Insect Parasites, Disease, and Creation
Biblical creationists must deal with questions about natural evils, including parasites and the diseases they transmit. The details of such things are very involved and many professing Christians are unable to provide adequate explanations. Evolutionists are also challenged.
Scoffers ask, "If there is a loving God, how could have have made such things?" These people are actually indulging in prejudicial conjecture and straw man arguments (in this case, the false "fixity of species" view). Not only are they disparaging the Creator's skill and integrity, but arguing from the worldview of atheistic naturalism. That is, if they honestly want an answer from a biblical creationist, they must allow us to argue from our worldview. Indeed, this is not an argument from science, but is actually theological and philosophical in nature.
The origins of such parasites and transmitted diseases are admittedly a challenge to creationists, but evolutionists also struggle with this. Phylogeny is not helpful, as it assumes evolution, uses circular reasoning, and shows similarities among organisms. Creationists also look for natural explanations but are not saddled with pleasing naturalists.
Linked below is a rather technical biology article on this subject. The author acknowledges that everything was perfect at the original creation of all things, but after the Fall (Adam and Eve sinned), things changed and went downhill. Mutations and variations occurred, ecologies changed, symbiotic relationships were formed, and more. Details of the workings of both diseases and three insects that carry them are presented.
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| Blackfly, Simulium damnosum, transmits river blindness Credit: CDC/ Dr. Jesse Hobbs (usage does not imply endorsement of site contents) |
The origins of such parasites and transmitted diseases are admittedly a challenge to creationists, but evolutionists also struggle with this. Phylogeny is not helpful, as it assumes evolution, uses circular reasoning, and shows similarities among organisms. Creationists also look for natural explanations but are not saddled with pleasing naturalists.
Linked below is a rather technical biology article on this subject. The author acknowledges that everything was perfect at the original creation of all things, but after the Fall (Adam and Eve sinned), things changed and went downhill. Mutations and variations occurred, ecologies changed, symbiotic relationships were formed, and more. Details of the workings of both diseases and three insects that carry them are presented.
Accounting for the presence of blood-sucking insects that transmit serious diseases is a challenging task. Propositions for the emergence of the malaria organism and filarial worms are suggested in this paper. It is argued that blood-sucking insects originally fed on nectar, honeydew, and perhaps other insects. Changes in gene expression conceivably led to utilization of pain-feeling animals as a ready source of nourishment for egg maturation, a function provided originally by mainly plant sources. Gene expression alterations, changes in insect vectoring of microbes, and their relationship with their hosts occurred after the Fall. It appears that as a result of such changes some benign or beneficial relationships were transformed into ones that caused harm.You can read the rest (it is not short or casual) by clicking on "Destructive parasites: expressions of God’s creation?"