Difference between revisions of "Creationism"

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Dr. [[Werner Gitt]], former director and Professor of Information Systems at the prestigious German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology ([[Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt]]), wrote that human beings are the most complex [[information]] processing systems on earth and Dr. Gitt estimated that the human body processed thousands of times more [[bit]]s of information than all the information than is contained in the world’s libraries.<ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes17.html</ref>     
 
Dr. [[Werner Gitt]], former director and Professor of Information Systems at the prestigious German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology ([[Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt]]), wrote that human beings are the most complex [[information]] processing systems on earth and Dr. Gitt estimated that the human body processed thousands of times more [[bit]]s of information than all the information than is contained in the world’s libraries.<ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes17.html</ref>     
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Dr. Gitt wrote in his work ''In the Beginning Was Information'' that “There is no known law of nature, no known process and no known sequence of events which can cause information to originate by itself in matter.” <ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes17.html#wp1484094</ref> Dr. Gitt also argued that the [[density]] and complexity of [[DNA]] information is millions of times larger than mankind's current technology and this means a supremely intelligent being was the author of this information.<ref>http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn58/tinycode_dna.htm</ref> Similarly Dr. [[Stephen C. Meyer]] in his 1996 essay ''The [[Origin of life|Origin of Life]] and the Death of [[Materialism]]'' wrote that "the information storage density of DNA, thanks in part to nucleosome spooling, is several trillion times that of our most advance [[computer chip]]s.<ref>http://www.arn.org/docs/meyer/sm_origins.htm</ref> Also, Gitt stated that the author of the information encoded into the DNA [[molecule]] who constructed the molecular biomachines to encode, decode and run the cells was also supremely intelligent.<ref>http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn58/tinycode_dna.htm</ref> In addition, Dr. Gitt asserts that because information is a nonmaterial entity and does not originate from matter, the author of biological information must be nonmaterial ([[spirit]]).<ref>http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn58/tinycode_dna.htm</ref>
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Dr. Gitt wrote in his work ''In the Beginning Was Information'' that “There is no known law of nature, no known process and no known sequence of events which can cause information to originate by itself in matter.” <ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes17.html#wp1484094</ref> Dr. Gitt also argued that the [[density]] and complexity of [[DNA]] information is millions of times larger than mankind's current technology and this means a supremely intelligent being was the author of this information.<ref>http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn58/tinycode_dna.htm</ref> Similarly Dr. [[Stephen C. Meyer]] in his 1996 essay ''The [[Origin of life|Origin of Life]] and the Death of [[Materialism]]'' wrote that "the information storage density of DNA, thanks in part to nucleosome spooling, is several trillion times that of our most advance [[computer chip]]s.<ref>http://www.arn.org/docs/meyer/sm_origins.htm</ref> Also, Gitt stated that the author of the information encoded into the DNA [[molecule]] who constructed the molecular biomachines to encode, decode and run the cells was supremely intelligent.<ref>http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn58/tinycode_dna.htm</ref> In addition, Dr. Gitt asserts that because information is a nonmaterial entity and does not originate from matter, the author of biological information must be nonmaterial ([[spirit]]).<ref>http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn58/tinycode_dna.htm</ref>
  
 
Dr. [[Walt Brown]] concurs and states the genetic material that controls the biological processes of life is coded information and that human experience tells us that [[codes]] are created only by the result of intelligence and not merely by processes of nature. <ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/LifeSciences18.html</ref> Dr. Brown also asserts that the "information stored in the genetic material of all life is a complex program. Therefore, it appears that an unfathomable intelligence created these genetic programs."<ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/LifeSciences18.html</ref>   
 
Dr. [[Walt Brown]] concurs and states the genetic material that controls the biological processes of life is coded information and that human experience tells us that [[codes]] are created only by the result of intelligence and not merely by processes of nature. <ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/LifeSciences18.html</ref> Dr. Brown also asserts that the "information stored in the genetic material of all life is a complex program. Therefore, it appears that an unfathomable intelligence created these genetic programs."<ref>http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/LifeSciences18.html</ref>   

Revision as of 01:59, June 30, 2007

Creationism is the belief that the earth and universe and the various kinds of animals and plants was created by God or some other supreme being. Those that hold the views of Creationism are referred to as Creationists.[1] Within creationism in the Abrahamic faiths, there are various ideas. In regards to the Abrahamic faiths, one form of creationism holds that the earth is approximately 6,000 years old and is referred to as Young Earth Creationism. The other form of creationism is called Old Earth Creationism and holds that the earth and universe are billions of years old. Creationist scientists believe that the first law of thermodynamics and second law of thermodynamics argue against an eternal universe and they also claim that these laws point to the universe being supernaturally created. [2] Dr. Norman Geisler stated that "Both young- and old-earthers believe that God supernaturally, directly and immediately produced every kind of animal and human as separate and genetically distinct forms of life." [3] Dr. Norman Geisler also wrote that "both young- and old-earthers who are evangelical hold to the historicity of the Genesis account: They believe that Adam and Eve were literal people, the progenitors of the entire human race." [4] Creationists scientists assert that the theory of evolution is in conflict with the evidence provided by the physical sciences and often cite secular scientific sources which agree with them on various points (for further details please see: theory of evolution).[5]

Nearly every culture in the world has a creation story and a flood story. [6][7][8][9][10] Many of these creation accounts and flood accounts have commonalities with the account given in the book of Genesis although gross differences exist also. [11][12][13] The Institute for Creation Research has taken the position that the similarities in regards to creation accounts to the Genesis account demonstrates that the main points of the Genesis account has been preserved. [14] In regards to the assertion that the similarities in flood stories around the world show common origin, young earth creationist particularly assert that there are strong similarities between the Genesis flood account and other world flood accounts. [15][16]

Creationism and Genetic Programs and Biological Information

Creationist and intelligent design advocates state the genetic code, genetic programs, and biological information argue for an intelligent cause in regards the origins question. [17][18][19]

Dr. Werner Gitt, former director and Professor of Information Systems at the prestigious German Federal Institute of Physics and Technology (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt), wrote that human beings are the most complex information processing systems on earth and Dr. Gitt estimated that the human body processed thousands of times more bits of information than all the information than is contained in the world’s libraries.[20] Dr. Gitt wrote in his work In the Beginning Was Information that “There is no known law of nature, no known process and no known sequence of events which can cause information to originate by itself in matter.” [21] Dr. Gitt also argued that the density and complexity of DNA information is millions of times larger than mankind's current technology and this means a supremely intelligent being was the author of this information.[22] Similarly Dr. Stephen C. Meyer in his 1996 essay The Origin of Life and the Death of Materialism wrote that "the information storage density of DNA, thanks in part to nucleosome spooling, is several trillion times that of our most advance computer chips.[23] Also, Gitt stated that the author of the information encoded into the DNA molecule who constructed the molecular biomachines to encode, decode and run the cells was supremely intelligent.[24] In addition, Dr. Gitt asserts that because information is a nonmaterial entity and does not originate from matter, the author of biological information must be nonmaterial (spirit).[25]

Dr. Walt Brown concurs and states the genetic material that controls the biological processes of life is coded information and that human experience tells us that codes are created only by the result of intelligence and not merely by processes of nature. [26] Dr. Brown also asserts that the "information stored in the genetic material of all life is a complex program. Therefore, it appears that an unfathomable intelligence created these genetic programs."[27]

To support his view regarding the divine origin of genetic programs Dr. Walt Brown cites the work of David Abel and Professor Jack Trevors who wrote the following:


“ No matter how many "bits" of possible combinations it has, there is no reason to call it "information" if it doesn't at least have the potential of producing something useful. What kind of information produces function? In computer science, we call it a "program." Another name for computer software is an "algorithm." No man-made program comes close to the technical brilliance of even Mycoplasmal genetic algorithms. Mycoplasmas are the simplest known organism with the smallest known genome, to date. How was its genome and other living organisms' genomes programmed? - David L. Abel and Jack T. Trevors, “Three Subsets of Sequence Complexity and Their Relevance to Biopolymeric Information,” Theoretical Biology & Medical Modelling, Vol. 2, 11 August 2005, page 8[28][29] ”

Intelligent design theorist concur in regards to an intelligent cause in regards to the origin of biological information. Dr. Stephen C. Meyer argued that naturalistic explanations for the origin of life have failed and that inference to the best explanation for the origin of biological information is an intelligent cause. [30] In the peer reviewed biology journal Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington Dr. Meyer argues that no current materialistic theory of evolution can account for the origin of the information necessary to build novel animal forms and proposed an intelligent cause as the best explanation for the origin of biological information and the higher taxa. [31] The editor of the Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, Dr. Richard Sternberg, came under intense scutiny and persecution for the aforementioned article published by Dr. Meyer. [32]

Controversy

Creationism and Intelligent Design

Believers in the Abrahamic faiths believe that the the natural world has been designed by God. Recently, there has been articles which were favorable to the intelligent design position in scientific journals which traditionally have favored the macroevolutionary position.[33] Believers in the Abrahamic faiths have points of agreement and disagreement with the intelligent design movement. They agree that the natural world has an intelligent cause and was designed as mentioned previously. However, some advocates of of creationism believe that the intelligent design movement divorces the Creator from creation by not explicitly stating that the cause of creation is a supernatural being and also failing to state explicitly who that supenatural being is.[34]

There is considerable disagreement on whether or not Intelligent Design amounts to a form of creationism and if so, where to place it in comparison to the other forms of creationism. This is due to the concept having many different definitions and proponents espousing different ideas.

For example, one major proponent of Intelligent Design is Young Earth Creationist Paul Nelson, while Michael Behe, another major proponent, accepts common descent. William Dembski has stated unequivocally that Intelligent Design is not theistic evolution and they should not be considered the same[35]. Dembski has also asserted that Intelligent Design is the Logos in terms of information theory[36], while Dembski and others have given other definitions that do not include any specific theological references. Arguably, intelligent design can be summarized as the notion that at some point in the past, in some way, some entity (possibly God) created life, or altered life at some point, or created the universe to be compatible with life.

Behe and others have stated that Intelligent Design is not religious in nature but in the Dover trial, Judge John E. Jones III, a Republican and a US Federal District Judge, ruled as a one of his findings that Intelligent Design was essentially religious in nature. The opinion met with wide accolades, but some criticism that it borrowed too heavily from the ACLU's briefs. [37] Nonetheless, it has been embraced by the legal community, and has quickly become the subject of renewed scholarship on the scope of the First Amendment.[38]

Adherents and Opponents of Creationism

Traditionally, Judaism supported young earth creationism.[39] In addition, a majority of the early church fathers supported the young earth creationist view.[40] While Young Earth Creationism is prominent in many conservative Protestant denominations, theologically liberal Protestant and Jewish denominations generally reject it.[41][42][43] The Roman Catholic Church has a cautiously positive view of the theory of evolution. [44][45] Orthodox Judaism currently has diverse opinions regarding young earth creationism.[46] Ultra-Orthodox Judaism accepts young earth creationism.[47] Islam has a variety of opinions regarding creationism and the theory of evolution. [48]Atheists do not believe in young earth creationism and a vast majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position since World War II have been atheists.[49][50] While agnostics do not believe in young earth creationism there have been some notable statements of skepticism regarding the theory of evolution from agnostics.[51][52] On the other hand, Charles Darwin and Thomas Huxley were both staunch proponents of the theory of evolution and they both stated that they were agnostics. [53][54]

See also

External links

Young Earth Creationist Organizations

Old Earth Creationists

Reasons To Believe, an Old Earth Creationist Ministry

References and Footnotes

  1. ↑ "creationist." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 21 Mar. 2007. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/creationist>.
  2. ↑ Evidences for God From Space—Laws of Science
  3. ↑ http://www.johnankerberg.org/Articles/science/SC0305W3.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.johnankerberg.org/Articles/science/SC0305W3.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/21
  6. ↑ http://www.katapi.org.uk/BAndS/ChII.htm
  7. ↑ http://www.icr.org/article/108/
  8. ↑ http://www.icr.org/article/570/
  9. ↑ http://library.thinkquest.org/18757/creation.htm
  10. ↑ http://www.grisda.org/origins/17051.htm
  11. ↑ http://www.katapi.org.uk/BAndS/ChII.htm
  12. ↑ http://www.icr.org/article/108/
  13. ↑ http://www.icr.org/article/570/
  14. ↑ http://www.icr.org/article/108/
  15. ↑ http://www.icr.org/article/570/
  16. ↑ http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v2/n2/flood-legends
  17. ↑ http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/LifeSciences18.html
  18. ↑ http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/infotheory.asp
  19. ↑ http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=118
  20. ↑ http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes17.html
  21. ↑ http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes17.html#wp1484094
  22. ↑ http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn58/tinycode_dna.htm
  23. ↑ http://www.arn.org/docs/meyer/sm_origins.htm
  24. ↑ http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn58/tinycode_dna.htm
  25. ↑ http://www.gnmagazine.org/issues/gn58/tinycode_dna.htm
  26. ↑ http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/LifeSciences18.html
  27. ↑ http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/LifeSciences18.html
  28. ↑ http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/ReferencesandNotes17.html#wp1467742
  29. ↑ http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1208958
  30. ↑ http://www.macrodevelopment.org/library/meyer.html
  31. ↑ http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=2177
  32. ↑ http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=2399
  33. ↑ http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=2640
  34. ↑ http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v1/n1/intelligent-design-movement
  35. ↑ What every theologian should know about creation, evolution, and design Center for Interdisciplinary Studies Transactions 3(2), William Demsbki
  36. ↑ [1] Signs of Intelligence: A Primer on the Discernment of Intelligent Design Touchstone Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 4 July-August 1999
  37. ↑ [2]
  38. ↑ Richard B. Katskee, "Religion in Public Schools," 5 First Amend. L. Rev. 112 (2006)
  39. ↑ James-Griffiths, James,Creation days and Orthodox Jewish tradition Creation 26(2):53–55, March 2004.
  40. ↑ Bradshaw, Robert I., Creationism & the Early Church, chapter 3, The Days of Genesis 1.
  41. ↑ Morris, Henry, Old-Earth Creationism Back to Genesis April 1997.
  42. ↑ What Conservative Protestants Believe (beliefnet).
  43. ↑ Jarvik, Elaine, Beliefs on Darwin's evolution vary from religion to religion Deseret Morning News 19 January 2006.
  44. ↑ http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2007-04-11-pope-evolution-creation_N.htm
  45. ↑ Heneghan, Tom, Catholics and Evolution: Interview with Cardinal Christoph Schönborn (beliefnet).
  46. ↑ Rabbinical Council of America, Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design.
  47. ↑ Winnick, Pamela R.,Evolutionary War Toledo City Paper, March 7 2002.
  48. ↑ http://www.irfi.org/articles/articles_151_200/muslim_responses_to_evolution.htm
  49. ↑ Batten, Don, A Who’s Who of evolutionists Creation 20(1):32 December 1997.
  50. ↑ http://www.creationists.org/nas.html
  51. ↑ Woodward, Thomas E., Doubts About Darwin (Apologetics Press).
  52. ↑ Agnostic Philosopher Caught in Conspiracy to Question Darwinism Evolution News & Views, (Discovery Institute).
  53. ↑ http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/1025
  54. ↑ http://www.arn.org/docs/odesign/od171/desmond171.htm
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