Luxury products are different. They are just more... Luxurious
Luxury products like a Louis Vuitton bag or travel wallet, Mont Blanc limited edition pens, Gucci wallets and iPhone cases, Leica cameras, Rimowa luggage bags, fine mechanical watches like an IWC Perpetual Calendar, or annual calendars like an A. Lange & Söhne or Patek Philippe, Rolex Watches, Bally and Coach leather goods. I've written blogs about these, and they are all wonderful products.
What grants them the distinction to carry the title "luxury"? Fine craftsmanship. Exquisite materials. Thoughtful design and precise workmanship. All resulting in a product that is not simply one of the masses, but one where you can see and feel the difference. In how they look, how they feel, how they operate, and in many cases, in the depth of their capabilities. Some people think buying luxury products is simply about having and displaying the Brand Names. But it's much more than that. And for many luxury brands, the difference starts from the classy store and pampered shopping experience.
I just got my BMW, my first, a 318d, with a 2-litre Twin-Turbo Diesel engine.
And among automobiles, a BMW is a statement in luxury.
The BMW 3 Series with the new F30 body. Photo from BMWcar Magazine January 2012, available on iTunes for iBooks.
How I ended up buying a BMW
It started with finding out the price of a new Honda CRV in Singapore. Cars in Singapore are so expensive, and part of it is the fact that you have to buy a Certificate of Entitlement or COE, in order to own a car. The COE itself could cost in the range of SGD 80,000, but can go substantially higher or lower depending on the fluctuating market value, and the size and type of car. The new Honda CRV in Singapore costs around SGD 225,000, that's about PhP 7 Million in the Philippines! In contrast, a new CRV in the Philippines costs only about PhP 1.5 Million, less than one fourth the price! Granted, the options that are fitted into the cars are not the same, but you can see the big disparity in pricing. (Actually, for an even bigger disparity, compare with prices of the same vehicles in the United States! Car prices there are really low!).
So, coming home to Manila, I thought of buying a Honda CRV just because of the comparatively low price. But then, how did the CRV end up becoming a BMW?
The 4th Generation Honda CRV price in the Philippines, plus having a sense of how good a car it is from having owned a 2nd Generation CRV, got me interested in buying a new car. Photo from the Honda Philippines website.
The BMW was for me, the wiser choice. And I need to mention, the more exhilarating one.
As I started comparing cars, specifications and prices,it became more and more apparent that if I wanted a high-technology automobile, one with the latest innovations, I had to go with the luxury badges.
I made a very thorough, very extensive comparison. My comparison set included the following new models:
- Honda Accord, Honda CRV, Honda Pilot
- Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Santa Fe
- Ford Explorer, Ford Mustang
- Mazda CX-5, Mazda CX-9
- Subaru Forrester XT, Subaru Outback, Subaru Legacy, Subaru XV
- Toyota Camry, Toyota RAV 4
I also briefly looked at the following, but didn't find these very suited to me:
- Chevrolet Trailblazer
- Dodge Durango
- Chrysler and Jeep
For the high potential ones, I made a Numbers spreadsheet file on my iPad, with 36 items of comparison! And I devoured the online reviews, both written and YouTube versions.
And just for reference, I've had, by God's blessing, a string of eight brand new cars, that included three generations of Toyota Corollas, two generations of Toyota Fortuners (a 3.0 diesel Fulltime 4WD and 2.7 gas model) and a Honda CRV 2nd generation. So I do know quite a bit about cars. And I was looking for something better than any I had previously driven.
The BMW 320d with the new F30 body. The sixth generation 3 Series is Sleek and beautiful, and bigger. Photo from BMWcar Magazine January 2012, available on iTunes for iBooks.
As I kept reviewing car specs, I kept hitting a roadblock in that each car would have an advantage here, but a disadvantage there. All of the cars in my first set simply didn't have enough of a combination of the high tech specs with the sleek body I was looking for. Most were still stuck with an older-generation large and uneconomical engine compared with the newer, smaller yet more powerful and economical engines, or had older five-speed automatic transmissions compared with newer six-speed automatic transmissions.
That's when I ventured to just take a peek at the BMW Autozentrum showroom in Alabang.
Attention shifts to BMW, Mercedes Benz and Audi.
As I went to the BMW Showroom, I checked out the prices of the different models and variants. I was pleased to learn that a number were within my acceptable price range, and not too far from some of the models in my earlier comparison set, though admittedly still on the high side. What was also very pleasing to learn was the wealth of high-end features that come standard with the cars. My wife had been egging me to buy a sports car instead of the compact SUVs I was considering earlier, and since I wanted more of a luxury vehicle, the idea of a high-end sedan was growing on me. I really didn't need a second SUV since I wasn't going to sell my hardly-used Toyota Fortuner, so a sophisticated car was becoming more appealing. I should also note that the BMW Autozentrum Alabang showroom immediately made a positive statement. It was impressive and comfortable, and my wife felt relaxed, leaving me with extended time to acquaint myself with the BMW options
I then went to the Mercedes Benz showroom at CATS EDSA and was again very pleased to learn that I had some options available. The showroom was also beautiful, well matched to the cars they were selling. Then followed the Audi and Volvo showrooms, which again yielded good finds. And I again went to the BMW showroom, this time at Prestige Cars in Makati. Then as my interest was captured, and as the friendly dealers sensed my genuine eagerness, the prices kept going down significantly, and very competitively. Make no mistake, the cars still carried their luxury sedan price tags, but the race to close a deal was definitely on!
So after comparing cars and scrutinizing specs and reviews, spanning a couple of months and starting from the Honda CRV, I was now down to the Mercedes Benz C-180 Classic or Avant-garde models, the Audi A4 Attraction package, and the BMW 318d. The two former ones are gasoline models, and the latter one a diesel. As I struggled in quandary over which model was right for me, I again made a Numbers spreadsheet file, this time with sixty one points of comparison! I sat in the cars with the engine running, discussing the pros of each vehicle with the separate dealers, and I did two test drives specifically on the BMW because of my personal concern on the Diesel engine, then on one weekend, based on the latest and most competitive prices given to me, and with all the specs and reviews in mind, I finally made a call on the BMW 318d. It was, after all, the one that got me most excited.
I finally made a call on the BMW 318d. It was, after all, the one that got me most excited. And it wasn't just the car that was exhilarating, but even the buzz around it. Check online BMW media. Self portrait with my 3-Series in the background.
I won't get into the details of my point by point comparison. After all, the standard options for each car may vary in your location. And there is a wealth of reviews on performance and features out there that you can access to decide on what is right for you. For me, having driven the BMW 318d for a couple of weeks, I am extremely pleased with the BMW, am now an avid BMW fan, and am even more highly impressed with the cars performance, features, and even the history and related online media.
Engine variants for the 2012 BMW 3-Series. Photo from the A to Z of BMW, 2012, iPad App. Note the price for the 318d, £26k, equivalent to PhP 1.7 MM, whereas I paid PhP 2.8 MM for my 318d in the Philippines. In contrast, in Singapore, the price would be many factors higher!! Options may differ though, and I believe I have more installed for the local price I paid.
Some of the impressive features of the car includes:
- when you do a panic brake, the car will sense it and apply greater brake force to stop the car, even though you haven't pressed the brake pedal strong enough. It will monitor each wheel individually, preventing skidding and maximizing stopping power, while keeping the car within steering control. It will tighten the seat belts. It will start flashing the brake lights at high speed to warn traffic at your back and help prevent any secondary collision, then will turn on the hazard lights after the car has slowed down after a panic brake.
- in rain, the rain-sensing wipers will adjust the speed of the wipers according to the intensity of the rain. The brake pads will periodically close ever so slightly you won't feel it, but enough to wipe water off the ventilated front and rear disk brakes to keep them clear of any water film that can reduce stopping power and response time. The exterior rear view mirrors are heated, so any water droplets on them will dry quickly and when you stop at a light, the wiper blades will reduce their speed, then quicken again once you start running again.
- the BMW has an 8-speed automatic transmission (the Mercedes Benz C-180 and Audi A4 both have 7-speed auto transmissions) as compared to 6- or 5-speed transmissions on more conventional automobiles. It accelerates very quickly and effortlessly compared to conventional Diesel engines, and is also less noisy. It has a particulate filter that ensures compliance to Euro 5 emissions standards, and is maintenance free as it periodically burns up accumulated particulates
These are some notable features, but there are significantly more. In fact the BMW operations manual feels like a Leica camera manual, where there are so much more complex yet valuable functions than a conventional model, and where you have to know what buttons to press and how to access certain operations, to make the most of the functions!
Generations of cars make me think of Evolution, that's it's actually not valid.
The BMW 3 Series is on it's sixth generation. The Honda CRV is on it's fourth generation. The Subaru Forester is on it's fourth generation. All these generations of models and design iterations and technology upgrades makes me think of Evolution. If we were to accept Evolution, then that means we are to accept that Helium and Hydrogen cloud particles, defied logic and combined in space instead of dispersing in its great vacuum, to form stars. That all these stars created metals and other heavier elements and compounds, and started to form planets. And amidst these random and chaotic beginnings, stars and planets defied logic to birth rotations and revolutions to mark days and months and years, with such precision and regularity as to defy the capabilities of the best Swiss master watchmakers. And all the constellations and galaxies parade themselves in our night sky year in and year out with that impeccable precision while hurtling apart at massive speeds. If we believe Evolution, then we are asked to accept, against logic, that life and living cells and living organisms started from the combination of non-living matter in some primordial soup, against what is observed in molecular biology on the formation of proteins that are useful for life. That organisms became more and more complex, so as to form sea creatures, then amphibians, then reptiles, then mammals, then sea mammals, all on their own.
An E46 330i Sport. An earlier generation BMW 3 Series. Photo from BMWcar Magazine December 2011, available on iTunes for iBooks.
Just for storytelling's sake, assume there was a global catastrophic flood, and only a handful of families remained alive. The families lose touch with technology, and are forced to start anew with crude tools and begin to rebuild their lost past. After say ten generations, some people no longer believe the stories about cars and computers, saying they are nonsense. They have not seen any, they can't comprehend a gasoline-powered vehicle, and it just doesn't make sense to them. Those who believe the forefathers on the other hand, accept that cars once existed. That there were such things as BMW engineers and designers. Then as the tools of later generations become more sophisticated, they discover under many meters of earth, cars that were covered by the mud that had hardened to sedimentary rock (of course, from the flood!). They start discovering more and more cars and carefully dig them out! A sixth Generation 3-Series here, a second Generation 3-Series there, different models of BMW, of Toyota. Then they try to make sense of it.
Those who refuse to believe there were BMW engineers and designers insist the cars just came about on their own. Or were brought in by an alien race. They see the different generations, and they surmise that since this couldn't have just happened, it probably did happen but maybe it took billions and billions of years to form. On the other hand, those who believed the forefathers also discovered operations and repair manuals, and further confirmed their belief. They argued how improbable it was for the cars to form on their own, that it wasn't even technically or logically possible! And yet those who refused to accept the reality of the BMW engineers just came up with theories of how it was possible for the cars to have formed on their own, and continued to uphold their beliefs. And so the story continues.
Nothing is left to chance.
Those who espouse Evolution push the concept that time is the great hero. That given enough time, the impossible becomes possible, and the improbable becomes probable. Thus the reason for the Earth being estimated at 4.5 billions of years old, and the universe about 14 billions of years old.
Now, lets look at a car. Is a car simpler, or more complex than a living organism? Complex and sophisticated as BMWs are, I would submit that they are simpler than living organisms.
- A car uses highly refined fuel to run. It cannot dig for fuel deep from the Earth, nor refine oil into petroleum fuel. It cannot use rocks, or plants, or energy from the sun on its own (at least not yet, not without further engineering). It cannot locate fuel, or go to a place where it can find fuel on its own.
- A car cannot create it's own information, nor transfer that information into a chip or DNA-equivalent that it can give to a metal baby ball, that will then enable that ball to transform and grow into another fully grown car on its own, again getting fuel from its environment to support that activity. It cannot create its own glass windshields, nor it's electronic or plastic parts. It cannot even have "survival of the fittest" act until it is able to complete a whole working car!
- A car cannot heal itself. If it suffers any damage of any kind, it doesn't have an internal defense mechanism, and it cannot regenerate broken or lost parts from the fuel that is poured into it.
For all the sophistication of luxury cars, each feature that makes it more valuable and more functional, each one has been designed and built into it. How can we, if we really think about it, accept Evolution, when even a simpler article like a car cannot improve on it's own?
Can a bat develop echolocation and sophisticated sonar capability on its own? Can a pigeon develop sophisticated magnetoreception for three-dimensional navigation using the Earths's magnetic fields on it's own? Can a pit viper and python develop infrared detectors on their own? Can a shark develop electroreception to detect minuscule electric impulses on its own?
Can a BMW 3 Series 5th generation become a 6th generation on it's own? Can windshield wipers become rain-sensing wipers on its own? Can standard headlamps become automatic, light-sensing headlamps on its own? Can standard brake lights become adaptive brake lights on their own? Maybe a BMW video on sound design says it best - there's nothing left to chance! Or to rephrase it my way, there's no way that any of these things will happen by chance, not even in 15 billion years! So yes, there has to be a master designer, a master engineer.
Nothing is left to chance. At BMW, every sound you hear, the engine, a door closing, the signal indicator, each sound is designed and engineered. (Photo from the BMW Facebook page.) See the video of the BMW Sound Designers, see more, hear more, from this link.
As someone who enjoys luxury products and good design, I believe in a personal Creator God. To me, it is logical. And I propose that anyone who appreciates luxury products, ought to do the same.
Two scenarios regarding beliefs, and reality, and Eternity.
If Christianity were false, and those teaching Evolution and wanting people to forget God were correct, then both would live life as they would, though arguably the person wanting to follow Christ would live a more fulfilling, joy-filled life, albeit a more disciplined one. The person espousing Evolution would live a life, maybe good maybe bad, but ultimately shallow, having no personal sense of worth, believing himself merely an accident of nature, the mindless result of billions of years of natural mindless occurrences. When both die, they both cease to exist, and in light of eternity, there is nothing lost or gained. If those teaching Evolution were correct.
On the other hand, if Christianity were true, and those teaching Evolution were wrong, then both would still live their lives as they would, but the Christian is actually living an abundant life, enjoying genuine fellowship with other believers, because he has a living Savior, Jesus Christ. The Christian, though the person believing in Evolution would never recognize it, is actually able to communicate with the Living God through prayer, and as he walks in faith, he sees his prayers answered! The person espousing Evolution, though he wouldn't understand it, is being used by the enemy in a spiritual battle to try and bring many to perish, which is against the will of God, who prefers that all be saved, yet will not dictate it. And many would actually listen to the person teaching Evolution, because Jesus himself said that broad is the gate and wide is the path that leads to destruction, and many travel on it. But small is the gate and narrow the path that leads to life, and few travel on it. And when both die, the Christian will actually go to be with Jesus in heaven, while the one who espoused Evolution will suffer a second death, and eternal suffering.
Given these two scenarios, where is there a greater risk, a greater danger? Where would you like to go? Will you just blindly turn away from this, and say "later"? Have you entered a car that's been under the hot noonday sun, or been stuck in incredible traffic at noon with a non-functioning car aircondioner? Those scenarios will feel like a summer swim compared to an eternity in a lake of fire and brimstone! Will you let this pass by, or will you study the matter personally, to make sure you're on the right track? Read the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, to know Jesus more. Check out this slideshow on God's Plan, and how you personally can be assured of going to heaven. Knowing Jesus isn't about joining a religion or being a church member, or obeying a set of do's and don'ts. It's about having a personal relationship with a good Heavenly Father.
I pray blessings on you for having read this.
Happy travels!
Photo courtesy of my wife. One of my first photos in my new BMW 318d. I'm not sure if the hearts are for me from my wife, or from me to my wife, or the BMW!! :D Maybe for all! My wife is such a blessing from God! Thank God for her. And for the BMW :)
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Luxury products like a Louis Vuitton bag or travel wallet, Mont Blanc limited edition pens, Gucci wallets and iPhone cases, Leica cameras, Rimowa luggage bags, fine mechanical watches like an IWC Perpetual Calendar, or annual calendars like an A. Lange & Söhne or Patek Philippe, Rolex Watches, Bally and Coach leather goods. I've written blogs about these, and they are all wonderful products.
What grants them the distinction to carry the title "luxury"? Fine craftsmanship. Exquisite materials. Thoughtful design and precise workmanship. All resulting in a product that is not simply one of the masses, but one where you can see and feel the difference. In how they look, how they feel, how they operate, and in many cases, in the depth of their capabilities. Some people think buying luxury products is simply about having and displaying the Brand Names. But it's much more than that. And for many luxury brands, the difference starts from the classy store and pampered shopping experience.
I just got my BMW, my first, a 318d, with a 2-litre Twin-Turbo Diesel engine.
And among automobiles, a BMW is a statement in luxury.
The BMW 3 Series with the new F30 body. Photo from BMWcar Magazine January 2012, available on iTunes for iBooks.
How I ended up buying a BMW
It started with finding out the price of a new Honda CRV in Singapore. Cars in Singapore are so expensive, and part of it is the fact that you have to buy a Certificate of Entitlement or COE, in order to own a car. The COE itself could cost in the range of SGD 80,000, but can go substantially higher or lower depending on the fluctuating market value, and the size and type of car. The new Honda CRV in Singapore costs around SGD 225,000, that's about PhP 7 Million in the Philippines! In contrast, a new CRV in the Philippines costs only about PhP 1.5 Million, less than one fourth the price! Granted, the options that are fitted into the cars are not the same, but you can see the big disparity in pricing. (Actually, for an even bigger disparity, compare with prices of the same vehicles in the United States! Car prices there are really low!).
So, coming home to Manila, I thought of buying a Honda CRV just because of the comparatively low price. But then, how did the CRV end up becoming a BMW?
The 4th Generation Honda CRV price in the Philippines, plus having a sense of how good a car it is from having owned a 2nd Generation CRV, got me interested in buying a new car. Photo from the Honda Philippines website.
The BMW was for me, the wiser choice. And I need to mention, the more exhilarating one.
As I started comparing cars, specifications and prices,it became more and more apparent that if I wanted a high-technology automobile, one with the latest innovations, I had to go with the luxury badges.
I made a very thorough, very extensive comparison. My comparison set included the following new models:
- Honda Accord, Honda CRV, Honda Pilot
- Hyundai Tucson, Hyundai Santa Fe
- Ford Explorer, Ford Mustang
- Mazda CX-5, Mazda CX-9
- Subaru Forrester XT, Subaru Outback, Subaru Legacy, Subaru XV
- Toyota Camry, Toyota RAV 4
I also briefly looked at the following, but didn't find these very suited to me:
- Chevrolet Trailblazer
- Dodge Durango
- Chrysler and Jeep
For the high potential ones, I made a Numbers spreadsheet file on my iPad, with 36 items of comparison! And I devoured the online reviews, both written and YouTube versions.
And just for reference, I've had, by God's blessing, a string of eight brand new cars, that included three generations of Toyota Corollas, two generations of Toyota Fortuners (a 3.0 diesel Fulltime 4WD and 2.7 gas model) and a Honda CRV 2nd generation. So I do know quite a bit about cars. And I was looking for something better than any I had previously driven.
The BMW 320d with the new F30 body. The sixth generation 3 Series is Sleek and beautiful, and bigger. Photo from BMWcar Magazine January 2012, available on iTunes for iBooks.
As I kept reviewing car specs, I kept hitting a roadblock in that each car would have an advantage here, but a disadvantage there. All of the cars in my first set simply didn't have enough of a combination of the high tech specs with the sleek body I was looking for. Most were still stuck with an older-generation large and uneconomical engine compared with the newer, smaller yet more powerful and economical engines, or had older five-speed automatic transmissions compared with newer six-speed automatic transmissions.
That's when I ventured to just take a peek at the BMW Autozentrum showroom in Alabang.
Attention shifts to BMW, Mercedes Benz and Audi.
As I went to the BMW Showroom, I checked out the prices of the different models and variants. I was pleased to learn that a number were within my acceptable price range, and not too far from some of the models in my earlier comparison set, though admittedly still on the high side. What was also very pleasing to learn was the wealth of high-end features that come standard with the cars. My wife had been egging me to buy a sports car instead of the compact SUVs I was considering earlier, and since I wanted more of a luxury vehicle, the idea of a high-end sedan was growing on me. I really didn't need a second SUV since I wasn't going to sell my hardly-used Toyota Fortuner, so a sophisticated car was becoming more appealing. I should also note that the BMW Autozentrum Alabang showroom immediately made a positive statement. It was impressive and comfortable, and my wife felt relaxed, leaving me with extended time to acquaint myself with the BMW options
I then went to the Mercedes Benz showroom at CATS EDSA and was again very pleased to learn that I had some options available. The showroom was also beautiful, well matched to the cars they were selling. Then followed the Audi and Volvo showrooms, which again yielded good finds. And I again went to the BMW showroom, this time at Prestige Cars in Makati. Then as my interest was captured, and as the friendly dealers sensed my genuine eagerness, the prices kept going down significantly, and very competitively. Make no mistake, the cars still carried their luxury sedan price tags, but the race to close a deal was definitely on!
So after comparing cars and scrutinizing specs and reviews, spanning a couple of months and starting from the Honda CRV, I was now down to the Mercedes Benz C-180 Classic or Avant-garde models, the Audi A4 Attraction package, and the BMW 318d. The two former ones are gasoline models, and the latter one a diesel. As I struggled in quandary over which model was right for me, I again made a Numbers spreadsheet file, this time with sixty one points of comparison! I sat in the cars with the engine running, discussing the pros of each vehicle with the separate dealers, and I did two test drives specifically on the BMW because of my personal concern on the Diesel engine, then on one weekend, based on the latest and most competitive prices given to me, and with all the specs and reviews in mind, I finally made a call on the BMW 318d. It was, after all, the one that got me most excited.
I finally made a call on the BMW 318d. It was, after all, the one that got me most excited. And it wasn't just the car that was exhilarating, but even the buzz around it. Check online BMW media. Self portrait with my 3-Series in the background.
I won't get into the details of my point by point comparison. After all, the standard options for each car may vary in your location. And there is a wealth of reviews on performance and features out there that you can access to decide on what is right for you. For me, having driven the BMW 318d for a couple of weeks, I am extremely pleased with the BMW, am now an avid BMW fan, and am even more highly impressed with the cars performance, features, and even the history and related online media.
Engine variants for the 2012 BMW 3-Series. Photo from the A to Z of BMW, 2012, iPad App. Note the price for the 318d, £26k, equivalent to PhP 1.7 MM, whereas I paid PhP 2.8 MM for my 318d in the Philippines. In contrast, in Singapore, the price would be many factors higher!! Options may differ though, and I believe I have more installed for the local price I paid.
Some of the impressive features of the car includes:
- when you do a panic brake, the car will sense it and apply greater brake force to stop the car, even though you haven't pressed the brake pedal strong enough. It will monitor each wheel individually, preventing skidding and maximizing stopping power, while keeping the car within steering control. It will tighten the seat belts. It will start flashing the brake lights at high speed to warn traffic at your back and help prevent any secondary collision, then will turn on the hazard lights after the car has slowed down after a panic brake.
- in rain, the rain-sensing wipers will adjust the speed of the wipers according to the intensity of the rain. The brake pads will periodically close ever so slightly you won't feel it, but enough to wipe water off the ventilated front and rear disk brakes to keep them clear of any water film that can reduce stopping power and response time. The exterior rear view mirrors are heated, so any water droplets on them will dry quickly and when you stop at a light, the wiper blades will reduce their speed, then quicken again once you start running again.
- the BMW has an 8-speed automatic transmission (the Mercedes Benz C-180 and Audi A4 both have 7-speed auto transmissions) as compared to 6- or 5-speed transmissions on more conventional automobiles. It accelerates very quickly and effortlessly compared to conventional Diesel engines, and is also less noisy. It has a particulate filter that ensures compliance to Euro 5 emissions standards, and is maintenance free as it periodically burns up accumulated particulates
These are some notable features, but there are significantly more. In fact the BMW operations manual feels like a Leica camera manual, where there are so much more complex yet valuable functions than a conventional model, and where you have to know what buttons to press and how to access certain operations, to make the most of the functions!
Generations of cars make me think of Evolution, that's it's actually not valid.
The BMW 3 Series is on it's sixth generation. The Honda CRV is on it's fourth generation. The Subaru Forester is on it's fourth generation. All these generations of models and design iterations and technology upgrades makes me think of Evolution. If we were to accept Evolution, then that means we are to accept that Helium and Hydrogen cloud particles, defied logic and combined in space instead of dispersing in its great vacuum, to form stars. That all these stars created metals and other heavier elements and compounds, and started to form planets. And amidst these random and chaotic beginnings, stars and planets defied logic to birth rotations and revolutions to mark days and months and years, with such precision and regularity as to defy the capabilities of the best Swiss master watchmakers. And all the constellations and galaxies parade themselves in our night sky year in and year out with that impeccable precision while hurtling apart at massive speeds. If we believe Evolution, then we are asked to accept, against logic, that life and living cells and living organisms started from the combination of non-living matter in some primordial soup, against what is observed in molecular biology on the formation of proteins that are useful for life. That organisms became more and more complex, so as to form sea creatures, then amphibians, then reptiles, then mammals, then sea mammals, all on their own.
An E46 330i Sport. An earlier generation BMW 3 Series. Photo from BMWcar Magazine December 2011, available on iTunes for iBooks.
Just for storytelling's sake, assume there was a global catastrophic flood, and only a handful of families remained alive. The families lose touch with technology, and are forced to start anew with crude tools and begin to rebuild their lost past. After say ten generations, some people no longer believe the stories about cars and computers, saying they are nonsense. They have not seen any, they can't comprehend a gasoline-powered vehicle, and it just doesn't make sense to them. Those who believe the forefathers on the other hand, accept that cars once existed. That there were such things as BMW engineers and designers. Then as the tools of later generations become more sophisticated, they discover under many meters of earth, cars that were covered by the mud that had hardened to sedimentary rock (of course, from the flood!). They start discovering more and more cars and carefully dig them out! A sixth Generation 3-Series here, a second Generation 3-Series there, different models of BMW, of Toyota. Then they try to make sense of it.
Those who refuse to believe there were BMW engineers and designers insist the cars just came about on their own. Or were brought in by an alien race. They see the different generations, and they surmise that since this couldn't have just happened, it probably did happen but maybe it took billions and billions of years to form. On the other hand, those who believed the forefathers also discovered operations and repair manuals, and further confirmed their belief. They argued how improbable it was for the cars to form on their own, that it wasn't even technically or logically possible! And yet those who refused to accept the reality of the BMW engineers just came up with theories of how it was possible for the cars to have formed on their own, and continued to uphold their beliefs. And so the story continues.
Nothing is left to chance.
Those who espouse Evolution push the concept that time is the great hero. That given enough time, the impossible becomes possible, and the improbable becomes probable. Thus the reason for the Earth being estimated at 4.5 billions of years old, and the universe about 14 billions of years old.
Now, lets look at a car. Is a car simpler, or more complex than a living organism? Complex and sophisticated as BMWs are, I would submit that they are simpler than living organisms.
- A car uses highly refined fuel to run. It cannot dig for fuel deep from the Earth, nor refine oil into petroleum fuel. It cannot use rocks, or plants, or energy from the sun on its own (at least not yet, not without further engineering). It cannot locate fuel, or go to a place where it can find fuel on its own.
- A car cannot create it's own information, nor transfer that information into a chip or DNA-equivalent that it can give to a metal baby ball, that will then enable that ball to transform and grow into another fully grown car on its own, again getting fuel from its environment to support that activity. It cannot create its own glass windshields, nor it's electronic or plastic parts. It cannot even have "survival of the fittest" act until it is able to complete a whole working car!
- A car cannot heal itself. If it suffers any damage of any kind, it doesn't have an internal defense mechanism, and it cannot regenerate broken or lost parts from the fuel that is poured into it.
For all the sophistication of luxury cars, each feature that makes it more valuable and more functional, each one has been designed and built into it. How can we, if we really think about it, accept Evolution, when even a simpler article like a car cannot improve on it's own?
Can a bat develop echolocation and sophisticated sonar capability on its own? Can a pigeon develop sophisticated magnetoreception for three-dimensional navigation using the Earths's magnetic fields on it's own? Can a pit viper and python develop infrared detectors on their own? Can a shark develop electroreception to detect minuscule electric impulses on its own?
Can a BMW 3 Series 5th generation become a 6th generation on it's own? Can windshield wipers become rain-sensing wipers on its own? Can standard headlamps become automatic, light-sensing headlamps on its own? Can standard brake lights become adaptive brake lights on their own? Maybe a BMW video on sound design says it best - there's nothing left to chance! Or to rephrase it my way, there's no way that any of these things will happen by chance, not even in 15 billion years! So yes, there has to be a master designer, a master engineer.
Nothing is left to chance. At BMW, every sound you hear, the engine, a door closing, the signal indicator, each sound is designed and engineered. (Photo from the BMW Facebook page.) See the video of the BMW Sound Designers, see more, hear more, from this link.
As someone who enjoys luxury products and good design, I believe in a personal Creator God. To me, it is logical. And I propose that anyone who appreciates luxury products, ought to do the same.
Two scenarios regarding beliefs, and reality, and Eternity.
If Christianity were false, and those teaching Evolution and wanting people to forget God were correct, then both would live life as they would, though arguably the person wanting to follow Christ would live a more fulfilling, joy-filled life, albeit a more disciplined one. The person espousing Evolution would live a life, maybe good maybe bad, but ultimately shallow, having no personal sense of worth, believing himself merely an accident of nature, the mindless result of billions of years of natural mindless occurrences. When both die, they both cease to exist, and in light of eternity, there is nothing lost or gained. If those teaching Evolution were correct.
On the other hand, if Christianity were true, and those teaching Evolution were wrong, then both would still live their lives as they would, but the Christian is actually living an abundant life, enjoying genuine fellowship with other believers, because he has a living Savior, Jesus Christ. The Christian, though the person believing in Evolution would never recognize it, is actually able to communicate with the Living God through prayer, and as he walks in faith, he sees his prayers answered! The person espousing Evolution, though he wouldn't understand it, is being used by the enemy in a spiritual battle to try and bring many to perish, which is against the will of God, who prefers that all be saved, yet will not dictate it. And many would actually listen to the person teaching Evolution, because Jesus himself said that broad is the gate and wide is the path that leads to destruction, and many travel on it. But small is the gate and narrow the path that leads to life, and few travel on it. And when both die, the Christian will actually go to be with Jesus in heaven, while the one who espoused Evolution will suffer a second death, and eternal suffering.
Given these two scenarios, where is there a greater risk, a greater danger? Where would you like to go? Will you just blindly turn away from this, and say "later"? Have you entered a car that's been under the hot noonday sun, or been stuck in incredible traffic at noon with a non-functioning car aircondioner? Those scenarios will feel like a summer swim compared to an eternity in a lake of fire and brimstone! Will you let this pass by, or will you study the matter personally, to make sure you're on the right track? Read the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, to know Jesus more. Check out this slideshow on God's Plan, and how you personally can be assured of going to heaven. Knowing Jesus isn't about joining a religion or being a church member, or obeying a set of do's and don'ts. It's about having a personal relationship with a good Heavenly Father.
I pray blessings on you for having read this.
Happy travels!
Photo courtesy of my wife. One of my first photos in my new BMW 318d. I'm not sure if the hearts are for me from my wife, or from me to my wife, or the BMW!! :D Maybe for all! My wife is such a blessing from God! Thank God for her. And for the BMW :)
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Location:Philippines
It is a little late, but congratulations on your car! Is the vehicle still with you? There is nothing more exciting than having something new! I remember having my first car. Although it was a second-hand vehicle given by my dad, I was very happy to receive it. I made some car renos to make it more like me. And it comes with an auto insurance, which made me happier!
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