[Apologetics] Re: Evolution dispute now set to split Catholic hierarchy

[Stuart D. Gathman]

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005, Art Kelly wrote:

> I agree 100% with Cardinal Shönborn, who is the
> principal author of the Catechism of the Catholic
> Church, that evolution is just plain wrong!

You have to be careful to define what you mean when using the word "evolution",
since it is used to mean many things - sometimes deliberately in order
to deceive.  

For instance, "evolution" in the sense of "survival of the fittest",
also called "natural selection", is an observed fact that is part of our daily
life.  Pathogens "evolve" resistance to drugs.  Most elephants are now born
without tusks thanks to the inadvertant efforts of poachers.

Then there is "evolution" as the idea that chance plus natural selection
can create new species unguided by any intelligence, also called "macro
evolution" -  something yet to be demonstrated.  So called "genetic"
algorithms used with some success in computer science are guided by
intelligence and are properly "natural selection".

There is a slogan, "Evolution happens.  Evolution happened."  This
is a deliberate equivocation, equating "natural selection" with
"macro evolution".

Finally, there is the idea that "evolution" in the "chance plus
natural selection" sense somehow caused the origin of life, although no
specific mechanism has been proposed  - just a lot of hand waving
over potions of amino and nucleic acids.

The Church needs to be careful before launching an attack against
"evolution".  The only aspect that is clearly and specifically unbiblical
is the part about "unguided by intelligence".  There are moral
arguments against the idea of God using the law of the jungle
(i.e. natural selection) as His primary creative method - but
these are not as certain. 

And in fact, the "unguided by intelligence" aspect is the only
doctrine of evolution that materialists are determined to hold
on to.  They are perfectly willing to abandon any other aspects
to consider the "hopeful monster" theory, spontaneous generation,
xeno-genesis, and even more far fetched ideas - as long as they can maintain
their principle that ultimately, no intelligence formed the world or life
within it.

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
    Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
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