DISMANTLING the Best Evidence for Evolution (In Under 60 Seconds) | Confirming Special Creation!
76#debate #creation #evolution #christianity #apologetics #science #origins
Author - Donny Budinsky
Apologists of common descent appeal to the existence of endogenous retroviruses as evidence that all life is related to common ancestry. Many guardians of evolution look to shared endogenous retroviruses between humans and chimpanzees as irrefutable evidence for a shared relationship between these organisms. But is this really the case?
The best question to ask in response to this argument is: are these really the ancient leftover remnants of exogenous retroviral infection? Or are they created units of DNA? When we explore this essential question, the answer becomes apparent. Shared ERV and ERV-like sequences across the biological realm are not good evidence for common descent. As a matter of fact, they turn out to be incredible confirmation of special creation and separate ancestry.
The reason why the existence of shared ERV and ERV-like sequences are powerful testimony to the Biblical model of ancestry is for numerous reasons. Firstly, there now exists overwhelming evidence for function in ERV-like sequences. They are involved in gene expression, gene regulation, determining cell types, cell stress responses, and acting as promoters. They also have an operational role in battling invading viruses. They are involved in tumor suppression. ERVs are even functional in embryological development. If we did not have ERVs, we would not exist. ERV elements are essential for the existence of most mammals—including humans.
Without endogenous retroviruses, the placenta, which is critical to pregnancy and embryological development, would not work. Again, we would not exist. These functional DNA elements are necessary for life.
Endogenous retroviruses don’t just assist in embryological development and embryonic immune systems, they also work in our immune systems after we are born. Our immune system pathways are dependent upon enzymes produced by ERV-like elements.
These so-called ancient remnants of past viral infections are safeguarding our bodies against microbes and other viruses. They greatly participate in how the human body is built, and how it functions. The evidence strongly suggests these fascinating DNA elements are created units of DNA function—rather than the ancient vestiges of past viral infections.
Those that believe in common descent will claim these must be ancient viruses due to their sequence similarity to exogenous retroviruses. Both ERVs and retroviruses comprise LTRs (long terminal repeats), gag, pol, and env components. But what most defenders of evolution don’t realize is that these similarities in sequence are required for ERVs to carry out their roles. One of their countless roles is tumor suppression. Transcribed ERVs give the appearance of retroviral invasion in the cell. As a result, the amazingly designed immune system targets that cell with destruction. This works to destroy the tumor. And this is all done through viral mimicry. In other words, the ERV must look like the retrovirus in order to perform this role! This is why researchers are working on drugs that will stimulate p53 protein activity (guardian of the genome) and the transcription of ERVs as anti-cancer therapy. Sequence similarity does not provide the evolutionist with the evidence they so desperately need to rescue this dead argument.
I also want to mention the research that has been done on Koala genomes. It turns out the pre-existing ERVs in the Koala genome have the functional ability to disrupt the process of retroviral insertion. This is accomplished through many mechanisms. And these mechanisms are shared with retroviruses. This tells us that there are multiple functions in the ERV sequence that require sequence similarity to retroviruses to perform. This provides Biblical creationists with an elegant explanation for why ERVs resemble exogenous retroviruses.
The reason why ERV and ERV-like sequences (solo LTRs) are shared across the biological world is due to common design. These ERV sequences are required for life (specifically mammals) to exist. When champions of evolution ask Biblical creationists to explain ERV position across different forms of life (for example: humans and chimpanzees), they are essentially asking us to explain why different modes of vehicle have engines in common. This is good design! Without engines, cars would not function as they were meant to. You will not get very far in a car that lacks a battery or an engine. ERVs represent good design that point us back to the designer who front-loaded all kinds of biological organisms with these functional units of DNA to perform many remarkable roles!
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