Monday, September 26, 2005

Evolution vs. Intelligent Design - Updated

JOHN WOLF of the NWI Times takes the 'third way'

Aha, so I'm not alone on the evolution/intelligent design hybrid theory (not that I thought I was):

"National Geographic in November 2004 raised the question, "Was Darwin Wrong?" and answers it with a resounding no, citing overwhelming evidence. Fundamentalist Christians, Orthodox Jews and Islamic writers have responded to the theory of evolution as a deceit. A Gallup poll in 2001 found 45 percent agreed "God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so." Only 37 percent allowed room for both God and Darwin.

Darwin's book "The Origin of Species" published in 1859 created a sensation. He had collected evidence from fossils and careful study in various parts of the world of a variety of species. He had raised the question of "How?" with natural selection the main vehicle.

I
nterestingly, the three major religions of the world, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, all trace their origins to the Book of Genesis and its stories of beginnings. Literalists seek to give the stories scientific validity. Six days is six days. Yet Scripture says, "a thousand years in his sight is like a yesterday."

Genesis reveals God as creator whose hand is in all creation. It is the why of what evolution seeks to explain with a how? Call it intelligent design or one of God's many Scriptural names. There should be no conflict. Unfortunately, our culture does not allow for teaching religious concepts in public institutions. Many scientists acknowledge the mystery of their enlarging studies. The mystery has a name to faith-based believers.

The opening of the subject begun 146 years ago is not necessarily a contradiction. Let's pick our battles and look on evolution as an incredibly intelligent design."

(source)

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