"For over 150 years, one convincing lie has prevented billions from knowing the truth."

​

     "Genesis: Paradise Lost" is a powerful new film and documentary featuring many leading experts and arguments in the Young Earth Creationist movement. It begins by outlining the nature of the conflict between Evolution and the Bible, and proceeds with specific evidence for Creationism punctuated by animated renditions of each of the respective creation days. 

​

     As far as outlining the nature of the debate, I thought that the film did a good job of expressing the philosophical implications of Atheistic evolution: "You have no purpose in life. There is no ultimate reason for your existence." Furthermore, the battle lines between Creationism and Atheistic Evolution were clearly drawn: "Either we just happened, or somebody made us." It also outlined the reasoning behind their assertion that evolution undermines the entire message of Christianity. For example: "if Genesis is untrustworthy, then who is to say that I can trust the Gospels?" Different interpretations of the Genesis narrative (such as each day equaling millions or billions of years) were also refuted (although not too thoroughly). 

                                                

     The evidence for Creationism throughout the film was mostly geared around showing how science has confirmed the Bible, and Genesis in particular, and disproved evolution. For instance, the concept of continental drift, eroded geological formations (such as the grand canyon), and fossils are well explained by the Genesis flood. As far as science confirming the Bible, those were the most compelling (as the Genesis Flood is the Biblical event with the greatest scientific implications). The "distant starlight problem" was also addressed and explained by the concept of an expanding universe and the red shift. As far as disproving evolution, skulls of Lucy (Australopithecus Afarensis), a neanderthal, and a modern human were compared, and it was concluded that Lucy was actually a chimpanzee (and some evidence was given for this that I had not heard before, so that was of course appreciated), and that neanderthals were completely human. There was also a discussion on how the laws of science disprove evolution. 

​

     In regards to cinematography, the animations ranged from breathtaking and awe inspiring (the acts of creation), to somewhat "over the top" (the creation of man). Some of the animations could have been better, but they were decently above average. Suffice it to say, the good far outweighs the bad in this department, making for a truly awe-inspiring experience of the creation. 

​

     Towards the end, the film had a powerful proclamation of the Gospel, and mentioned many parallels between it and Genesis which I appreciated. For instance, the Ark saved Noah and his family and every living thing in it from God's judgement of an evil world, and Jesus has saved us from the wrath of God over our sins. It solidified once again the rich heritage that scripture is to us, and the importance of finding the truth within it. "Because the truth will set you free."