Recently, NPR published an article that created quite a stir within religious circles, while also providing validation to a growing segment of the American populace regarding the waning influence of religion in the country.

The article was titled, “Religious ‘Nones’ Are Now the Largest Single Group in the U.S.”

According to Pew Research, a well-regarded polling organization that labels itself a "non-partisan fact tank," a recent survey revealed that for the first time ever, “none” was the most selected option when respondents were asked about their religious affiliation.

The NPR article included this observation:

> “They (religious ‘Nones’) aren’t all anti-religious. Most Nones say religion does some harm, but many also think it does some good. Most have more positive views of science than those who are religiously affiliated; however, they reject the idea that science can explain everything.”

For the purposes of this article, I won’t express sorrow or joy over this finding. I have compelling reasons for both sentiments.

Instead, I’ll focus on the last statement. Analyzing it can help explain the increase in “nones” in our society today, as well as why their numbers should be lower now than ever before.

This may seem contradictory.

In reality, dissecting that last sentence reveals not only the rise of the “nones” but also the enduring argument for a Creator.

Let’s break it down.

1. “Most ‘nones’ have MORE positive views of science than those who are religiously affiliated;”
2. “however; They (nones) reject that science can explain everything.”

This presents a dilemma in our culture, affecting both the “nones” and the religious. People of faith often distrust science, while “nones” believe it cannot provide all the answers. This mutual distrust has led to a failure among the religious to engage meaningfully with the broader human experience, despite the fact that science continually supports the argument for a Creator.

This isn’t to imply a literal interpretation of creationism. I often find myself debating with both Christians and evolutionists, asserting, “I have no idea how it was done. I wasn’t there, were you?” Interestingly, one doesn’t need to establish the earth’s age to affirm the existence of a Creator; contemporary science offers that proof.

In fact, recent advancements in science over the last couple of decades can be harnessed to demonstrate the reality of a Creator. You might wonder, “Isn’t science undermining religious faith as it evolves?” While culture may seem to trend that way, science is actually moving in the opposite direction, albeit often without recognition. As Jack Johnson put it:

> “We don’t need to find reason, because out the same door that it came, well it’s leaving, it’s leaving.” (No Other Way)

Let’s explore what science has genuinely uncovered. More importantly, let’s look at what each new scientific or technological breakthrough consistently reveals.

Starting on a positive note:

Growing up, did you ever hear the phrase (especially if you’re Gen X or older), “An apple a day keeps the doctor away?” The earliest known variation of this saying surfaced in Wales in 1866. What about “carrots are good for your eyes?” Over a century ago, the scientific and medical communities began recognizing that fruits and vegetables possessed certain beneficial properties. Science started examining the positive impacts of food beyond mere sustenance.

We can assert that in recent decades, we have learned that Food is Good for Us.

Science has developed food pyramids and recommended specific diets based on how these foods affect us as humans. Yet, the advancements didn't stop there.

The scientific and medical communities evolved from the idea that “Food is Good for Us” to “Food is Beneficial.” Researchers began analyzing the nutrients and compounds in food to understand how specific elements assist us in our daily lives. Interestingly, it was less than thirty years ago (in 1994) that the first FDA nutrition labels were introduced to consumers in America. Today, we can identify the amounts of protein, sugar, carbohydrates, and calories in our food, enabling us to make informed dietary choices.

As science progressed, it extended its reach beyond food to encompass the entirety of the natural world. Discoveries about everything from algae to gold have illuminated their positive impacts on our lives. We learned to extract, diffuse, stimulate, and infuse resources from the natural order for our benefit. We transitioned from “FOOD is Good for Us” to “Most of the Created Order is Life-Generating and Beneficial.”

Of course, there are elements of the created order we should avoid, like consuming cobra venom or inhaling catnip. However, scientists have found valuable applications for nearly everything on our planet.

But science didn’t stop there.

The fMRI machine, introduced in the early 1990s, revolutionized the field of medical imaging. Unlike X-rays, which could only capture still images of the body (since 1896), fMRI can record real-time video.

That shifted everything.

If you want to understand the trajectory of scientific discovery, look to the years following 1990. Almost every week, if not every hour, we unveil new marvels through technologies like fMRI. These advancements significantly impact how we understand ourselves, particularly in regard to the brain.

Andrew Huberman, a renowned neuroscientist and former Navy SEAL, was recently asked about his perspective on God. He replied, “You know, the body is cool, and there are amazing things about things like the heart. But when you start to really understand the brain you can’t not consider that there is a Creator.”

This insight stems from concepts like neuroplasticity, cognitive behavioral learning, and synaptic responses—all fascinating aspects that occupy my time studying the brain. What’s particularly captivating is how we can now observe the brain and body in action in real-time.

Almost everything in the natural order serves humanity. It’s specifically designed to optimize, enhance, heal, and work in harmony with our biological makeup. Every new finding in scientific journals, along with the latest brief segment on your morning news about how resveratrol (found in grapes) benefits the skin, heart, and brain, reveals one overarching truth:

“Everything created on this planet appears to benefit one organism: The organism that a particular religious tradition claims was made in THE IMAGE OF ITS CREATOR.”

It’s not that omega-3 oils in fish are meant to enhance the intelligence of dolphins, or that monkeys extract nutrients for healthier skin. Rather, thanks to scientific advancements, we are revealing the underlying mechanisms of human physiology while simultaneously uncovering how everything in the created order supports human function.

I had an atheist friend suggest that cannabis could also benefit animals, implying that my argument should be dismissed. But who extracted the beneficial oils and compounds from those plants for the animals? Humans did.

We, made in the image of our Creator, are continuously discovering new ways that the created order is “designed” for our benefit. You might think I’m making a religious point here; that couldn’t be further from the truth. Every reference in this article comes from the NIH, one of the most scientifically reputable and ideally neutral organizations available.

At the very least, science lends credence to the enduring argument for a Creator.

Next, we must consider which Creator science is revealing.

To explore that question, we need to briefly examine the system that claims we are made in that Creator’s image.

Let’s discuss the concept of “sin.”

This discussion won’t come from a moralistic standpoint that invokes fear of damnation, which, in my view, contributes to the rise of the “nones.” Instead, we’ll approach it strictly from the perspective of actions.

There are particular “actions” that this Creator, as outlined in His book, the Bible, identifies as “sinful.” We don’t need to list them all; most of us are already familiar, and, let’s be honest, some of us enjoy them.

This brings us back to key moments in history.

And now to the downside.

Until a few centuries ago, we understood that most sinful actions are fun and pleasurable.

While many religious groups attempted to suppress these behaviors, anyone can attest that most sinful “actions” are enjoyable. That’s why we engage in them; they feel good—really good. I once heard a joke suggesting that God gave us sensitive areas so that during moments of ecstasy, we would call His name. I found that amusing.

However, science continued its progress, even as we indulged.

Eventually, we learned that sinful actions can be harmful. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver damage, just as gluttony can. Remember the phrase, “This is your brain on drugs?” Science has shown us that narcotics can be detrimental. From X-rays revealing the dangers of smoking to studies on STDs and the effects of ecstasy on young brains, many actions associated with sin have been shown to cause harm.

But science didn’t stop there.

We soon learned that not only do these actions have future consequences, but sinful actions can directly hinder us. For instance, science has established that having too many sexual partners in youth can lead to HPV and various cancer risks stemming from those initial choices. Science has also uncovered that STDs can result in infertility, impacting both current life and future potential.

Moreover, science introduced us to epigenetics, a fascinating field revealing that a person without a genetic predisposition for certain addictive behaviors may pass those traits to their offspring if they repeatedly engage in those behaviors. This is a captivating area worth exploring further.

What science has revealed, through technological advancements, is that sinful actions intentionally hinder us. These actions are linked to the deliberate limitation of human potential, the very organism said to be made in the image of its Creator.

The situation is even worse: science has demonstrated that sinful actions utilize our own genetic and biological tendencies AGAINST us. It’s not just that drug addiction is harmful; the body craves these actions once it is triggered. Understanding dopamine and its effects on our physical responses reveals that we not only experience pleasure but our bodies do as well.

I encourage you to conduct your own research on these topics. I have relied on the NIH, a highly respected and neutral scientific organization, to substantiate my claims. This is merely a small introduction to the vast ocean of scientific findings.