Posted on by wrote in General, Philosophy, Science and the Bible.
Question: 
My 8 year old son and I heard you speak at the NE Christian Conference last year. We enjoyed your science and God presentaion. My son recently had this question. I thought you’d have a biblical answer for. Why did God make ticks & leeches? These are blood sucking things that hurt animals and people. Any answer you have or direction to find an answer myself would be greatly appreciated.
Answer:
Your son has a very good question.  I would add mosquitos to the list of questionable creatures.  My response is that all creatures are part of the delicate and beautiful balance of nature, including the creatures we do not find so attractive.  Some might say that lions and tigers and wolves are bad because they eat all the innocent plant-eating animals.  However, it is the carnivores who strengthen the plant-eating animals.  When God created life, he also created the system which balances all life, including natural selection.  Through natural selection, the strongest and best and most beautiful of the plants and animals survive to pass their genetic information to the next generation.  The bacteria which causes disease strengthens those who do not die of the disease.  The killer whales strengthen the seals and the seals help to make the fish improve over time.  Personally, I find it hard to think of anything "good" about mosquitos, ticks and leeches, but even these creatures are part of the wonderful balance which keeps all living things strong, vibrant and beautiful.  Even these seemingly undesirable creatures add to and support the variety of life.  Even the ticks and the leeches, ugly as they are, help those they suck blood from to be stronger in the long run through the wonderful system of inheritance God created.
The scripture I would use is that in Genesis Chapter One.  God looked at all he had created and noticed that it was very good.  I agree.  God’s creation is amazing.  There may be parts of it I would change if God were asking me to design the universe, but something tells me any change I made would only mess the whole thing up.
John Oakes

 

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