Re: ASA News Releases

Joel Duff (Virkotto@intrnet.net)
Thu, 4 Sep 1997 13:06:39 -0500 (CDT)

Terry Gray wrote:
>Dennis,
>
>My only reaction is that I'm not so sure that I want ASA so tightly linked
>to the the Mike Behe/Phil Johnson/Intelligent Design agenda. What you've
>written is fine as your perspective-- but I have strong disagreements with
>Behe, Johnson, and even Wiester. As far as I'm aware the only stance that
>the ASA takes is that we would if we accept evolution, which some but not
>all do, we believe that it is a God-guided process. But even there, the
>God-guided process may look to the scientific observer no different from a
>purposeless, unguided process. This is where my disagreement with Behe and
>Johnson come in--and where your news release supports them. They seem to
>deny that God-guided evolution might look just like purposeless, unguided
>evolution to the scientific observer and that there are serious flaws in
>evolutionary theory. I and many in the ASA disagree with this.

I would have to say dittos to everthing Terry has expressed here. I do
like the idea of press releases and think ASA should be more active and
visible in the public arena. But, I think our role here may have to be
left at simply articulating our objections to what we believe to be a wrong
understanding of natural history/creation and less emphasis on particular
hypothesis we wish to replace that with, since it doesn't necessarily
represent us all.

JD

Postdoctoral Research Associate
Dpt. Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University
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