(1) Who is Jonathon Wells? Is he associated with Johnson in some way?
(2) What is the Wedge?
(3) Does anyone know what church Johnson attends or identifies with? Does he
claim to be a professing Christian?
I am wondering if my letter delay isn't serendipity. I am wondering if when
it gets back on its feet (ha ha) I might incorporate some of this info about
Johnson's "intellectual movement" specifically divorcing itself from
Christianity. As a Christian, I believe all Christians must place God first
far above anything else in every aspect of their lives. From my knowledge of
Dr. James Dobson and Focus on the Family Minsitries, Dobson feels the same
way. If I could tie this all together, it might make a very strong statement
to Dobson.
Wendee
>>>Keith:
>>>
>>>First, it is true that Jonathan Wells is a member of the Unification
>>>Church, and this fact has never been "hidden."
>>>
>>>Second, the Wedge (including the Discovery Institute) is an intellectual
>>>movement, not a church or confessional movement. We have no faith
>>>statement or religious requirement. Our objective is to bring before the
>>>literate public significant questions which are presently suppressed by the
>>>cultural power of the scientific materialist establishment, aided as it is
>>>by theistic evolutionists such as yourself. We welcome participation by
>>>all qualified persons who want to make it possible to follow the scientific
>>>evidence where it leads, rather than being restricted by the dictates of
>>>methodological naturalism. For example, any Moslem or Mormon would also be
>>>welcome to make an intellectual contribution to the scientific and
>>>philosophical debate -- especially if he or she were as capable as Jonathan
>>>Wells.
>>>
>>>Third, this personal attack strikes me as an act of desperation. Why don't
>>>you start thinking about the issues raised by Jonathan's excellent
>>>scientific publications, instead of grasping for some further excuse for
>>>ignoring the evidence for intelligent design in biology? Those papers are
>>>available at the ARN web site, www.arn.org
>>>
>>>Finally, your threat to publish what is already widely known brings to mind
>>>what the Duke of Wellington said to a lady who threatened to publish his
>>>amorous correspondence. You can look it up. And please do publish this
>>>message with your own.
>>>
>>>Phillip Johnson
>>>____________________________________________________________________________
>>>
>
>What strikes me is that given the support that the Christian community,
>Christian publishers and the Christian laity has given Johnson and his
>followers, he now basically says that religion doesn't matter to his
>movement. Yet he freely accepts all the benefits that the Christian press
>and laity give him. ARN, the place where he refers people, used to be a
>place Christians could count on to support the Bible, but it seems that
>they too have been subverted to this new Bible-less crusade. As I said,
>this is consistent with what he has been saying all along. From a recent
>Touchstone,
>
>"To put things on a more rational basis, the first thing that has to be
>done is to get the Bible out of the discussion." Philip Johnson,"The
>Wedge," Touchstone, July/August, 1999, p. 22,
>
>This of course implies that discussion can't be rational with the Bible in
>there. In fairness to Johnson, he says he wants to do that because people
>react to the Bible. Of course people react to the Bible, it is God's word.
>Apparently, Johnson and the ID people don't seem to think it is all that
>important. If that isn't enough, then here is Johnson 2 years ago on the
>PBS debate saying the same thing,
>
>"In fact I have said on many occasions and have urged persons in the
>conservative Christian community to put aside the Bible issues and let us
>ask the question what is actually known from scientific evidence as
>opposed to materialistic philosophy." PBS Debate broadcast Dec 19, 1997
>
>Why does Phil and the ID crowd run from the Bible? Are they ashamed of it?
>Phil apparently is and doesn't want to disturb those of other religions who
>might want to join him in his crusade NOT TO EVANGELISE but to knock down
>Darwin. And in their rush to kick at Darwin, they throw the Bible out of
>the public debate. Isn't this what the atheists want--to get the Bible out
>of the public discussion?
>
>While Phil may think it is 'desparation' to take note of Well's religion,
>it was not very forthcoming of the ID movement to never mention this little
>fact either. The Touchstone (July/Aug 1999) doesn't say anything about
>Wells being a minister for the Unification Church! Wells is said to have
>done religious studies at Yale but it makes no mention of this:
>
>"At the end of the Washington Monument rally in September, 1976, I was
>admitted to the second entering class at Unification Theological Seminary"
>Jonathan Wells,
>http://www.tparents.org/library/unification/talks/wells/DARWIN.htm
>
> How would anyone know this supposedly 'well known' fact that Johnson
>speaks of? It never appeared in any bio that I am aware of. It always
>seemed to be omitted! Frankly, I don't think the ID movement has been
>forthcoming and open with the Christian community in this regard.
>
>glenn
>
>Foundation, Fall and Flood
>Adam, Apes and Anthropology
>http://www.flash.net/~mortongr/dmd.htm
>
>Lots of information on creation/evolution
>