RE: [asa] ID/Miracles/Design (Behe vs. Behe)

Dear Dick:

From what I have read of Cameron's posts here, and of his published
scholarship in past years, I cannot agree with your implied assessment that
he is a "creationist," except in the same limited, carefully nuanced sense
in which you and I would both qualify for that label.

Nevertheless, Cameron was pretty aggressively asking you about your
knowledge of his turf--namely, the history of ideas related to God,
humanity, and nature (I trust that Gregory is happier about this enumeration
than about my earlier one). His turf is also mine, and he's quite learned
in it. But to lump him with the people you list below is both unfair to
Cameron and inaccurate to the facts.

As far as ignorance (no sin--we're all ignorant of many things) is
concerned, my sense is that Cameron is often right, concerning the absence
of a careful reading of the best ID literature on the part of many ASA
members who have strong opinions about it; but he would be wrong to
generalize that too far. And, on the other hand, I've met a very large
number of IDs who know nothing at all about contemporary theology, the type
of theology that is relevant to the ID/TE discussions. They get their
theology, it seems, from the wrong places--from Miller and Collins and
others in that mode, rather than from Polkinghorne or Bob Russell or Ted
Peters, or even George Murphy though some IDs have paid attention to George
since he pays some attention to ID. As for your question to Cameron about
his own knowledge of Johnson, the grand-daddy of ID, now that you mention it
I don't recall him discussing Johnson specifically, and that (if in fact he
doesn't read Johnson) would be a crucial omission. No on IMO can fully
assess what ID is about without reading Johnson--the tone of the ID argument
is no less important than its content, and Johnson is (with Dembski) the
shrillest voice in terms of setting it.

Ted

>>> "Dick Fischer" <dickfischer@verizon.net> 4/26/2009 9:07 PM >>> wrote:

Dear Cameron:

 Typical creationist reaction. When your argument holds no water you
demonize your opponent. I raise counter arguments, you insult my
character.
I've see it all before. You're no different than your predecessors,
Morris,
Whitcomb, Gish, Humphreys, Gentry, Ham, etc.

 ****
Ted

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Received on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:18:55 -0400