Re: [asa] Collins' book is reviewed by the Arizona Origins Science guys

What did you expect?

Michael
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Schneider" <rjschn39@bellsouth.net>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>; "Carol or John Burgeson" <burgytwo@juno.com>
Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 10:55 PM
Subject: Re: [asa] Collins' book is reviewed by the Arizona Origins Science
guys

> This review combines inaccurate reporting and misrepresentations of what
> Collins says with criticisms based on YEC dogma. It certainly does not do
> justice to Collins' exposition and arguments. One could not determine from
> the review that Collins is an evangelical Christian.
>
> This review is all too typical of other reviewers by YECs. The underlying
> message to the YEC believer is, "Don't read this book."
>
> Bob
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Carol or John Burgeson" <burgytwo@juno.com>
> To: <asa@calvin.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 3:51 PM
> Subject: [asa] Collins' book is reviewed by the Arizona Origins Science
> guys
>
>
>> I was surfing the Arizona Origin Science Website today -- came on this
>> review of Francis Collins book.
>>
>> Interesting. The web site is
>> http://www.arizonaoriginscienceassoc.com/Reviews.aspx
>>
>> Burgy
>>
>> AzOSA is pleased to present a weekly book review to inform our audience
>> of current writing relating to the subject of Creation.
>>
>> This week's review:
>>
>> The Language of God by Francis Collins. Text, 283 pages. List price,
>> $26.00.
>> The main thesis of this book is that you can be a credible scientist and
>> a Christian by believing in theistic evolution.
>>
>> Dr. Collins has very impressive academic credentials with his doctoral
>> level studies in Physical Chemistry, and his M.D. and Ph.D. in Medical
>> Genetics. He also has marvelous accomplishments as a physician and as
>> head of the Human Genome Project, which successfully mapped the complete
>> human DNA sequence.
>>
>> I find portions of the main text to be an excellent resource for the
>> layman regarding information about the human genome, and especially the
>> appendix for explaining for the layman the science of embryonic and adult
>> stem cell research, cloning, somatic cell nuclear transplantation and
>> preimplantation genetic diagnosis.
>>
>> However in the discussion of the moral aspects of some of these areas he
>> introduces relativism allowing for compromise in decision making. In
>> particular, regarding embryonic stem cells, he uses the situation of the
>> formation of identical twins to invoke confusion about when the embryo
>> acquires a soul. To me, this side steps the real issue, which is that
>> from the moment of the union of the egg and the sperm, the zygote
>> (embryo) has the full complement of DNA, its genetic material, and is
>> fully human. No further discussion is needed. He also ignores the real
>> and very significant advances made in treating actual patients with adult
>> stem cell line research technology successfully treating more than 60
>> different types of problems.
>>
>> His well documented, profound and far reaching accomplishments in the
>> area of observational science should not be confused with his musings in
>> the area of origins science. First of all, multiple times throughout the
>> book he promotes the false argument that the conflict is between science
>> and faith in God. Dr. Collins lists various presuppositions, but accepts
>> the big bang as if it was observed fact, and not a presupposition. He
>> ignores the open letter to the scientific community, which can be easily
>> found on the internet, and which is now signed by 405 secular
>> astronomers, scientists, engineers and independent researchers who
>> declare the big bang to be dead.
>>
>> Dr. Collins closely adheres to the assumptions and misrepresentations of
>> Hugh Ross. For example, he dismisses Genesis as history in one brief
>> sentence on page 83: Unquestionably the language is poetic. This is
>> compounded on page 207, where he invokes allegory again regarding Adam
>> and Eve. He writes Some biblical literalists insist that the wives of
>> Cain and Seth must have been their own sisters, but that is both in
>> serious conflict with subsequent prohibitions against incest, and
>> incompatible with a straightforward reading of the text.
>>
>> Dr. Collins of all people would know that initially the genome was free
>> of the accumulated burden of mutations, except for his presupposition
>> that Adam and Eve were the continuation of some pre-Adamic race,
>> necessitated by his belief in evolution. According to him, Adam and Eve
>> allegorically represent pre-human beings transformed into human beings at
>> some point in the distant past by an act of God instilling into them
>> human characteristics such as a soul, the Moral Law and the ability to
>> appreciate beauty. Dr. Collins sidesteps the incongruity between death
>> preceding sin, which evolution requires, and death following sin, which
>> Scripture quite clearly states is the case in Romans 6:23: The wages of
>> sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus
>> Christ our Lord. When Scripture refers to Jesus as the last Adam, is
>> Christ then also to be taken allegorically?
>>
>> Returning to the subsequent ban on marrying very close relatives, it was
>> subsequent, decreed by God in Moses time, in recognition of the
>> accumulation of mutations in the genome, which began after the literal
>> Adam and Eve. This demonstrates application of real science by God
>> himself. Dr. Collins assertion, that Genesis 5:4b Adam had other sons and
>> daughters. read in a straightforward manner, does not explain the source
>> of Cains and Seths wives, is incomprehensible to me.
>>
>> Unfortunately, the book is filled with flaws in interpretation of
>> observed facts, due to the presupposition of evolution. But most
>> disappointing to me as a physician are the repetitions of disproved
>> evolutionary canards regarding human anatomy. Research has confirmed that
>> indeed the design of the retina is ideal, the spine is well designed for
>> optimum flexibility and weight loading, and that the appendix does have
>> extremely important functions as part of the immune system in the earlier
>> years of life.
>>
>> Dr. Collins characterizing young earth creationists as extremists by
>> using the label ultraliteralists does him no credit and should give him
>> pause to rethink his interpretation of Scripture, for one day we all will
>> have to stand before the Lord and account for our treatment of His word.
>>
>> Joseph Kezele, M.D., President,
>>
>> Arizona Origin Science Association
>>
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Received on Wed Sep 20 18:21:20 2006