Evolutionary Materialism Promotes a Culture of Death

Evolutionary theory has had a profound
influence on the rise of materialism in society,
and the subsequent loss of a sense of purpose.
No wonder terrorism is one result.

 Counteracting the Culture of Death
The Influence of Evolutionary Theory on Materialism and Terrorism

by Sarah Buckland-Reynolds, PhD

The month of September is remembered as a month of mourning various tragic events, in particular, the twin tower attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001. Other recent tragedies, including the assassination of beloved Christian pro-life and creationist, Charlie Kirk, bring to the fore the reality of the fallen, broken world we live in.

In reflecting on these tragedies, it is important to take stock of the root causes of this cultural shift towards death: A rejection of the Creator God of the Bible. Evolutionary theory has played a significant role in accelerating this cultural shift towards death and hopelessness through the advance of secular materialism and devaluation of the sanctity of human life.

“Freedom is not about doing what feels good; it’s about doing what’s right.” – Charlie Kirk

“The Evolutionary Logic of Terrorism?”

Around 10 years after the deadly September 11 attacks, evolutionary psychologist Dr. Rick O’Gorman wrote a book chapter titled “The evolutionary logic of terrorism: Understanding why terrorism is an inevitable human strategy in conflict”. This work offered great insights into the evolutionary perspective on terrorism (including suicide terrorism), which was even touted as an “inevitable likelihood” and as an “evolutionarily rational” act. In Dr. O’Gorman’s words:

“If we examine the conflict techniques of humans in societies more akin to those in which we have evolved for most of our species’ existence (usually termed ‘hunter-gatherer’ societies and chiefly those we find that there are no consistent rules for violent conflict … Indeed, if there is a consistent rule, it is that stacking the odds in your own favour is paramount. Commonly, for example, aggressors will outnumber victims, often with several attackers against one victim … Interestingly, we can see similar intent in one of our closest biological relatives, the chimpanzee…” (pp. 62-63)

“While the types of actions by chimps and hunter-gatherers are not identical to modern terrorism, they share a similar intent, along with modern guerrilla warfare, of ensuring that the advantage lies with the attacker before engaging in conflict…” (p. 63)

Baloney Alert

“Terrorists may be considered evolutionary altruists, sacrificing themselves for a cause in much the same way as soldiers do. The psychological mechanisms behind terrorism, particularly suicide terrorism, may be driven by a desire to punish perceived wrongdoers. …moral communities have shared norms about behaviour and mechanisms for imposing costs on violators or providing benefits to cooperators. When communities perceive wrongdoing, they may resort to severe penalties. “ (p. 70)

“An evolutionary approach to understanding terrorism contributes to a deeper understanding of the psychological motivations behind terrorist acts. It suggests that terrorists are not simply madmen or lunatics, but that their motivations can be evolutionarily rational, even if not beneficial to individuals. ….” (p. 72).

Despite the author’s intent to provide insights into conflict resolution, equating human conflict with animalistic instincts effectively rationalizes violence as a natural evolutionary outcome. Such a perspective significantly diminishes the theological conviction previously held by much of society that human life, made in the image of God, holds inherent sanctity.

There are even some explicit cases of mass shootings where the perpetrators have directly attributed their decisions to evolutionary theory. Prime examples include the Columbine High School Massacre (1999), in which the perpetrators, fueled by a sense of self-superiority, documented their intent to enforce natural selection on the weak, and the Umpqua Community College shooting (2015), where the gunman’s manifesto expressed profound disdain for religion and appealed to atheistic and Darwinian ideas.

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Will Christians be bold enough to counteract this ideology as it continues to permeate our public spaces – in schools, and entertainment?

Leading Legacies for Life in a Fallen World

As we lead our lives as Christians, may we be emboldened to live intentionally to counteract death and darkness with life and light, led by the Holy Spirit. May we walk humbly in the footsteps of other believers who have gone before us, and influence souls in the world who are thirsty for hope and truth.

We must remember that in breaking down the stronghold of evolution, we are not only challenging methods to ensure scientific rigour and truth but rebuilding an important wall of defense against materialism and the rejection of God. While passivity in the face of an evolution-believing culture may be easier than being outspoken, moving away from the culture of death requires each of us as individuals to shine God’s light in our zone of influence, no matter the cost. You may never know just who you might inspire.

“Freedom is not about doing what feels good; it’s about doing what’s right.” – Charlie Kirk

Dr. Sarah Buckland-Reynolds is a Christian, Jamaican, Environmental Science researcher, and journal associate editor. She holds the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geography from the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona with high commendation, and a postgraduate specialization in Geomatics at the Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. The quality of her research activity in Environmental Science has been recognized by various awards including the 2024 Editor’s Award from the American Meteorological Society for her reviewing service in the Weather, Climate and Society Journal, the 2023 L’Oreal/UNESCO Women in Science Caribbean Award, the 2023 ICETEX International Experts Exchange Award for study in Colombia. and with her PhD research in drought management also being shortlisted in the top 10 globally for the 2023 Allianz Climate Risk Award by Munich Re Insurance, Germany. Motivated by her faith in God and zeal to positively influence society, Dr. Buckland-Reynolds is also the founder and Principal Director of Chosen to G.L.O.W. Ministries, a Jamaican charitable organization which seeks to amplify the Christian voice in the public sphere and equip more youths to know how to defend their faith.