis would undermine Scriptural authority in the culture and erode confidence in the infallibility of God’s Word. Today, Christians (and those considering the Christian faith) increasingly doubt the Bible’s reliability.<br /><br />• Compromising Genesis has led to a generational loss of an acceptance of the absolute authority of the Word of God, and leading to an exodus of young people from the church<br />• Why Genesis remains critically important in presenting the Gospel<br />• This slippery slope of reinterpreting Scripture to redefining biblical doctrine<br />• Discover how your handling of the biblical account of creation impacts your understanding of all of Scripture and your worldview<br /><br />The issues are of critical importance when you realize that today we have Christians not only confused when it comes to Genesis and the age of the earth, but now even the reality of Hell, Adam as a real person, and Christ’s own words about creation, marriage and more are debated in the pulpits across the world. One compromise just leads to another – and it has to end if we want to leave a legacy of faith to future generations.” (From the New Leaf Press/Master Books Website)<br /><br />About the Author: Ken Ham is the president/CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis - U.S. and the highly acclaimed Creation Museum. Ken Ham is one of the most in-demand Christian speakers in North America. Ken's emphasis is on the relevance and authority of the book of Genesis and how compromise on Genesis has opened a dangerous door regarding how the culture and church view biblical authority. His Australian accent, keen sense of humor, captivating stories, and exceptional PowerPoint illustrations have made him one of North America's most effective Christian communicators.<br /><br />My Thoughts About The Book: The revised and expanded edition of The Lie is a book that is the end result of over 30 years of research and study by author Ken Ham regarding the issue of Authority of the Scriptures and Creation versus the Theory of Evolution. And it is truly a masterpiece when it comes to books on those subjects as far as I am concerned.<br /><br />In the 17 Chapters of his book author Ken Ham writes regarding what The Bible states about Evolution and Religion, Creation, the importance of the Book of Genesis, Death, Evangelism, future historical events prophesied in the Scriptures and much more. And although he writes the book as a Biblical scholar and it is rich in Biblical, Historical and Scientific content, the good news is that the average lay person like me can read it, understand it and enjoy it.<br /> <br />Author Ham rightly states in his book that Biblical Christianity is under attack, that the foundations of Biblical truth and the faith once delivered to the saints are crumbling and that there are problems abundant in our nation and world as a result. But his book is not just a bleak picture at the problem…and it is a serious one because of Sin. Rather, he does write it like it is but is clear in his position that for those of us who are Biblical Christians, remain strong and true in their faith the outcome is a good one – even though our experience while living on this fallen planet among sinful people may not always be so pleasant or good.<br /><br />For anyone who wants to know the facts about Creation and Evolution and gain a more solid understanding of the Authority of the Scriptures in several key areas of life, author Ham’s book is a book well worth purchasing and reading. I highly recommend it.<br /><br />Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, New Leaf Publishing Group, for reviewing it. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

This is a book I highly recommend to everyone! Ken Ham has thoroughly and giftedly explained his view on why Evolution is not a science but a belief system in which scientists who were not even there when the world began came up with. He then compared Evolution to Creation which is a fact that is known through the Bible, a book that has been written my men but inspired by God who has always existed, knows everything and created the world. This is a brilliant tool to counter evolution with the truths of the Bible. <br />Ken Ham's main thesis is that evolution is just another religion in competition with the traditional Christian viewpoint based on the Bible. He is a scientist as well which adds some depth to his arguments, but mostly he deals with the general concept of what constitutes a religion and then proves that evolution is just that. He mostly seeks to expose the underlying bias that the world has today towards evolution to explain our origins and how this bias is unfounded. He's not a polished writer, but his book reads very direct, probably the same way he gives his presentations in schools across the English speaking world.<br />

Rated 1 star for fear-mongering, conspiracy theorizing, repetitiveness, naivete, and disturbing authoritarian overtones.<br /><br /> This was a terrible book, a book which is little more than an extended rant where the author regurgitates the same set of ideas over and over again. While the presentation of the ideas is bad, the content of these ideas is far worse. Nevertheless, this book provides a valuable little window into the mind of Ken Ham, one of the leaders of the "Creation Science" movement... a scary little window.<br /> <br /> After reading the kind of arguments made in this book, it would seem that Ham is a deeply credulous and inconsistent thinker. When it comes to any scientific hypothesis (what fundamentalists like to call "a theory of men") where there is room for any doubt and uncertainty (which is the case with many, if not most, scientific theories), Ham approaches it with a fierce, radical, and uncompromising skepticism. Any room for doubt and that theory must be thrown right out! Yet, at the same time, this almost Hume-like skeptic in regards to all matters scientific and philosophical clings to an inflexible and laughably simplistic understanding of his own Christian religion and it's Bible. His is a belief that takes no cultural, historical, or interpretive issues into account when trying to understand and evaluate the Bible or his own Christian dogmas. The bumper sticker, "God said it. I believe it. That settles it," was created for people like him. <br /><br /> <i>The Lie</i> has it's share of other random and bizarre ideas. According to Ham, people only wear clothes because it is a practice mandated in the biblical book of Genesis. Ham goes on to claim that that if one were to invalidate the Book of Genesis as a record of literal history and fact, the practice of wearing clothes would thereby be called into question which could lead to some sort of anarchy of nakedness. (Presumably the ancient natives of Asia, the Americas, Australia, etc. who all developed their own customs of clothing themselves had a copy of the Bible?) For some reason Ham also makes the claim that all fathers are biblically appointed to be the priests of their families. Make of that whatever you will. (Dad's duty to offer up sacrificial animals on the grill?) <br /><br /> Taken as a whole <i>The Lie</i> fails to make a coherent, logical argument. The book opens with a rambling tirade on the growing evils of society where the author would have us believe that all of these growing evils stem from a single cause - the scientific theory of evolution, the supposed root of all evil. Following this is more rambling on about how true Christianity and the Bible are. This is a given we are supposed to take for granted without any proof. Around and around we are led in the same loops of absurd illogic. There is a term for people who reason and argue like this - cranks. (Cranks always want to oversimplify things down to a singular evil that threatens society which can be defeated with a silver-bullet solution. For prohibitionists booze was the singular evil destroying society, for Scientologists psychology is the one, true evil, for the Cold Warriors, it was Communism, etc., etc.) <br /><br /> <i>The Lie</i> makes it clear that Ken Ham is one of those black-and-white thinkers with no room in his brain for either ambiguity or nuance. Conservative, right wing, authoritarian types like him reduce everything to a simplistic morality tale of Good and Evil. Ham's mind is made up, and he and his like-minded compatriots will not abide any other members of society deviating from their own narrow-minded ideas of proper belief, thought, and behavior. What makes this all the more clear are Ham's favorite words (or the variant forms thereof) popping-up frequently throughout this text: "lawlessness", "right and wrong", "dogmatic", and "authority". The single word (and it's variants) which Ham uses most frequently is "absolutes". (Out of curiosity, I went back and counted it as having been used 24 times throughout this short text.) <br /><br /> Given his deeply conservative, authoritarian outlook, it's not surprising that Ken Ham's religion is one of rigid discipline and law. He pictures God first and foremost as being the Absolute Authority - God the Divine Cop. What distresses Ham is that the world is no longer the squeaky clean, never-never land he imagines it once was back in those glorious, moral days of yore that never were. In order to save the world from itself, Ham believes he must sally forth and lead a crusade against, in his own words, "the Satanically backed religion of evolution." <br /> <br /> Make no mistake, the "Creation Science" and "Intelligent Design" movements are the groups with the truly evil agendas no matter how innocent they might try to pass themselves off as being. To paraphrase Ham's stated views in this book, Creation Scientists view themselves as Christian soldiers fighting to take back control of society in the name of Absolute Authority. "The Lie" isn't evolution, it's all of Ham and company's talk about bringing balance and fairness to science classrooms. The real goal these people (or at least their leaders) have is to take over the public schools, the courts, the government, and any other seats of power in order to foist their fundamentalist brand of right wing Christianity onto us all. <br /><br />As individuals members of the Creation Science movement can be nice, well-meaning people, but as a collective their ideas and goals (insofar as they follow the social and political agenda Ham has outlined in <i>The Lie</i>) are on par with that of the Taliban.

If you've been around my blog for very long at all, you may know that I love the first few chapters of Genesis, including the creation account, Noah's flood, and the tower of Babel. I believe that a proper understanding of these foundational chapters provide the structure needed to correctly understand the rest of Scripture.<br /><br />My wife and I were very close to joining a creation-based ministry a few years ago, in fact. So this area is one that I am pretty passionate about.<br /><br />If you were to look at my library in my office, you would see dozens of books and other resources on the topics of Genesis and creation. But somehow, <em>The Lie: Evolution/Millions Of Years</em> by Ken Ham is a book I missed along the way. When I was asked to review the 25th Anniversary edition, I jumped at the chance to add this work to my shelf.<br /><br />And I was not disappointed. Ken Ham, of Answers In Genesis, has done a great job presenting the deep deception that we are operating under when we accept the idea of evolution and millions of years of earth history.<br /><br />Originally written in 1987, the new edition is revised, updated and expanded to keep it relevant to readers a quarter of a century later. <br /><br />Ken Ham starts off explaining the conflict. Christianity and the authority of God is under attack by humanism, and the essence of the conflict is simply God's Word versus man's word. In today's world, tolerance is key, unless it's Christianity were talking about. At that point, tolerance goes out the window and Christians are accused of being bigoted, uneducated, and backwards.<br /><br />The Bible is under attack. Here's why I think that is: If man was not created, if we evolved, then there is no God in the picture. Without God, then there is no need for the Bible, which is his Word. Without that authoritative Word, then I can accept anything I want to accept, without guilt or consequence. If we reject the very foundations of God's Word, and push it aside as myth and claim that it can't be true, then there is nothing to hold up my faith in any other area of life.<br /><br />If part of God's Word isn't true, then none of it can be trusted.<br /><br />And that's exactly where we are in the 21st century. We have accepted the authority of fallen, fallible man over the truth of God and his Word.<br /><br />While most of what I enjoy reading when it comes to creation is more evidence based, such as fossils, astronomy and much more, Ken Ham doesn't even broach those types of topics in <em>The Lie</em>. He has correctly identified the very root of the issue, and has clearly detailed where we are and where we're headed.<br /><br />Ken Ham even included chapters discussing how to include the foundational issue of creation into evangelistic efforts, and pastoral care, wrapping up the book with a glimpse of what is to come when Christ returns. God's Word is comprehensive from beginning to end, and it all ties together incredibly well.<br /><br />With my passion for creation, there wasn't a whole lot here that I didn't already know, or that I haven't already read in other books, articles and blogs. However, <em>The Lie</em> is very well written, and the logic of creation over the idea of evolution is clearly presented.<br /><br />It's about time I added this to my library. I think you should pick up a copy as well.<br /><br /><br /><strong><em>Have you read</em> The Lie<em>? If so, what did you think? If not, what is your favorite book on the foundational topic of creation? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.</em></strong> <br />

As Ken Ham so eloquently points out, "Whatever you believe about your origins affects your whole worldview, the meaning of life, and so on" (69).<br /><br />This is the main point driven home in this updated and expanded version of <em>The Lie</em> that first hit shelves 25 years ago. I have not read the original, though it was often easy to point out newer stories and examples that work nicely into the text. No punches are pulled as he makes his argument for a strict interpretation of Genesis and highlights the dangers of Christians compromising on this passage.<br /><br />I found chapters 5, 7, and 9 particularly poignant, as some of the others had a slight tendency to repeat information. While I believe this is a good book for provoking discussions in both atheist and Christian circles, I walked away understanding the dangers of Christians accepting anything but complete biblical authority on this issue. Ken is a great teacher when it comes to explaining complex scientific principles so everyone can understand him. Regardless of what you believe, his point about observational versus historical science is one that must be understood.<br /><br />I do wish he had gone into even more detail about the arguments used to mesh evolution and creation. It seems like a simple enough argument to me that if you believe (as the Bible states) that death did not enter the world until Adam sinned, then how can a fossil record that is nothing but death prove that millions of years have gone by? The first few chapters of Genesis are very clear about the ages and timelines that follow Adam and his descendents. But clearly there are many, many preachers and teachers bent on holding on to unbiblical ideas that complicate the issue.<br /><br />Overall, I recommend this one for both believers and non-believers. At the very least, it is thought-provoking. Both sides should be aware of all aspects of their beliefs and be prepared to defend them.

Wow! This is a book I highly recommend to everyone! Ken Ham has thoroughly and brilliantly explained his view on why Evolution is not a science but a belief system in which scientists who were not even there when the world began came up with. He then compared Evolution to Creation which is a fact that is known through the Bible, a book that has been written my men but inspired by God who has always existed, knows everything and created the world. Simply a must-read!