Are my decisions based on preferences or evidence?
Recently, I watched an interview with Dr. Stephen Meyer, Director of the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute, in which he related a story from a conference he attended in the mid-1980s. The purpose of the conference was to present the current status of the science concerning cosmological and biological origins. The event featured several well-known scientists from the camps of two very different worldviews: scientific materialism and theism.
During the event, Dr. Allan Sandage, the successor to Edwin Hubble (think Hubble telescope) and a famous astronomer in his own right, took the stage. Given Sandage’s well-documented skepticism concerning the existence of God, Meyer assumed he would join the scientific materialists. Instead, he surprised the audience by joining the theists, with the following explanation.
As a scientist, he prided himself as someone who, when testing hypotheses, followed the evidence to its logical conclusion even if unpleasant. Based upon the overwhelming evidence for design throughout the vast universe and within complex living organisms, he could no longer side with a purely materialistic worldview that denied such compelling evidence by attributing origins to purely undirected natural causes.
Like the scientific domain, most successful businesses develop strategies based on data (i.e., evidence). For example, as an investment industry professional, I am acutely aware of how risky it is to favor feelings and preferences over contradictory data. To quote Warren Buffett, the legendary investor, “Success in investing doesn’t correlate with I.Q. once you’re above the level of 25. Once you have ordinary intelligence, what you need is the temperament to control the urges that get other people into trouble investing.”
Indeed, when considering the merits of individual companies or constructing investment portfolios, one should dispassionately assess the data. While investment professionals often disagree regarding the interpretation of evidence, I have never met any who built a successful career by favoring feelings and preferences over evidence conflicting with their perspective!
Given the virtue of an evidence-based approach when making decisions, is there evidence supporting the belief in Jesus Christ and His relevance to all of life? Having investigated this question in some depth in my book “More Than Your Business Card,” I believe there is ample evidence from both the domains of science and history supporting the truth of the Christian worldview.
Without in any way minimizing the importance of arguments in favor of the Christian worldview based upon such evidence, my personal experience of God’s reality in my own life is persuasive evidence for me. These include many answers over the years to prayers for wisdom, finances and health. In every case, God’s presence was very real, often including His peace in the midst of adversity.
The catalyst that inspired me to write this blog is a wonderful worship song that I recently stumbled upon featuring Naomi Raine titled “Evidence.” It includes the following chorus: “We’ve got evidence, we are the living proof, you keep promises, and your word won’t fail.” As I listen to this song, I am again reminded that I am the living proof that Jesus is alive and active in the world today.
Do you see yourself as the living proof?
Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash
