In the News

A recent opinion in the Fredericksburg (VA) Free Lance-Star by an average person who is a theist evolutionist (TE) can be instructive.

Sarah Marcus says that Dr. Ken Miller, a theist evolutionist, absolutely debunks the research done by Dr. Michael Behe. Hardly the truth, but you are free to believe anything you want Sarah.

Sarah is a Christian, and a theistic evolutionist. She believes in an intelligent designer (God) who uses "evolution" to accomplish what we see in biological history and the current biologicial system.

One flavor of theistic evolution has nothing to do with Darwinism, because Darwinism, by definition, is a random, undirected process (random mutation and natural selection (no God need apply)). Proponents of this type of TE say God "tinkers" with the evolutionary process, and hides His "tinkering."

Another flavor of theistic evolution, which some Christians hold to, claims that God designed the cosmos in such a way that life would inevitably originate and evolve from the properties of chemistry and physics initially "programmed" into the Creation Event, with no further "tinkering" necessary. The Christian Bible does not suggest this frontloading, but rather a progressive creation over time, be it days or eons. The difference between this view and atheistic Darwinism is that the TE frontloads the cosmos with properties ordained by God, while the Darwinist says this cosmos and life are effects of a lucky throw of the dice. Of course, initially, the Darwinist has to make the incredible blind leap of faith that this universe, or whatever it came from, arose from absolute nothing. And NOTHING is literally NOTHING...no space...time... energy...matter.

Sarah goes on to say that "acceptance of evolution does not require a person to believe that life is without meaning, or that the development of life totally lacked direction". Here is where she gets herself in trouble with an equivocal term. Her word "evolution" can have so many different definitions that you don't know what she means. Substitute the word "Darwinism" for "evolution", and the statement is nonsense, because life ultimately has no meaning, value, and purpose if atheistic Darwinism is true. You can make-believe there is meaning, or say there is temporary meaning, but, ultimately, there is none. She does mean God-directed "evolution", which is not Darwinism, but simply either a mix of God-ordained physics and chemistry and millions or billions of miraculous, yet hidden interventions, or a frontloaded cosmos where life and evolution are inevitable. What would be the motive of God to have random mutation and natural selection take place, and concurrently make millions or billions of miraculous non-random selections, and then totally hide those interventions for human view? And, if an intelligent designer frontloaded the cosmos with all the properties for life to orginate and evolve, and then let it go, He would have no control over the evolution of life forms (random chance and natural selection). He would be limited, and certainly not the Christian God. The ultimate kickoff question should be, from what did the cosmos spring?...a transcendent intelligent designer, or nothing? And let's follow the evidence where it leads.

Be careful when you use the word "evolution". When discussing the debate of Darwinism vs ID, use the terms "Darwinism" or Darwinist theory", and know what it means.

For the full opinion, click HERE.

The Intelligent Design Undergraduate Research Center (IDURC) is proud to
announce the first-ever Graduate Awards to two of its most respected members. Their names are being deliberately withheld. The recent cases
of Rick Sternberg, Guillermo Gonzalez, and others testify to the
importance of these bright minds remaining out of the crosshairs of
those opposed to open-minded investigation.

Tristan Abbey, the director of IDURC, congratulated the winners with
this message: "Only honest, rigorous, scientific investigation of
intelligent design will determine its status in ten years: whether it
will be taken seriously as a scientific theory or merely regarded as a
quaint set of assertions. These two will be shining examples for years
to come of what it means to have an open mind. Live bravely, friends,
but also wisely."

Each summer, IDURC will present Graduate Awards to outstanding
students who have just completed their undergraduate degrees and have
demonstrated exemplary dedication to both the study of science and the
rigorous investigation of intelligent design.

This year, award-winners will each receive a one-time grant funded by
Access Research Network (ARN) to be used however they wish, and an
autographed copy of Debating Design: From Darwin to DNA, inscribed
by William Dembski.

The Intelligent Design Undergraduate Research Center (IDURC) is proud to
announce the first-ever Graduate Awards to two of its most respected members. Their names are being deliberately withheld. The recent cases
of Rick Sternberg, Guillermo Gonzalez, and others testify to the
importance of these bright minds remaining out of the crosshairs of
those opposed to open-minded investigation.

Tristan Abbey, the director of IDURC, congratulated the winners with
this message: "Only honest, rigorous, scientific investigation of
intelligent design will determine its status in ten years: whether it
will be taken seriously as a scientific theory or merely regarded as a
quaint set of assertions. These two will be shining examples for years
to come of what it means to have an open mind. Live bravely, friends,
but also wisely."

Each summer, IDURC will present Graduate Awards to outstanding
students who have just completed their undergraduate degrees and have
demonstrated exemplary dedication to both the study of science and the
rigorous investigation of intelligent design.

This year, award-winners will each receive a one-time grant funded by
Access Research Network (ARN) to be used however they wish, and an
autographed copy of Debating Design: From Darwin to DNA, inscribed
by William Dembski.

Jay Richards of the Discovery Institute is on the radio show "The Bible Answer Man" with host Hank Hanegraaf Tuesday, Sept. 6th and Wednesday, Sept. 7th. Check your local listings, OR check out or purchase the programs at:

OnePlace.

or at:

Christian Research Institute.