The Difference between Micro and Macro Evolution

All text and images are protected under U.S copyright law.
Do not use without permission.

Some people have the mistaken impression that creation does not allow any type of change. It does. But it comes down to a matter of how much change, and in which direction the change occurs.

Creation allows for small amounts of change: a dog can produce a variety of breeds of dogs. This is variation - not evolution.

Creationism does not however allow for large scale changes like dinosaurs evolving into birds for example.

The direction of the observed changes: are things getting better or getting worse?

Evolution requires that they get better. We observe just the opposite. Many mutations are detrimental, and new species are sometimes less able to compete.

There is no question there are limited resources in which animals have to compete for. There is a struggle for existence. Natural selection does occur.* (*Natural selection is a biblical concept, and was first written about by a creationist Edward Blyth (1810—1873), a chemist and zoologist. Natural selection supports Creation, not evolution).

There are variations that occur in species. These are good observations, that must be followed by a good conclusion.

All variations we have today have occurred in the years after Noah's flood. The struggle for survival is a result of the sin cursed world, and harsh post flood changes to the environment.

There is survival of the fittest - and there is speciation. Both are things that fit well with the creation account and subsequent fall (sin, death) of man and its effect on the earth.

Survival of the fittest does not explain arrival of the fittest. Where did animals come from? God made them. Do they breed and create new species - yes. Dogs produce varieties of dogs.

Do they ever (even over millions of years of natural selection and speciation) become fish, or birds? No.

The word "Evolution" has two very different meanings. There is "Macro Evolution", and "Micro Evolution".

Microevolution is not really evolution at all. It is the simple variation within a species. It is the prominence of genes being displayed within that species. It allows a family to have one child with blonde hair and blue eyes, while the other has brown hair and brown eyes. The children have not evolved (they are still human), they simply differ in their dominant genes.


Question:
"Do you believe that dog breeding is a form of evolution? if not, then why not?"
from Sunny M. age 19, 11/7/01

Answer: No - this is breeding. They are all still dogs. Even after a million years of selective breeding they will all still be dogs. its all variation - not evolution.

Biblical Creationists believe in variation. All the breeds of dog that exist today all have a common ancestor. It was a dog. Animals can produce a new Species (wolf, domestic dog etc..) and new breeds (husky, lab, etc) but they can not become a new "kind" of animal. A dog will always produce dogs. And a million years from now they will still produce dogs.



Creationists believe that all living members of the dog family (wolves etc.) came from 2 dogs off of Noah’s ark.

But Evolutionists believe that all the dogs alive today evolved from a rock (for those of you who don't know what I am talking about, this is what evolutionists believe: "The earth cooled and formed rock, which was rained on for millions of years, turning it into "soup". The soup came alive and formed the first living creatures. These creatures evolved into all the animals living today").

Do you see the difference?

Micro Evolution (variation) is: Observable
Micro Evolution (variation) is Scientific
Micro Evolution (variation) is Biblical


Macro Evolution (Evolution of all living matter from non living matter) is:
Assumed. It has never been observed
Macro Evolution is Religious in nature. It takes faith to believe it, because there is No evidence.
Macro Evolution is not Biblical

Macro Evolution has never happened. It differs from Micro evolution (variation) because Micro evolution states that all breeds of dog came from a dog. Macroevolution says that all dogs evolved from a rock.

Macro Evolutionists try to use Micro evolution as evidence for Macro evolution. This takes a "leap of faith" and logic to believe.

Does Micro evolution cause Macro evolution?

"The central question of the Chicago conference was whether the mechanisms underlying micro-evolution can be extrapolated to explain the phenomena of macro-evolution. At the risk of doing violence to the positions of some of the people at the meeting, the answer can be given as a clear, No."
- Quote from Evolutionist Roger Lewin admitting that variation occurs, but that variation does not cause evolution. Quote from "Science" vol. 210, Nov 21, 1980 pg. 883 (source RQB).

What does the Bible say about variation?

The Bible recognizes variation, but says that each animal will only reproduce "after its kind". So dogs can have puppies with different color hair than the parents, but the puppies will never have fins, or wings etc. like evolution claims.


All species of dog we have today came from 2 dogs off of Noah's ark. There is a loss of information from the original dog kind to the new species.
(Picture courtesy of AIG)

Plant variation

Read my commentary on Genesis 1:11 for info on limits to plant variation.

Genesis 1:20
"And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky." (verse 21) So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (Verse 22) God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."

Again God creates all life in the sky and in the water, each with the ability to reproduce but only within the confines of their genetic code.

Our knowledge is limited. God knows everything. We should always look to him for answers.

Why don't teachers tell you the difference between micro and macro evolution?

Comment from a reader:
"I am a senior in high school, and have a teacher who says that evolution is a fact and never specifies between macro and micro evolution. As a Christian it is very frustrating, because he is leading so many people the wrong direction."
In Christ, Ian J. 11/16/01

My response:
I don't think most teachers know the difference between micro and macro. I think they just assume it is all the same thing, and that one proves the other.


Jeremiah 33:3 (KJV)
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

"While some animals can approximate some of the sounds of human speech, they are anatomically incapable of producing the range of sounds necessary for complete, articulate speech." - source unknown - possibly Laitman or Walker


If you have any questions on Creation, Evolution, or just want to say "Hi" please feel free to email me.


| Main Index |


as of 2/03