CONSIDER THIS: German Paleontologist Gunter Bechly’s Long Surrender to Jesus Christ

(8-MINUTE READ) — Who the heck was Gunter Bechly and why on Earth should you, a hard-working congressional aide, care what he said about anything? Well, consider these facts about the man, according to Salvo Magazine:

“Günter Bechly, PhD, is a German paleontologist, senior fellow with Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, and senior research scientist at Biologic Institute in Washington state. He has written about 160 scientific publications, described over 180 new species, and been advisor for 3 BBC nature documentaries.”

Note especially that last sentence in which Bechly’s many publications, new species discovered and credibility to the BBC in its preparation of documentaries about the wonders of nature.

In other words, Bechly is a scientist of the first rank. And he is a former atheist who after a long journey investigating the facts, became a devoted follower of Jesus Christ. That’s not supposed to happen because science and religion don’t mix, right?

Well, read the story of is conversion, as Bechly described it in a fascinating Salvo article, and then maybe you will want to reconsider your own thoughts on these matters. Sadly, Bechly passed away earlier this year:

“When atheists hear conversion stories that begin with, ‘I was a staunch atheist and then  . . . ,’ they tend to roll their eyes and doubt the claim. However, this is exactly what happened to me.

“I had been a 150-percent atheist and materialist for almost forty years before I embarked on a spiritual journey that ultimately, after many twists and turns, led me to belief in God and Christianity.

“I had no life crisis, no epiphany, and no spiritual experiences at all. It was the result of purely rational, scientific, philosophical, and historical arguments that gradually changed my mind as a scientist. Here is my story.

“I grew up in a medium-sized town in southwestern Germany, where the Mercedes-Benz factory is located. My parents were both irreligious. My mother was simply not interested in religion, and my father was agnostic.

“We never talked about religion or God, and we never prayed or visited any church service. My parents pushed to opt me out of religion class in school, which was then stillcompulsory, resulting in my being ridiculed as the village atheist. I first saw churches from the inside as a young adult, but it was only as a tourist taking photos.

“From early childhood, I was interested in nature and animals. I devoured popular science books on earth history and space, and I watched every natural history documentary that aired on TV. Soon I developed the strong wish to become a natural scientist. I imagined myself on expeditions in tropical jungles in search of rare animals …”

Go here on the Salvo Magazine web site for the balance of Bechly’s conversion story.