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Of course you have heard the age-old conundrum, “Which came first; the chicken or the egg?” It has been the subject of many a heated debate. Did you ever stop to question why this puzzle is so difficult to answer? Have you ever seriously considered the implications of the fact that this enigma has survived over the years and still captivates the minds of many? Well, if I may, I’d like to take a crack at this one (pun intended!).

First, please observe that as the question is posed, there are only two answers from which one is allowed to choose. If there is a third answer to be considered, then this riddle is what is known as a false dilemma; we shall see about that.

If one answers this question as it is asked, there are always objections. If one says the chicken came first, the next question that will follow is, “Where did the chicken come from?” On the other hand, if one says the egg came first, the similar question, “Where did the egg come from?” will be heard. In this form, this question poses a dilemma, but as we shall see, it is a false one.

There are at least two other possible answers that deserve attention; these two answers come from opposing camps, but they both deserve consideration. One camp is the camp of the atheistic evolutionist; the other is from the creationist (by the way, lest there be any question, I am unabashedly a creationist).

The evolutionist must take the position that the egg came first; here’s why. At some point in the distant past an animal very similar to a chicken, but not quite a chicken, laid a chicken egg! The difference between that animal’s offspring might have been so minute as to be completely unnoticeable, but the difference was there. So the evolutionist, if he remains true to his religion, must affirm the chicken was preceded by a chicken egg.

On the other hand, the creationist responds that the chicken was created by God just as is taught in Genesis 1. If the typical objection follows, the believer simply responds truthfully by saying that God existed before all things, including the chicken, inasmuch as He created the entire universe in which we live.

Now, here is the plain truth of the matter. Both the evolutionist and the creationist KNOW that whichever came first, the chicken or the egg, it did not occur in keeping with the observable laws of the universe! The evolutionist may say that evolution is in keeping with the observable laws of the universe, but that is a claim that he cannot sustain; in fact it violates observable law. All he would have to do to prove his case is for nature (un-tampered with) to produce a chicken from an egg laid by a non-chicken! Methinks you will never hear a peep about such a thing happening!

The creationist knows that the universe CANNOT be explained by observable natural law and that with good cause; the universe did not begin with natural law; it started with laws that are outside the laws of the universe; it started with God! So the real answer to the question of which came first, the chicken or the egg is, “Neither!” God came first and all else is His creation!

Questions:

1. Why is it important (or is it) to seriously consider the “which came first” riddle?

2. What observable laws of the universe would be broken if one could show that a chicken egg came for a non-chicken animal?

3. What common ground do atheists and creationists occupy in the title question?

4. Though not explained here, why would the beliefs of the atheist be called a religion?

"Word from Scotland" from Sandy Shaw

"Lord God, You Have a Funny Way of Working at Times"