Re: Genetic Similarity

Stephen Jones (sjones@iinet.net.au)
Thu, 28 Dec 95 17:48:23 EST

Dennis

On Mon, 18 Dec 1995 20:40:08 -0600 (CST) you wrote:

DD>It seems to me (as a layman when it comes to biology) that the
genetic
>interconnectedness of all living things, the common denominator of
>DNA, does not necessarily favor TE over PC. After all, the biotic
>food chain requires such a common denominator, otherwise one kind of
>creature would be incapable of ingesting another. It seems to me like
>the brilliant scheme of an intelligent designer; whether or not He
>"tinkered" or "intervened" after the initial creation. Can anyone
>help me out here?

Agreed. Gish points out:

"A creationist would also expect many biochemical similarities in all
living organisms. We all drink the same water, breathe the same air,
and eat the same food. Supposing, on the other hand, God had made
plants with a certain type of amino acids, sugars, purines,
pyrimidines, etc.; then made animals with a different type of amino
acids, sugars, purines, pyrimidines, etc.; and, finally, made man with
a third type of amino acids, sugars, etc. What could we eat? We
couldn't eat plants; we couldn't eat animals; all we could eat would
be each other! Obviously, that wouldn't work. All of the key
molecules in plants, animals, and man had to be the same. The
metabolism of plants, animals, and man, based on the same biochemical
principles, had to be similar, and therefore key metabolic pathways
would employ similar macromolecules, modified to fit the particular
internal environment of the organism or cell in which it must
function." (Gish D.T., "Creation Scientists Answer Their Critics",
1993,
Institute for Creation Research, El Cajon, CA, p277)

Mind you, one might ask, if there was no death before the Fall (as
most YEC's seem to believe) then why would God make animals so
that other animals could eat them? As so often happens with YEC,
Gish's own arguments undermine his own YEC position.

Happy New Year!

Stephen

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