>I couldn't sleep because of this note written by Johnson. So, I came
>upstairs to write this. And this is a sad thing. Many may disagree with me
>on this but from my perspective Johnson's rather arrogant in-your-face
>message that Christianity is not on the top of his agenda bothers me.. . .
>. . . And what is so surprising to me is
>the willingness of the Christian publishers to go along with them by
>publishing their books that never seem to mention anything about
>Christianity or the Bible. It has occurred to me that Phil, in the letter
>below is merely being consistent with what he has been saying for a long
>time. . . .
Philip Johnson, et al. are responding to the Supreme Court decisions of the
last 20 years or so. Creationists have attempted to completely ban the
teaching of evolutionary biology in schools. That's failed. They have tried
to get the teaching of creation "science" in schools under the guise of
"equal time." That failed. They tried to get science declared a religion so
that science couldn't be taught in public schools. That failed. They have
tried to get evolution declared a "philosophy" and therefore not science.
They failed.
In other words, all attempts so far to violate separation of church and
state, to use public tax-supported schools to teach Christian religious
dogma in science class have all failed. ID is the most recent attempt.
Johnson & Co. *must* try to say that ID isn't religious or Biblically based
because it will not work as a Trojan Horse otherwise. They hope that they
can convince enough people that ID is science, that it has nothing to do
with religion and that it is therefore permissible under the Constitution to
teach it using public funds. It is my belief they are arrogant and foolish.
The Supreme Court will not be duped.
ID is supernatural intervention into the natural world. It makes ok
religion, but isn't science by any stretch of the imagination. It is also an
artifiact of a religion which, through most of its long history, has enjoyed
the force of government backing it up and which now, in the US, is forced to
compete in the marketplace of ideas. Creation "science" can't compete with
real science. ID is merely creation "science" dressed up in new clothes.
Behe's scientific credentials aren't questionable or actually phony like
those of many creationist "scientists" and his degree is actually in a
branch of biology.(It's been pointed out that a lot of creationist
"scientists"--the ones with authentic degrees--are actually engineers, not
biologists.) Johnson is great at preparing a very logical and
cogent-sounding argument. The two are the best team creationists have had in
a long time, maybe ever. But it's absolutely vital to the project to deny,
as much as possible, their religious motives.
>What strikes me is that given the support that the Christian community,
>Christian publishers and the Christian laity has given Johnson and his
>followers, he now basically says that religion doesn't matter to his
>movement.
Take comfort in the fact that they are not telling the truth. If they *were*
telling the truth, the Christian community, Christian publishers and
Christian money would not be so eagerly backing either Johnson or ID.
> How would anyone know this supposedly 'well known' fact that Johnson
>speaks of? It never appeared in any bio that I am aware of. It always
>seemed to be omitted! Frankly, I don't think the ID movement has been
>forthcoming and open with the Christian community in this regard.
well, no kidding. And their willingness to be dishonest in the cause of
religion never ceases to astonish me. It *is* very telling though.
Susan
--------
Peace is not the absence of conflict--it is the presence of justice.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.
Please visit my website:
http://www.telepath.com/susanb