Christine J. Watson
New Member
Hello Baptist Board members:
Below is an article I wrote and had published in the March issue of the Christian Times. I was wondering if anyone here embraces the efforts of the Intelligent Design Theory advocates who are currently attempting to get ID discussed in public schools. If you are a Creationist and do not agree with this movement why or why not? Most evolutionists outrightly object to its inclusion in science curriculum because ID advocates have been very successful at exposing the hoaxes and flaws of Darwinism.
PS I will be away from access to a computer for 3 days but upon my return will visit this board for replies.
God bless,
Christine
It’s time to teach the controversy
By Christine Watson
CHRISTIAN TIMES- Opinion
Intelligent Design Theory has gained much ground. Over the past four years, intelligent design proponents have been successful at revealing the many serious flaws of Darwinism to the public. As a result, the dogmatic, ‘naturalism-only’ philosophical approach that Darwinist scientists continue to force on students in order to keep alternate theories out of the debate in classrooms has clearly been exposed.
Such bias has not gone unnoticed by congressional leaders. On June 13, 2001, U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, R-PA, proposed an amendment in the newly signed education bill that said, “it is the sense of the Senate that (1) good science education should prepare students to distinguish the data or testable theories of science from philosophical or religious claims that are made in the name of science; and (2) where biological evolution is taught, the curriculum should help students to understand why this subject generates so much continuing controversy and should prepare the students to be informed participants in public discussions regarding the subject.”
The amendment included no provisions for implementation or enforcement but supports the conclusion that science education would be more effective if it prepared students to understand these controversies.
Some science educators who expressed objection insisted that there was no scientific controversy over biological evolution but merely a religiously or politically based resistance to scientific knowledge, which should not be dignified by allowing it to be expressed in science classes.
This is an old enervated argument. According to their logic, the many persons with outstanding scientific credentials who have expressed skepticism toward the theory of evolution must not really be scientists. “More important,” states Phillip Johnson in his latest book entitled, The Right Questions: Truth, Meaning and Public Debate, “is that the Darwinist educators cannot afford to acknowledge to either their students or the public that there is a distinction between the data or testable theories of science, on the one hand, and philosophical or religious claims that are made in the name of science, on the other. All Darwinist propaganda depends on blurring that distinction so that a credulous public is taught to accept philosophical naturalism/materialism as inherent in the definition of ‘science’.”
Johnson points out that, “Education in other subjects aims at helping students to understand the subject as completely as possible. However, education in biological evolution (Darwinism) must aim at keeping the students and the general public confused so they will continue to accept philosophy as science and not perceive that the scientific evidence is not consistent with the scientistic philosophy (naturalism) that the ruling metaphysicians of science want them to believe. Darwinism and clear thinking are at odds with each other.”
In a Focus on the Family article entitled, “Ohio Paves Way for Evolution Debate,” Terry Phillips states, “The victory seems to already be making an impact in Ohio schools. Board member Deborah Owens Fink noted that after the board’s preliminary vote in October indicating an ‘intent to adopt’ the new science standards, many school districts called to say they were allowing students to openly debate intelligent design.”
“Previously,” Ms. Fink said, “students did not know about intelligent design or did not feel comfortable discussing it in the classroom; however, now students are actively searching the Internet and other sources to learn more about it.”
Additionally, the school board modified the definition of science itself to no longer reflect a naturalistic worldview. The new definition is, “Science is a systematic method of continuing investigation, based on observation, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, and theory building, which leads to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena.” This replaces the old definition, which said, “Scientific knowledge is limited to natural explanations for natural phenomena.”
Other states are considering similar changes. Teachers and students will now have the opportunity to present alternate views and the amendment will protect their legal right to do so.
Students will now have the opportunity to study the concept that the universe is the product of a rational mind which provides a far better metaphysical basis for scientific rationality than the competing concept that everything in the universe, including our minds, is ultimately based in the mindless movements of matter.
Genome research actually supports the view that a supernatural mind designed the instructions that guide the immensely complex biochemical processes of life. Gene Myers, a computer scientist who was instrumental in assembling the genome map for Celera Corporation, told Tom Abate, science reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, “What really astounds me is the architecture of life. The system is extremely complex. It’s like it was designed.... There’s a huge intelligence there. I don’t see that as being unscientific. Others may, but not me.”
Christine Watson has a bachelor’s degree from Kean University and is currently a student of Christian Apologetics in the “Defending the Faith MA Lecture Series” at Biola University. Her previously published articles on this subject include, “A New Challenge to Darwinism,” and “Materialism Can’t Explain Life.”
Below is an article I wrote and had published in the March issue of the Christian Times. I was wondering if anyone here embraces the efforts of the Intelligent Design Theory advocates who are currently attempting to get ID discussed in public schools. If you are a Creationist and do not agree with this movement why or why not? Most evolutionists outrightly object to its inclusion in science curriculum because ID advocates have been very successful at exposing the hoaxes and flaws of Darwinism.
PS I will be away from access to a computer for 3 days but upon my return will visit this board for replies.
God bless,
Christine
It’s time to teach the controversy
By Christine Watson
CHRISTIAN TIMES- Opinion
Intelligent Design Theory has gained much ground. Over the past four years, intelligent design proponents have been successful at revealing the many serious flaws of Darwinism to the public. As a result, the dogmatic, ‘naturalism-only’ philosophical approach that Darwinist scientists continue to force on students in order to keep alternate theories out of the debate in classrooms has clearly been exposed.
Such bias has not gone unnoticed by congressional leaders. On June 13, 2001, U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, R-PA, proposed an amendment in the newly signed education bill that said, “it is the sense of the Senate that (1) good science education should prepare students to distinguish the data or testable theories of science from philosophical or religious claims that are made in the name of science; and (2) where biological evolution is taught, the curriculum should help students to understand why this subject generates so much continuing controversy and should prepare the students to be informed participants in public discussions regarding the subject.”
The amendment included no provisions for implementation or enforcement but supports the conclusion that science education would be more effective if it prepared students to understand these controversies.
Some science educators who expressed objection insisted that there was no scientific controversy over biological evolution but merely a religiously or politically based resistance to scientific knowledge, which should not be dignified by allowing it to be expressed in science classes.
This is an old enervated argument. According to their logic, the many persons with outstanding scientific credentials who have expressed skepticism toward the theory of evolution must not really be scientists. “More important,” states Phillip Johnson in his latest book entitled, The Right Questions: Truth, Meaning and Public Debate, “is that the Darwinist educators cannot afford to acknowledge to either their students or the public that there is a distinction between the data or testable theories of science, on the one hand, and philosophical or religious claims that are made in the name of science, on the other. All Darwinist propaganda depends on blurring that distinction so that a credulous public is taught to accept philosophical naturalism/materialism as inherent in the definition of ‘science’.”
Johnson points out that, “Education in other subjects aims at helping students to understand the subject as completely as possible. However, education in biological evolution (Darwinism) must aim at keeping the students and the general public confused so they will continue to accept philosophy as science and not perceive that the scientific evidence is not consistent with the scientistic philosophy (naturalism) that the ruling metaphysicians of science want them to believe. Darwinism and clear thinking are at odds with each other.”
In a Focus on the Family article entitled, “Ohio Paves Way for Evolution Debate,” Terry Phillips states, “The victory seems to already be making an impact in Ohio schools. Board member Deborah Owens Fink noted that after the board’s preliminary vote in October indicating an ‘intent to adopt’ the new science standards, many school districts called to say they were allowing students to openly debate intelligent design.”
“Previously,” Ms. Fink said, “students did not know about intelligent design or did not feel comfortable discussing it in the classroom; however, now students are actively searching the Internet and other sources to learn more about it.”
Additionally, the school board modified the definition of science itself to no longer reflect a naturalistic worldview. The new definition is, “Science is a systematic method of continuing investigation, based on observation, hypothesis testing, measurement, experimentation, and theory building, which leads to more adequate explanations of natural phenomena.” This replaces the old definition, which said, “Scientific knowledge is limited to natural explanations for natural phenomena.”
Other states are considering similar changes. Teachers and students will now have the opportunity to present alternate views and the amendment will protect their legal right to do so.
Students will now have the opportunity to study the concept that the universe is the product of a rational mind which provides a far better metaphysical basis for scientific rationality than the competing concept that everything in the universe, including our minds, is ultimately based in the mindless movements of matter.
Genome research actually supports the view that a supernatural mind designed the instructions that guide the immensely complex biochemical processes of life. Gene Myers, a computer scientist who was instrumental in assembling the genome map for Celera Corporation, told Tom Abate, science reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, “What really astounds me is the architecture of life. The system is extremely complex. It’s like it was designed.... There’s a huge intelligence there. I don’t see that as being unscientific. Others may, but not me.”
Christine Watson has a bachelor’s degree from Kean University and is currently a student of Christian Apologetics in the “Defending the Faith MA Lecture Series” at Biola University. Her previously published articles on this subject include, “A New Challenge to Darwinism,” and “Materialism Can’t Explain Life.”