One thing that every Christian regardless of whether they are fundamentalist, moderate, or liberal, believes, is that the universe and everything in it, including the earth and all living on it, is the product of design by a perfect being (God).
Jews and Muslims share this belief also to a greater or lesser degree. What, however, would be the nature and qualities
of this universe and our world if it were, indeed, the product of design by a perfect being, or Designer, if you will ?
To answer this question let us first go directly to the source by looking at what Deuteronomy 32:4 says:
"He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he".
The first thing to notice is that everything this verse is saying is in the present tense. "His work is perfect..all his ways are judgment", etc. Now let us take that word judgment in the verse. In Hebrew it is the word mishpat, and it means more than just deciding a case, though it can also mean that. But we must take it in the context of what the rest of the verse is saying.
In the context of the verse, referring to God's work being (present tense) perfect, judgment is being used with it's other common meaning of rectitude, of being fitting, proper and right, of being just. What are we to understand by all this ?
The Bible teaches over and over that God is perfect, that in him is no flaw, fault, defect, failing, or deficiency. The same is here, in Deuteronomy 32:4, said of God's work(s). What are God's works ? They would certainly include the Creation and the world. God's work is perfect, that is to say, without flaw, fault, defect, failing, or deficiency.
Here is a fact of logic that the vast majority of Christians overlook. If God were, indeed, perfect, then nothing he created would or even could subsequently become imperfect. If that could happen it would indicate a clear flaw or deficiency in God's power, which is itself, said to be perfect, thus meaning that God was not perfect after all. So, let's ask the question again in a slightly different way. What would the universe and the world be like if it were designed by a perfect Being ?
It would be without flaw and would remain so. It would be as unchangingly perfect as God himself.
Are intestinal worms a mark of perfection ? How about cancer or cerebral palsy ? Are tornadoes, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, droughts, famines, a mark of perfection ? Christians blame the sin of Adam and Eve for the imperfect state the world is in today. But this doesn't work as an argument based upon what has already been said. A perfect Being could not create something that starts out initially perfect and subsequently becomes imperfect, including man.
If God is omniscient (infallibly knows the future), then he infallibly knew all the suffering that would ensue if he went ahead with the Creation. If God is omnibenevolent (all loving and merciful), he could not have brought himself to stand for this. If God is omnipotent (possessing power without limits), he could have decided to create man with the incapability to sin and yet preserve mans' free will.
Quite simply, all evidence points to the conclusion that the universe simply was not designed. There was and is no Creator beyond time and space. Other of my blog posts explain how the universe could have simply came into existence spontaneously. Give them a read.