Who Won the Debate Between Ken Ham and Bill Nye?

Chris Russell

9 years ago

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Well, now that the dust is settling from the debate between Bill Nye and Ken Ham, many are wondering, “Who won the debate?” I would submit to you that the winner is … God. He is the winner, because His name was exalted throughout the event and in a myriad of communications leading up to the event.

That aside, here are a few, brief thoughts about the exchange:

1. Ken Ham demonstrated amazing humility throughout the debate. And mixed in with that humility, he communicated a sincere care and concern for Bill Nye as well as all who do not know Christ. For me, that went much further than the technical arguments.

2. Bill Nye’s arguments seemed to me to be extremely simple and basic. If he had actually strolled through the museum, he would have found the answers to nearly all of those points. Answers to all of Bill’s complaints against creation science can be found on the website for Ken Ham’s ministry, Answers in Genesis. Take a few minutes to search some of those issues out, and you will discover that there truly are many great scientists and brilliant thinkers who believe in the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth. And they do a terrific job defending the authority of the Scriptures.

3. Scientific arguments about the origins of the universe may be interesting, but they carry no true power to transform a soul from death unto life. Consider the strength of the following passage:

1 Corinthians 1:18-21

18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Ken Ham very wisely took time during his address to share the powerful message of the cross of Jesus Christ. If you didn’t catch that, it is important to understand that portion of his message was strategic, intentional, and vitally important. Science does not rescue souls. The message of the cross does.

4. Bill Nye seemed to use the standard debating approach that many use when attacking Christianity. That formula looks something like this:

A ) Non-believer asks loaded question which attacks a Christian tenet. (This is much like a verbal “drive-by shooting.”)

B) Believer responds with a reasonable answer.

C) Non-believer completely ignores response.

D) Non-believer asks another loaded question and continues the sequence without ever acknowledging the answers.

I came away from the debate realizing that Ken had done a solid job of sharing the message of redemption to hundreds of thousands of people (and perhaps millions once the DVDs begin to sell). Whether they accept Truth is not up to Ken, and it is not up to us. Our responsibility is to share the Truth. How each person responds to the message is between them and their Creator.

So, in the end, God won the debate, because His message of the Gospel was proclaimed for all to hear. And through that, He was glorified.

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