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The Battalion
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Page 7
Friday • April 4, 1997
akin' a monkey outta me
Wolution's flawed, one-sided argument has no place at Texas A&M
ver the summer, 1 randomly threw tennis
I balls at the keyboard of my computer. The
result was this coherent essay on evolution
l integrity.
Iso enclosed is a brochure on Arizona’s ocean
it property.
Evolution should not be taught as fact in public
(itutions, considering the shaky ground that
Ves as its foundation.
Anyone listening in on a Texas A&M geology, biol
ogy, or any other -ology class would have no choice
but to think the controversy of origins settled.
Most of Academia separates “special creation”
from science as well as evolution from religion.
Unfortunately, these false distinctions are prop
agated by almost all public school systems, indoc
trinating whole generations of students in the un
proven, and often unscientific, theory of evolution.
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There are two basic ways of looking
at the question of origins.
In one corner is evolution. According
to A&M professor of biology, David
Hale, the basic definition of evolution is
change over time. Evolution uses the
process of natural selection to exalt life
from the simple to the complex over
long periods of time.
In the other corner is intelligent de
sign. The March issue of
WORLD magazine said,
this movement
“combines classic
Columnist
Joshua Hill
Sophomore
ing more and more vague.
“We have even fewer examples of evo
lutionary transition than we had in Dar
win’s time,” he said.
The fossil record clearly shows the past
to be full of cats and dogs, with nothing
in-between. Sadly, textbooks still teach
many outdated and debunked “proofs.”
Perhaps the most embarrassing prob
lem for evolution is the Second Law of
Thermodynamics, which basically states
the universe is in a constant state of los-
critiques of evo
lutionary theory with a
fresh, innovative ap
proach.” Intelligent de
sign states that the “irre
ducible complexity” of
the universe logically
and scientifically points
to an intelligent creator.
Neither evolution nor
creation can be observed
today, therefore, the answers
lie in the record of the past.
The problem lies in how to
interpret that record.
Stephen Jay Gould, Harvard
professor of geology and paleon
tology, said he understands the sub
junctive nature of facts.
“Facts do not ‘speak for them
selves,”’ he said, “they are read in the
light of theory.”
However, the facts are not kind to
the authors of the ongoing fairy
tale called evolution. For instance,
the main problem for Darwinists
and the strength of intelligent
design is the fossil record.
According to Darwin’s model,
there should be several transi
tional forms between species
that show the gradual change,
like ape-men between apes and
men. Creationists believe that in
ter-species transformation is un
scientific and'all species have re
mained basically unchanged.
“The extreme rarity of transi
tional forms in the fossil record
persists as the trade secret of pale
ontology,” Gould said.
Dr. David M. Raup, Curator of
Geology at the Chicago Field Mu
seum of Natural History said the
evidence for evolution is becom-
Emlish maior ing ene ^
l This principle is opposite to the big
picture of evolution, which states that all
the incredible complexity of the natural world
came about from the affects of time and chance
enacted on a wad of primordial goo.
A comprehensive discussion of the holes in the
evolutionary theory would fill, and has filled,
many books.
L. Harrison Matthews, in his 1971 introduction
to Darwin’s The Origin of the Species, said Darwin
ism is no more true than any other theory, due to
lack of proof.
“Belief in the theory of evolution is thus exactly
parallel to belief in special creation,” he said.
“Both are concepts which believers know to be
true but neither, up to the present, has been capa
ble of proof.”
Secondly, the social repercussions of wide
spread indoctrination in evolution are ugly at best.
Karl Marx, founder of the communistic theory,
was originally going to dedicate his great work Das
Kapital to Darwin because evolution finally gave
his social theories a “scientific” base.
The theory of evolution has been used as a sci
entific justification for racism and genocide.
Darwin himself developed the theory as an at
tempt to explain the world without a God — a
direct contradiction to the first chapter of Ro
mans which said the creation is enough to prove
the existence of a creator.
The philosophical fruits of evolution are appar
ent today. People in the natural state have no in
herent self-worth, no purpose but survival, and no
way to justify the selfless love that is the ideal of a
Christian heritage.
Not everyone is taking such an insult lying
down. Joshua Cuozzo has formed an origins club
at Penn State University to inform his fellow stu
dents of the controversy behind the curtain of
pseudo-science.
Scientifically, intelligent design fits within the
boundary of fact better than evolution. Socially,
evolution denies God, purpose, and the worth of
the human being. To allow such a dangerous and
insubstantial doctrine to dominate science and ed
ucation is a fallacy unequaled in modern history.
Ehose who stand up for beliefs deserve praise, respect
r
exas A&M University is
a public institution
where many different
still know'll 1 ' |ii e f s an( j philosophies
to havehrive. There is no reason
ht, so we'® hy adherents of different
foilosophies cannot live in a
pimate of courtesy or at least
ve enough personal humil-
to have regard for others
Ithe same human boat.
jYet when people speak out
[for their beliefs, they are of-
ten accused of being narrow-
jinded. Many students do not recog-
lilze expressing a belief and forcing it
jon others are two different things.
J Everyone wants free thought and
Jfree speech until they disagree with
rat is being said. People then resort to
Nme-calling and bitterness. But bitter-
Ifltss does not aid anyone in the search
Br truth.
Columnist
Courtney Phillips
Junior
Psychology major
There are going to be dis
crepancies concerning the
meaning of truth, lout this does
not mean people who believe
they have found it should not
express it. In fact, they have an
obligation to share.
If someone believes in an
idea as the key to truth and
goodness, not sharing it with
others brings into question how
strongly the idea is believed.
If one is a Jew, Muslim,
atheist, or Taoist, one should
be such with every fiber of their being.
That is more respectable than being a
fence rider who stands for nothing. If
one doesn’t agree with what others are
saying, they should quit whining and
present what they believe to be true.
The truth will eventually speak for itself.
Avoiding stepping on people's toes
or being politically correct should not
be even a consideration. If someone
believes murder to be wrong, they
should proclaim it loudly and clearly
regardless of who it offends.That per
son will disagree with everyone who
says otherwise and not keep quiet be
cause of the gravity of what’s at stake.
Likewise, our personal beliefs — the
things we live by— should be defended
just as vehemently.
If students want to create a truth
seeking environment, they can’t label
people who proclaim their beliefs as
“bangers” or “thumpers.” If someone is
an existentialist or a Jew or a gnostic,
then ideally, everything they express
will filter through that view. One should
expect no less.
But no one ever calls anyone a Ko-
ran-banger or a gnostic gospel-
thumper. Such labels would be consid
ered offensive and inappropriate. But if
the belief is a less politically correct one,
people feel entitled to attach to it as
many derogatory labels as they see fit.
People in positions to disseminate or
present information want what they
believe to be expressed. If people don’t
agree with what is being said, they
should put themselves in positions
where they can express their own views.
Accusing people of being biased be
cause they express what they believe is
ridiculous. Anyone in the same place
would use the power of their position to
advance what they believe to be true.
One would have to compromise their
beliefs not to.
This does not mean people in posi
tions like these don’t have a responsi
bility to be well-informed.
However, most students in a univer
sity setting have had enough life experi
ence to know what mommy and daddy
told them may not be true “just be
cause.” By the time a student reaches
Mail
[ie hospitality
/asted on t-sip
I $ regards to to Pete Schloss’ letter con-
fninghis trip toAggieland.
Schloss pointed out three areas
iere he felt that Aggie hospitality
ifas lacking.
Schloss complained that he did not
|gei floor level seating at G. Rollie White
|en though floor level seating is avail-
]>le to us at the Irwin Center. First of
, the Irwin Center is about ten thou-
td times larger than G. Rollie. Sec-
adly, Aggies have to get to the game at
last 30-45 minutes early in order to get
lats on the floor. However, if you’re
| forced to breathe with oxygen masks,
puck it up.
Schloss blames our concessions
workers for favorable treatment to
wards Aggies. This could not possi
bly be true, but if it is please refer to
the advice given above.
And, as Schloss may or may not
know, Collies fall into the category of
working dogs. Collies have long been
used to herd animals such as sheep
and cattle. Therefore, Reveille’s ac
tions were merely a result of instinct
rather than malice. What else is she
supposed to do when she sees.a big
cow running apart from the herd? As
a matter of fact I think Reveille ought
to be checked for mad cow disease.
MarkEslick
Class of’97
Accompanied by 10 signatures
Yell leaders reflect
entire Aggie family
I am stressed about the controver
sy concerning yell leader runoffs. The
purpose of the referendum was to al
low candidates to run for yell leader,
not to separate this campus into
Corps vs. Non-Regs.yell leaders repre
sent all Aggies.
The controversy of Corps vs. Non-
Regs is irrelevant to the person who
is best for A&M. It does not matter
what organizations you are affiliated
with, simply that you are a part of the
Aggie family.
AmyVandaveer
Class of’96
college, a crisis of belief followed by
reaffirmation, rejection or revision usu
ally has occurred.
People are more complex than meets
the eye, and it is safe to assume most stu
dents have been exposed to more than
they are given credit for. Not every conserv
ative on this campus sucks ideology from a
daily dose of Rush Limbaugh. Likewise, not
every liberal is a Marxist who believes trees
are people too. Most people in these posi
tions have taken the time to leam about
what they believe.
This campus will suffer if it compromis
es truth in the interest of diversity. Besides,
diversity is inherent if everyone is commit
ted to what they believe. If all students
would seek and proclaim truth and treat
one another with courtesy, the intellectual
experience of attending A&M would be en
hanced and name-calling would cease.
Either way real truth will be revealed
in the end.
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