A request for those with non-Christian friends

Joel W. Cannon (cannon@chem.LaTech.edu)
Thu, 9 May 1996 12:06:27 -0500 (CDT)

I would really appreciate some help, and I think the results of what I
would like to do would be interesting to the group and likely to a
larger audience.

I have occasionally pondered what Richard Dawkins, Carl Sagan, and
their disciples would say when asked how they think a world created by
a creator would be different from the one we have now. I would like
to gain some empirical data (Sagan has told me that scientists only
believe things based on evidence) to answer this question.

Would some of you be willing to ask friends or acquaintances who might
fit this category (believe evolution precludes a creator) something
like the following:

1. How would (or how might) the world look different if there was a
creator?

2. Is this a fair question (i.e. is it fair to ask someone who says
the world we see is evidence contrary to a creator to be able to say
how it might have been different)?

My assumption is that if they are sure that if what they see argues
against a creator they should be able to sketch an alternative
that would be evidence for a creator. My guess is that the most
popular responses will be stunned silence, and "I don't know, but it
wouldn't be like this." You may need to give them some time to think
about this.

-------
Joel W. Cannon
Dept. of Physics
Centenary College of Louisiana
P. O. Box 41188
Shreveport, LA 71134-1188

(318)869-5160
(318)869-5026 FAX