Letters

Intelligent Design

Michael Griffiths

Contents - May 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Benedict XVI: love and truth are inseparable Papacy: Benedict completes his first twelve months as Pope - Fr Ephraem Chifley News: The Church Around the World Satellite service: EWTN Australia Events: Carnivale Christi 2006 scheduled for Melbourne and Sydney in May - AD2000 Report Benedict's first twelve months: 'We Are Church' delivers its verdict - Michael Gilchrist Catholicism-lite's Church of convenience - Paul A. Wagner University: Students should challenge dissenting teachers - Dr Michael Casey Vocations: Can religious life be rebuilt in Australia? - Sr Mary Augustine OP Foreign priests - a tale of two Brisbane parishes - Bob Osmak Letters: Adoption - our experience - Bella and Leon Voesenek Letters: Bigotry - Maureen Federico Letters: Religious dissent - Kevin McManus Letters: Lay led liturgies in Rockhampton diocese - Jessie Roger Letters: Actions and attitudes - S. Chaston Letters: Liturgical abuses - Rosanna Sherman Letters: Inclusive language - John Daly Letters: Elites - Peter Gilet Letters: Conscience - Jerome Gonzalez Letters: Modernism - Don Gaffney Letters: Intelligent Design - Michael Griffiths Letters: Creationism? - Fr G.H. Duggan SM Letters: Phillip Adams - Frank Bellet Letters: Warning! Letters: Rosary beads request - Jim Smith Books: The Victory Of Reason, by Rodney Stark - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: On The Way To Jesus Christ, by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) - Jacinta Cummins (reviewer) Books: Young Faces of Holiness: Modern Saints in Photos and Words, by Ann Ball - Jacinta Cummins (reviewer) Books: Stimulating reading from AD Books Reflection: Oneness in Christ: the heart of the priesthood - Fr John W. O'Neill PP

May I make some observations concerning Peter Barnes' letter headed "Intelligent Design" in the March issue?

In Darwin's time it was proposed that if anyone should find a pocket-watch in a field he would readily conclude it was designed by an intelligent person and not the product of blind chance.

Modern science has discovered some of the inner workings of the simple cell, which is basic to all forms of life. It has been described as more complex and more perfect than anything ever made by man. Because of the interdependence of its parts it is impossible for the cell to live in an incomplete or imperfect form, so that the cell cannot have come into existence by any gradual evolutionary process. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that it is the product of intelligent design.

One of the most common objections to Intelligent Design is the slightly questionable assumption that the Intelligent Designer could not design anything which is beyond the understanding of Man, or which would not meet with his approval. For example if, for instance, I am unable to understand fully parts of Mr Barnes' letter it is possible that the shortcoming may lie with me and not with him, the intelligent designer of the letter.

Finally may I say that, since scientists generally are very shy of identifying the one and only candidate for the position of Intelligent Designer, I think it is Almighty God.

MICHAEL GRIFFITHS
Glenroy, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 4 (May 2006), p. 16