God's invisible hand, at it again...

"Science is littered with once-mysterious facts first imputed to God and later found out to be explicable solely through natural processes."

(From Jerry Coyne's review of Michael J. Behe's new book, "The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism")

In the scientific community, to be both a biologist and a creationist is exceptionally rare. Still, there are some—one might call them "Tenacious B's"—who lend their scientific credibility to the failing fight for institutionalized recognition of Intelligent Design; Michael Behe is of this type. The reviewer—scientist, Jerry Coyne—does a great job summerizing/dismantling Behe's arguments, and helps to clarify some common misconceptions regarding evolution.

Read "The Great Mutator: A Review by Jerry Coyne"

Other quotes from the review...

"It is more accurate, then, to call mutations "indifferent" rather than "random": the chance of a mutation happening is indifferent to whether it would be helpful or harmful."

"The explanation of seeming design by solely materialistic processes was Darwin's greatest achievement, and a major source of discomfort for those holding the view that nature was designed by God."

Petty Friday: The Creation Museum and Hogwarts

May 28th marked the opening of the long-awaited (6,000 years to be exact) Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. The $27 million venture—an achievement of the Answers in Genesis ministry—boasts 60,000 square feet of walk-through history featuring realistic scenery, exotic animals, fossils, life-size models, "computer-generated visual effects," and animatronic dinosaurs (made to graze amongst prehistoric boys and girls, and presumably board Noah’s Ark before the flood) designed by the same Universal Studios exhibit director who did Jaws and King Kong. These attractions and more were all created in the spirit of "bringing the pages of the bible to life" and proving the literal truth of Genesis. Finally the world as it really is, and was!

Also soon to emerge is "The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter" [Potter fans froth], a J.K. Rowling-approved theme park promising to be "the world's first immersive Harry Potter themed environment."

'Potter-world' may cream the Creation Museum in first-year attendance (an upset that should have biting significance for fundamentalists) but at least the CM concerns itself with historical 'truth.'

***

(Potter fans, read: I may have used Hogwarts as a device here, the park isn't set to open til 2009. I'm sorry if I misled you. It's in Orlando, Florida, so you can start camping out now)

www.creationmuseum.org
Edward Rothstein, "Adam and Eve in the Land of the Dinosaurs" The New York Times May 24th, 2007