Raccoon Bear?

Romans 1:24-25: "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen."

In creation, things aren't always as simple as they seem. Even before Charles Darwin, scientists who believed in evolution classified plants and animals by appearance. A story about the creature's evolutionary history would be invented, based on its appearance and, sometimes, its habits. However, God is too creative for this kind of attempt to write Him out of history.

This background information helps us understand the problem of the giant and lesser pandas. Are they related to bears? Are they related to raccoons? Or neither? Evolutionary scientists have been debating this for more than a century. They were sure the giant and lesser pandas should be grouped together because of similarities in their teeth. And even though the giant panda looks like a bear, it doesn't hibernate. Nor does it roar – it has a very unbear-like bleat, like a lamb.

Modern molecular biology has now investigated the panda question. DNA and proteins from greater and lesser pandas were examined and compared. Researchers arrived at a startling conclusion, based on what they knew about raccoon and bear DNA and proteins. The greater panda is a bear. The lesser panda is not a bear, but is related to the raccoon.

In their rush to deny the Creator, humans built huge claims out of tiny amounts of information. It is, in fact, much easier to see the greater and lesser pandas as unique creatures that have come from the hand of our imaginative Creator.

Prayer: I thank You, Lord, for the wonderful creatures we call pandas. In addition, I thank You that they witness to Your creativity and confound those who wish to deny You. Protect these creatures so that we may always enjoy them. Amen.

Notes: "Panda pedigree: giant and lesser." Science News, v. 128, p. 216.

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