Re: Theism and Science
Dick Fischer (dfischer@mnsinc.com)
Fri, 10 Oct 1997 21:36:17 -0500
Phil Johnson wrote:
>Science cannot prove that an undetectable Designer does not exist.
>Whatever science may say or not say, theism remains an existential
option
>to those who have the "will to believe." Nonetheless, I found it mighty
>reassuring to learn that the "blind watchmaker thesis" of Richard
Dawkins
>is based on philosophical sleight-of-hand rather than legitimate
scientific
>investigation.
Why does the old expression "it takes one to know one" come to mind?
Actually, my problem with ID is not scientific per se. Believing in a
God who performs miracles, and believing that He is also the Creator,
relieves me from looking for a completely scientific explanation for the
ultimate cause of life. A God who performs miracles from time to time is
not so tightly bound that He can't "intervene" occasionally if He wants
to.
But does He, or did He?
Okay, a design usually implies a designer, I'll give you that,
snowflakes
and other crystalline structures aside, but the paradox ID adherents
like
yourself bring about stems from putting too little distance between the
Creator and His creations. Like this:
Agent Action End Product
God sculpts life forms
The problem is that the God of the Bible, described as the Creator in
Genesis, is further described in Deuteronomy 32:4: "He is the Rock, his
work is perfect ..." And in II Samuel 22:31: "As for God, his way is
perfect ..." If the Bible is true, and with ID theory in mind, it should
follow that:
Agent Action End Product
Perfect God sculpts perfect life forms
Which as we all know isn't the case. Human beings, just one of the end
products, suffer from over three thousand genetic disorders. Thus the
God
of the bible is at odds with the God of nature since a Designer whose
work
is perfect does not design imperfect works. "Intelligent design" then is
really "clever design." Not good enough in my book.
So let me suggest another intermediate step like this:
Agent Ordains Action End Product
God nature sculpts life forms
Or in sentence format: God ordains nature that through a process we call
evolution sculpts the end products - you and me.
In this example the imperfect creations are a step removed from a
perfect
Creator. Now could it be possible that a theologically sound explanation
could also be a scientifically sound explanation?
Dick Fischer
THE ORIGINS SOLUTION
http://www.orisol.com