(Un)Intelligent Design

Having failed in their efforts to rid humanity of the theory of evolution in Dayton,Tennessee in 1927, the forces of retrogression in this country have a new ally. "Creation Science" or "Intelligent Design."

When you strip the "Intelligent Design" model down to its very essence, you are left with this:

1. Evolution is just a theory. By "theory" they do not mean "a working model based on best available evidence." "Theory" in this case means "someone's opinion" which is just as valid as any other opinion and therefore irrelevant.

2. Intelligent Design Theory ("theory" in this case meaning "working model based on the best available evidence that the presenter chooses to acknowledge") is as follows: Somebody at some point did something using methods beyond our comprehension and here we are. We can't *know* who it was what they did or how they did it, but we can "know" that something was done and it didn't happen by chance. How do we know that it didn't happen by chance? Because it couldn't have, so there.

So instead of science being an empirical inquiry into the natural universe, we reduce it to empirical non-inquiry into a unknowable universe. Thank God medical science did not take this approach to the study of the human body.

"Germs are just a theory, so washing your hands after seeing to each individual patient can technically be called a form of OCD (and since we have an unprovable but valid theory that all mental disorders are caused by evil spirits, let's bore a hole in your head)."

"Well sir, some entity at some point gave you this polio.We can't know what it is, how it operates or whether or not it's cureable, but here's some lovely prothestic devices and bus fare to Warm Springs, GA."

We have also destroyed the idea of scientific theory by introducing the idea that one theory is just as valid as another. Extrapolatiing on this line of logic, we will one day have "science" classes that study Raelian theories about alien cloners and Elvis sightings. After all, if evolution is "just a theory" and must allow equal time to creation "theory" what's to stop the "flatulent Easter Bunny theory" of Earth's origins?

We also reduce inquiry to the all-emcompassing answer of "the designer willed it."

Somewhere, Sir Isaac Newton is having a "Hank Hill" moment:

"What the hell??!"

Let me "bottom line" it for you:

Evolution teaches that life on earth is a natural thing and was brought about.....naturally. Accepting this does not mean that you reject God any more than accepting that gravity makes the apple fall does.

Because the process may have been natural, but the purpose may not have been. Since science can't really speak to that, feel free to find a religion that can.