Question

Based on your current understanding of parasite biology in the broadest ecological context (i.e., not just within the host) and the scriptural truth that everything was created “very good” (Genesis 1), what was likely the originally created purpose for this group of organisms? Choose 1 parasite and describe what its likely role was originally, based on both secular and biblical research sources.

Answer 1

The answer to your query is as follows:

Parasites are the complex organisms whose creation is pointed towards a Creator. The question here focuses on the existence of disease-causing parasites and harmful pathogens despite the God’s “very good” creation (Genesis 1).

Here we are taking an example of a parasitic disease called Bilharzia, or Schistosomiasis. The causative agent for this disease is fluke, or flatworm that belongs to a genus Schistosoma.

So, the question is “Why did God create such disease causing organisms in the nature, if He is good and loving?”

The answer for this is that according to Bible, the evils did not exist today in the original creation or the form. They were originated or they came into this world only after the Fall. The Fall ocuured when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. It is stated in the Genesis 3:14–24.They were the result of the “Curse” which is stated in the Revelation 22:3.

The original creation does not contain any kind of evil, moral or physical issues.The type of physical evil like diseases were clearly denied and was not found in the original creation of GOD.

The people from secular beliefs like the Theistic evolutionists and the Christians were not able to give this answer. According to them God’s method of creation was the result of the millions of years of death, disease and sufferings.

So, now the question is that how parasites did reached this level of disease causing organisms if they did not exist in the original creation?

The answer that could be speculated is that they were specially created after the Fall, as stated in the Genesis 2:1–3. It states that God finished his creation work “by the seventh day” (cf. Exodus 20:11).

At that time, these disease causing parasites were benign and beneficial to the other living organisms in their original form. It was found that some of the parasites were independent and free-living while some showed a beneficial symbiotic relationship with other types of animals.

It was the sins created by Adam and Eve that led to the change of the benign forms of the parasite into harmful disease causing organisms.

The two unique events namely, The Fall and the subsequent Curse that occurred after the beginning of human history led to such huge change. Thus, God was compelled to make these organisms pathogenic miraculously.

Another important factor for this change is mutations. Parasites mutated and degenerated. They lost their ability to live either independently or symbiotically. Thus, they became very harmful and dependent on their host organisms.

The life-cycle of the parasite is very complex in nature.It might have required new genetic information to change. But according to some theories mutations do not provide new genetic information. Thus, this genetic information was present from the beginning. We can consider it in a ‘switched off’ mode or inactive mode before the Fall.

This genetic information was included by the God beforehand because He knew that Adam and Eve would disobey him.

Last possibility that can be considered here is that some parasites which had symbiotic relationships with other animals became parasitic only after they invaded humans.

We can also say that the degeneration of the human immune system could have played a very important role in contributing our susceptibility to the parasitism by benign organisms that existed long ago in nature.

Thus, the example of the Schistosoma parasite that we have taken here also tells us about the creation of GOD which has been spoiled or changed because of the rebellion nature of man against God.

Hope it helps!