---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Looking at the doctrine of Darwinism…"
description: "\"Looking at the doctrine of Darwinism, which undergirded my atheism for so many years, it didn’t take me long to conclude that it was simply too far-fet..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/lee-strobel-7937_anti-atheist_looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-whi_3180999.jpg"
---

#  Looking at the doctrine of Darwinism, which undergirded my…

![“Looking at the doctrine of Darwinism, which undergirded my atheism for so many years, it didn’t take me long to conclude that it was simply too far-fetched to be credible. I realized that if I were to embrace Darwinism and its underlying premise of naturalism, I would have to believe that: 1…” quote by Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/lee-strobel-7937_anti-atheist_looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-whi_3180999.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/lee-strobel-7937_anti-atheist_looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-whi_3180999.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/lee-strobel-7937_anti-atheist_looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-whi_3180999.jpg)

> “Looking at the doctrine of Darwinism, which undergirded my atheism for so many years, it didn’t take me long to conclude that it was simply too far-fetched to be credible. I realized that if I were to embrace Darwinism and its underlying premise of naturalism, I would have to believe that: 1. Nothing produces everything 2. Non-life produces life 3. Randomness produces fine-tuning 4. Chaos produces information 5. Unconsciousness produces consciousness 6. Non-reason produces reason…The central pillars of evolutionary theory quickly rotted away when exposed to scrutiny.”

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The author argues that Darwinian naturalism leads to contradictions, claiming it cannot explain existence, life, consciousness, and reason.

**In simple terms:** Darwinism is seen as insufficient to explain complex reality.

Key Takeaway

Question assumptions about naturalistic explanations.

Themes

philosophy science religion skepticism

Mood

critical inquisitive

Type

analytical debate

When to use this quote

- debates on evolution
- theological discussions
- philosophical inquiry
- academic lectures

Key Concepts

naturalism cosmology consciousness causality

Questions to Reflect On

- What evidence supports evolutionary mechanisms?
- How do philosophical perspectives shape scientific interpretation?

A Different Perspective

Critics argue the quote misrepresents evolutionary science and creates a straw‑man.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Anti atheist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-atheist/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Chaos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chaos/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Credible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credible/) [Darwinism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darwinism/) [Darwinism Undergirded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darwinism-undergirded-5828803/) [Darwinism Underlying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darwinism-underlying-5828804/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Doctrine Darwinism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine-darwinism-5828805/) [Embrace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embrace/) [Evolution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolution/) [Exposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exposed/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Fine tuning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine-tuning/) [I realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-realized/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Naturalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/naturalism/) [Pastor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pastor/) [Pillars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pillars/) [Premise Naturalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premise-naturalism-5828806/) [Premises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/premises/) [Produce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/produce/) [Randomness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/randomness/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Scrutiny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrutiny/) [Take me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take-me/) [Theory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory/) [Too far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-far/) [Tuning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tuning/) [Unconsciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unconsciousness/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/religion-has-actually-convinced-people-that-there-s-an-invisible-man/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [ \[N\]o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/n-o-religious-test-shall-ever-be-required-as-a-qualification-to-any/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Those who live by mystery &amp; charlatanerie, fearing you would render them useless by simplifying the Christian philosophy - the most sublime and benevolent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/those-who-live-by-mystery-charlatanerie-fearing-you-would-render-them/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [Absolute atheism starts in an act of faith in reverse gear and is a full-blown religious commitment. Here we have the first internal inconsistency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/absolute-atheism-starts-in-an-act-of-faith-in-reverse-gear-and-is-a-2/)

[Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/)

> [If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/if-i-were-not-an-atheist-i-would-believe-in-a-god-who-would-choose-to/)

[Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/)

> [Shouldn't atheist have an equal obligation to explain pleasure in a world of randomness. Where does pleasure come from?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/shouldn-t-atheist-have-an-equal-obligation-to-explain-pleasure-in-a/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [The God of the Old testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-god-of-the-old-testament-is-arguably-the-most-unpleasant-2/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [Man created God in his own image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/man-created-god-in-his-own-image/)

[Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/)

> [Question with boldness even the existence of a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/question-with-boldness-even-the-existence-of-a-god/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [A disbelief in God does not result in a belief in nothing; disbelief in God usuallyresults in a belief in anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lynch/a-disbelief-in-god-does-not-result-in-a-belief-in-nothing-disbelief-2/)

[Arthur Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-lynch/)

> [Atheists who keep asking for evidence of God's existence are like a fish in the ocean wanting evidence of water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/atheists-who-keep-asking-for-evidence-of-god-s-existence-are-like-a/)

[Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/)

> [For good people to do evil things, it takes religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/for-good-people-to-do-evil-things-it-takes-religion/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/ridicule-is-the-only-weapon-which-can-be-used-against-unintelligible/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/with-or-without-religion-you-would-have-good-people-doing-good-things/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [Humanism or atheism is a wonderful philosophy of life as long as you are big, strong, and between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/humanism-or-atheism-is-a-wonderful-philosophy-of-life-as-long-as-you/)

[William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/)

## More by Lee Strobel

> [I think it's very healthy to use journalistic and legal techniques to investigate the evidence for and against Christianity and other faith systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/i-think-it-s-very-healthy-to-use-journalistic-and-legal-techniques-to/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [“Mother Teresa used the analogy of electricity: “The wire is you and me; the current is God,” she said. “We have the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/mother-teresa-used-the-analogy-of-electricity-the-wire-is-you-and-me/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [I certainly believe that God did create the world, yeah, absolutely I believe that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/i-certainly-believe-that-god-did-create-the-world-yeah-absolutely-i/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [“CRUNCH! Izzy jumped off the bench, which made Alex laugh all over again. “Chill out.” He pointed at a cloud of smoke. “Look, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/crunch-izzy-jumped-off-the-bench-which-made-alex-laugh-all-over-again/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [So much of the world's suffering results from the sinful action or inaction of ourselves and others. For example, people look at a famine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/so-much-of-the-world-s-suffering-results-from-the-sinful-action-or/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [I am primarily a writer of books, and I enjoy that. But I come to realize that a lot of people prefer a visual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/i-am-primarily-a-writer-of-books-and-i-enjoy-that-but-i-come-to/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [Science itself is steadily nailing the lid on atheism's coffin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/science-itself-is-steadily-nailing-the-lid-on-atheism-s-coffin/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [If your friend is sick and dying, the most important thing he wants is not an explanation; he wants you to sit with him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/if-your-friend-is-sick-and-dying-the-most-important-thing-he-wants-is/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [The Internet has helped atheists and agnostics coalesce as never before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/the-internet-has-helped-atheists-and-agnostics-coalesce-as-never/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [Apologetics has an important place in the local church as we seek to influence our communities for Christ in an increasingly skeptical culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/apologetics-has-an-important-place-in-the-local-church-as-we-seek-to/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [You cannot build your life with a consistent worldview that is on the shifting sands of moral relativism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/you-cannot-build-your-life-with-a-consistent-worldview-that-is-on-the/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [“Craig summarized his next point succinctly at the outset: “A third factor pointing toward God is the existence of objective moral values in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/craig-summarized-his-next-point-succinctly-at-the-outset-a-third/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [To be honest, I didn't want to believe that Christianity could radically transform someone's character and values. It was much easier to raise doubts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/to-be-honest-i-didn-t-want-to-believe-that-christianity-could/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [I'm all for lifestyle evangelism, but I'm also in favor of intentionality, where we seek out opportunities for spiritual conversations and are equipped to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/i-m-all-for-lifestyle-evangelism-but-i-m-also-in-favor-of/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [“We have to ask, Why is there no other first-century Jew who has millions of followers today? Why isn’t there a John the Baptist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/we-have-to-ask-why-is-there-no-other-first-century-jew-who-has/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

[Explore all 86 Lee Strobel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

## More Anti atheist quotes

> [Religion has actually convinced people that there's an invisible man living in the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/religion-has-actually-convinced-people-that-there-s-an-invisible-man/)

[George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/)

> [With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/with-or-without-religion-you-would-have-good-people-doing-good-things/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/ridicule-is-the-only-weapon-which-can-be-used-against-unintelligible/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [For good people to do evil things, it takes religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/for-good-people-to-do-evil-things-it-takes-religion/)

[Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/)

> [Atheists who keep asking for evidence of God's existence are like a fish in the ocean wanting evidence of water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-comfort/atheists-who-keep-asking-for-evidence-of-god-s-existence-are-like-a/)

[Ray Comfort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-comfort/)

> [A disbelief in God does not result in a belief in nothing; disbelief in God usuallyresults in a belief in anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-lynch/a-disbelief-in-god-does-not-result-in-a-belief-in-nothing-disbelief-2/)

[Arthur Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-lynch/)

> [Question with boldness even the existence of a god.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/question-with-boldness-even-the-existence-of-a-god/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [Man created God in his own image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/man-created-god-in-his-own-image/)

[Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/)

> [The God of the Old testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-god-of-the-old-testament-is-arguably-the-most-unpleasant-2/)

[Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/)

> [Shouldn't atheist have an equal obligation to explain pleasure in a world of randomness. Where does pleasure come from?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/shouldn-t-atheist-have-an-equal-obligation-to-explain-pleasure-in-a/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/if-i-were-not-an-atheist-i-would-believe-in-a-god-who-would-choose-to/)

[Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/)

> [Absolute atheism starts in an act of faith in reverse gear and is a full-blown religious commitment. Here we have the first internal inconsistency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/absolute-atheism-starts-in-an-act-of-faith-in-reverse-gear-and-is-a-2/)

[Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/)

> [Those who live by mystery &amp; charlatanerie, fearing you would render them useless by simplifying the Christian philosophy - the most sublime and benevolent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/those-who-live-by-mystery-charlatanerie-fearing-you-would-render-them/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [ \[N\]o religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-madison/n-o-religious-test-shall-ever-be-required-as-a-qualification-to-any/)

[James Madison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-madison/)

> [Humanism or atheism is a wonderful philosophy of life as long as you are big, strong, and between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/humanism-or-atheism-is-a-wonderful-philosophy-of-life-as-long-as-you/)

[William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-murray-1st-earl-of-mansfield/)

[Browse all 17 Anti atheist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-atheist/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Looking at the doctrine of Darwinism, which undergirded my atheism for so many years, it didn’t take me long to conclude that it was simply too far-fetched to be credible. I realized that if I were to embrace Darwinism and its underlying premise of naturalism, I would have to believe that: 1. Nothing produces everything 2. Non-life produces life 3. Randomness produces fine-tuning 4. Chaos produces information 5. Unconsciousness produces consciousness 6. Non-reason produces reason…The central pillars of evolutionary theory quickly rotted away when exposed to scrutiny.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lee Strobel"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-which-undergirded-my-atheism-for/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Anti atheist"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-which-undergirded-my-atheism-for/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/lee-strobel-7937_anti-atheist_looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-whi_3180999.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/lee-strobel-7937_anti-atheist_looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-whi_3180999.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a88/lee-strobel-7937_anti-atheist_looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-whi_3180999.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Looking at the doctrine of Darwinism, which undergirded my atheism for so many years, it didn’t take me long…” — Lee Strobel",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Lee Strobel",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Looking at the doctrine of Darwinism,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-which-undergirded-my-atheism-for/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/looking-at-the-doctrine-of-darwinism-which-undergirded-my-atheism-for/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
