Table Of Content

The" Evolution of Charles Darwin Creatiorr/E olution ~ Where' ~ the £3.00 Problem? Editorial Don't bank on Darwin The BankofEngland has chosen Charles Darwin, father of wonderthephilosophyofmanyyoungpeopleis'Eat,drink, thetheoryofevolution, tobethenewface onthe£10note. andbemerry,fortomorrowwedie'. Nowonderthesuicide Portraits onbank notes celebrate those who have made an rateintheWestissohigh.Inthefaceofthis,itisincreasingly outstandingcontributiontoBritishhistoryandcontroversial urgent that we proclaim the truth that we are not 'naked figures are not usually given this honour. Expert Barnaby apes'ormere'genemachines'.Rather,wearethehandiwork FaullofSpink&SonLtd.said,'Banknotesareanadvertisement ofthe Creator, made in the image ofGod and ofimmense foracountry. Bankstrytochoosesomeonewho'sapolitical value to Him. More than anything else we need to be and not likely to upset anyone'. However, the spiritual life reconciled to our Creator and that is possible through His ofourcountryisatsuchalowebbthatfewpeoplearelikely deathonthecrossatCalvary.Thisisthemessageoflifeand to objecttoDarwin. Onthe contrary, VanessaCroweofthe hope for which the BCS stands. Ifyou want to understand Bank of England was reported as saying, 'Lots of people thetruemeaningoflife, theuniverse, andeverything, bank wrote to us suggesting we include Darwin on a note'. on the Creator-but don't bank on Darwin! As we look at our nation we see its moral fabric falling apart and lawlessness increasing. The biblical concept of In this issue... family life and marriage is under attack, leading to terrible consequences for all in society, not least our children. This edition of Originsis something ofa transitional form! Homosexualityisflauntedandmenandwomenareconfused Inresponsetofeedbackfrom ourreaders, future issueswill about their roles. Abortion is widespread, with legalised includemorepopular-levelarticles.Wewillstillbepublishing euthanasia just around the corner. The Archbishop of originalpapersdealingwithtechnicalissues,butwearealso Canterburymade headlines recentlywhenhe describedthe U.K. as a nation ofatheists. We intheBCSbelievethatacceptanceofDarwin's theory is one of the prime causes of this spiritualn:elt-down.Darwinismhasledpeople to rejectthe Creator, withtragic results. To its shame, the church has not been steadfast in opposing the root causes of this situation. Instead of rejecting Darwinism as unbiblical, many Christians have re-interpreted the Scripturestoaccommodateit.Theytellusthat evolutionissimplyGod'smeansofcreatingall things, eventhoughthe 'survivalofthefittest' seems contrary to His revealed nature. They tell us that the Bible is about 'how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go', even though such aware that many ofour supporters find these articles hard platitudes do not begin to show how evolution can be work. Jeff Lowe makes this very point in the opening reconciledwiththeGenesisaccount. Suchcompromisehas paragraphsofhisReader'sViewpointarticle. Ouraimisthat hada long history. Darwin, whose writings did so much to future output will be more balanced, so that more of our undermine Christianity in this land, was honoured by the readers can benefitfrom ourmagazine. With this issue, we church by being buried in the foundations ofWestminster are taking our first tentative steps toward that goal. Abbey. Todaywe commemorate him by placing his image Our expanded contents page sets out our stall for this on the money in our pockets-fitting for the materialistic issue. We break new ground with our interview with Dr. nation which we have become. Stuart Burgess, authorofHallmarksofDesign. We hope to The work ofthe BCS has never been more vital. Many makeinterviewsofthissortaregularfeature, andwelcome thousandsofpeopleinournationhaveturnedthei~backon suggestions for future subjects. Ifyou have any comments the Creator, because they believe they are just a cosmic onthis, oron any ofourotherarticles, why not put pen to accident. They are taught that they are nothing more than paperandwritetous?Welookforwardtolivelyletterspages 'nakedapes',andthatlifehasnoultimatemeaning.Theyare in coming issues. Finally, I must mention the drawing of told thatthey are biological machineswhose onlypurpose Adam and Eve working in Eden on our back cover. This isto passontheirgenestothenextgeneration. Nowonder delightful picture was sent to us by 8-year-old Jemma somanyare indespairtoday. Arecentsurveyof400British Roberts of St Albans, Herts., after we published Mike men and women shows that a quarter of them fear a Matthews' articleoncreationandworkin Origins25. Many 'hopeless future', one in three feels 'downright miserable', thanks toJemma! and one in 10 thinks they would be better off dead. No PaulGarner ORIGIN Origins is publishedthree times a yearbythe BiblicalCreationSociety • •JournaloftheBiblicalCreationSotiety• PRESIDENT ProfessorEdgarAndrews No. 30 December 2000 UniversityofLondon VICE-PRESIDENTS Editorial RanaldMacaulay L'AbriFellowship Don't bank on Darwin! Paul Garner muses on the recent issue ofthe new £10 note and what it says about the spiritual state ofthe nation. TheRevd. StuartOlyott Bryntirion, Bridgend TheRevd. GeoffreyThomas Hallmarks ofDesign Aberystwyth Interview with Dr. Stuart Burgess, university lecturer and author ofa new 2 ProfessorTerryHamblin book on design in the natural world. Dr. Burgess explains how the UniversityofSouthampton universe reveals the Creator's invisible attributes ofpower, Wisdom, and Dr. DavidC.Watts fatherly love. UniversityofManchester Book Review 4 SECRETARY Paul Garner finds RefutingEvolution byJonathan Sarfati a useful primer DavidJ. Tyler, BSc, MSc, PhD on the latest evolutionary arguments and counter-arguments. ADMINISTRATIVEOFFICER Mrs. E. Reeves Conference Report 5 EDITORIALCOMMITTEE In August over 100 delegates gathered at the 7th European Creationist TechnicalJournal Congress in Portsmouth. Dr. Marc Surtees was there and reports on the DavidJ. Tyler, BSc, MSc, PhD event for us. Nancy M. Darrall, BSc, MSc, PhD Peter Senior, BSc BCS receives Warm Commendation from Henry Morris PopularJournal 9 Correspondence from Dr. Henry Morris, prolific author on creation Paul Garner, BSc evolution and Christian apologetics, and President Emeritus ofthe Eoghan Mhor, BSc Institute for Creation Research, US.A. Neil Brownrigg, BSc ReviewEditor Snake Evolution and the Garden ofEden Paul Garner, BSc AdvertisingEditor In this intriguing article, Steven Robinson probes the boundaries and Peter Senior, BSc limits ofvariation within the created Genesis kinds. He suggests that all 10 CoordinatingEditor liVing and fossil snakes constitute a single basic type. Within the kind J. H.John Peet, BSc, MSc, PhD there has been much variation, but there is no fossil evidence connecting the snake kind with any other basic type. More information about the Observations on the Creation/Evolution Debate Society may be obtained from The writings ofnon-Christian scholars suggest that neo-Darwinism is a the Secretary hypothesis lacking a substantive scientific basis and even that the length 14 ofrecorded human history provided by the Bible is ofthe right order. Editorial matter should be Why then do we have a problem getting the 'creationist' position addressed to the Editor accepted by the Church, let alone the media and the average man and woman 'if! the street'? In our Reader's Viewpoint, JeffLowe offers an Subscription enquiries should be intriguing analysis. addressed to the Administrative Officer The Ambitions, Beliefs and Concepts ofCharles Darwin Charles Darwin set in motion a revolution that has had pernicious effects 21 Telephone enquiries: throughout society and in every field ofhuman thought. In the first 01788 810633 instalment ofa two part article, Dr. Leonard Loose provides some fascinating insights into the formative influences on the young naturalist. e-mail: [email protected] COVERPICTURE Clay tablet recording the Babylonian creation myth (seepage 14) BiblicalCreationSociety POBox 22 Rugby, Warwicks, CV22 7SY Hal1111arks of Design: An Interview with Dr. Stuart Burgess D R. STUARTBURGESS is alecturerinEngineeringDesignatBristol University. He has alsolecturedinEngineeringDesignatCambridge University where he was a Bye-Fellow of Selwyn College. He has publishedover50papersonthescienceofengineeringdesign. Heisamember ofBuckingham Chapel in Bristol and has a Diploma in Theology from the London Reformed BaptistSeminary. He is married toJocelyn and theyhave five children. Q: Dr. Burgess,whatdoesyourresearchinEngineering Q: Youhaveextensiveexperienceinengineeringdesign. Designinvolve? Howhasthatinfluencedyourapproach to evolution? My research is in the area of design optimisation of I can see many mechanical mechanisms in nature that mechanical parts like beams and roller chains. I try to engineers use in engineering. Engineers design these identifythe geometry and materials that will produce the mechanismsfrom the top-down, i.e.theystartwithafully best performance in a mechanical component. I am also functioning concept and then refine the details. In fact, studying optimum design solutions in nature to see how engineeringstudentsaretaughtthatdesignisalwaysatop theycanbeappliedinengineering. downprocess.Incontrast,thetheory ofevolutionisabottom-upprocess Q: Ibelievethatsomeofyourwork that starts with details and hasappearedinNewScientistand supposedly ends up with a fully onBBCRadio 4's ScienceNow functioning concept. I am keen to programme? tell evolutionists that mechanisms In1998Ipublishedsomepaperson cannotbedesignedfromthebottom the optimum design of chains and up! sprockets.Thisworkcausedquitea stir in the sporting world because Q: YourecentlywroteHallmarksof the improved designs meant that Design:EvidenceofDesignin the there was now a greater possibility NaturalWorld(DayOne that some of the cycling world Publications,2000). Canyou records could be broken. I was explainto us thebasiccaseyou interviewedaboutthework in New areputtingforward inthebook? Scientist and the Science Now The theory of evolution is very programme. After this work my limitedbystep-by-stepchangeand colleagues joked that they did not bottom-up design. In contrast, an know whether to call me a rocket intelligent designer has no such scientist or a sprocket scientist! limitationsandcanproduceextreme levels of order and beauty. In my Q: Andyou'vealsowonanawardforengineeringdesign? book I present six hallmarks of deSign that cannot be In 1992Iinventedanewtype ofgearboxcalleda 'double producedbyevolution:irreduciblemechanisms;complete action worm gear set' for the deployment of solar array optimumdesign;addedbeauty;extremesimilarity;extreme panelsonsatellitesinspace.Themechanismwasawarded diversity; and man-centered features. I give examples of the Turners Gold Medal which is awarded about once complexityandbeautyinmanyareasincludingthehuman every four years in the u.K. for advances in engineering body, bird flight, birdsong, bird colouring, trees, flowers design. and the earth ecosystem. The book is meant to both challengetheevolutionistandencouragethe believer. All Q: Beforeyoujoinedacademia,youspentseveralyears in through the book I discuss how creation reveals God's industrydesigningspacecraftsystemsfortheEuropean attributesandhowthis isanencouragementto Christians. SpaceAgency. Canyoutellus moreaboutthat? The design of rockets and spacecraft is the ultimate Q: Manyevolutionarybiologistsconsiderthattheyhavea challengefor anengineeringdesigner. Spacecraftcontain perfectlyadequatemechanismfor thegenerationof some of the most sophisticated and reliable machines apparentlydesignedstructures (neo-Darwinism). How made by man and they have to work in very hostile does anengineerhandle thissituation? environments. One of the things I learnt in the space Evolutionistsclaimthattheyhaveanadequatemechanism industry is that complex machines do not get created by butwhen you read biology books there are no examples chance. Rather, they require creative ideas, attention to of how basic mechanisms can evolve. Evolutionists like detail and extremely careful planning. Richard Dawkins have to resort to analogies like the 2 evolution of letters when they ~ant to explain how a Q: I understandthatthePrinceofWalesquotedyourbook mechanism has supposedly evolved. I would like inhis Reithlectureearlierthisyear:lsthatcorrect? Do evolutioniststoexplainindetailhowamechanismlikethe youknowhowthatcameabout? knee joint could have evolved. The knee joint is what Afriend ofours had the idea ofsending Prince Charles a engineers call a four-bar mechanism and it requires four copyofthebook.Tooursurprise,PrinceCharleswroteto partstobesimultaneouslypresentandcorrectlyassembled. us asking for our permissionto quote from it in his Reith There is no evidence of intermediate knee joints in the lecture. He actually quoted from the following passage fossil record. In fact, evolutionists cannot even construct from the foreword: 'Sir Julian Huxley in Creation: a hypothetical intermediate mechanisms for the knee joint. modern synthesiswrote, "Modern science must rule out specialcreationordivineguidance". Butwhy?Thetheory Q: InresponsetoyourarticleonthekneejointinEvangel ofevolutionisaman-madetheorytoexplaintheoriginand icalsNowacorrespondentclaimedthatcreationistswere continuation oflife on this planet without reference to a wrongtofocus onspecificevidencesofdesignlikethe Creator'. This quote caused quite a stir in the academic knee. Howdoyouanswerthat? world and it was reported in the Times newspaper. Scriptureencouragesustobeselectiveinourexamples.In Chapters38-41ofthebookofJob,Godselectsparticularly Q: InAugustyouattendedthe7thEuropeanCreationist striking examples of design from creation such as the Congress, heldatPortsmouthUniversityandgavea hawk'swings, thehorse'sneckandtheflightoftheeagle. much-appreciatedlectureondesign.Wasthisthefirst By selecting particular examples of intricate design in creationistconferencethatyou'vebeento?Whatwere nature, like the knee joint, creationists are following yourimpressionsoftheevent? biblicalteaching. Focusingattentiononbasicmechanisms Yes,itwasmyfirstcreationistconference.Itwasfascinating in nature is the most effective way of showing how to hear talks on such a wide range ofsubjects and it was evolution is a shallow and false theory. The evolutionist good to meet like-minded Christians. The secular triestofocusontrivialexamplesofchangelikethechange conferences that I will attend in future on the design of in colour of a moth. Evolutionists focus on relatively structuresandmachineelementswillnowseemboringin peripheral components like the knee-cap, cartilage and comparison! synovialfluid whichare notall absolutelyessentialtothe basic functioning of the knee. Whilst I believe that the Q: Inyourlecture,yougavesomelovelyillustrationsof whole knee has been wonderfully designed, the fact complexityanddesignthatdefyDarwinianexplanations. remainsthatitisthebasicfour-barmechanismoftheknee Theonethatparticularlystuckinmymindwasthe'eye' which most clearly demonstrates that evolution cannot onthepeacocktail. Canyoutellus aboutthat? work. The tail feathers of the peacock exist for decorative purposes.Evolutionistsclaimtheyhaveevolvedbysexual Q: Howhaveyouracademiccolleaguesreceivedyourbook? selection but this theory contradicts the principle of the Ihave beensurprisedbythe amountofsympathyfor the survival of the fittest because the tail feathers make the arguments but there has been some hostility. I have no peacock conspicuous and hinders its manceuvrability. doubtthatthe reactionwould have beenmore hostile ifI Anotherproblemwithsexualselectionisthatthe eyes on was in a biology department. the tail feathers are produced by extremely complex mechanismsandthesemustbespecifiedbyhugeamounts Q: Howdoesyourapproachto designinnaturecompare ofprecise informationinthe DNA. Afeather consists ofa withtheproponentsof'intelligentdesigntheory' suchas mainstemwithan arrayofbarbs oneachside. Eachbarb MichaelBeheandWilliamDembski? contains many tiny barbules that link the barbs together. In the case of Behe and Dembski, they only present On most birds, the barbules are simple hooks. However, evidence for an intelligent designer. However, this does onthe tail feathers ofthe peacock, the barbules are large notnecessarilyleadapersontotheGodoftheBiblesince plate-likestructuresthatoverlaptoproduceasmoothsilky there are lots ofreligions that believe in a Creator. Inmy surface. Also, the barbules produce colour by the book I try to base my design argument on biblical interference oflight. The actual barbules on the peacock foundations. In particular, my book expounds Romans havevirtuallyno pigmenttype colour. However, because 1:20. This means that, as well as presenting evidence for the barbules have sub-micron layers of keratin, they design, I also discuss how nature reveals God's invisible produce iridescent colour in the same way as a soap attributes ofpower, wisdomand bubble or oil slick. However, unlike a soap bubble, the HallmarksofDesign fatherlylove.Inaddition,Idevote colours on the peacock are precisely co-ordinated! the last chapter ofthe book to a presentation of the message of Q: Whataboutyourtestimony? Howdidyoubecomea thecross.Ibelievethataftertelling Christian? peoplethattheyhave no excuse Inthefirstyearofmyuniversitycourse, a Christianfriend torejectGod,thenweneedtotell challengedmeaboutmybeliefinevolution.Thisinstantly themhowtheycanbereconciled made mewantto hearmore aboutthe Christianmessage to God. In addition, my book inthelocalevangelicalchurch!WithinafewmonthsIwas gives a lot ofattention to beauty convertedandamazedatthewaythe Bibleansweredthe brimantlyexpounds:' in nature which is an area not ultimate questions oflife. ••••••••'11·. covered much before. 3 Q: Whyiscreationanimportantmessageintoday'sculture? Q: Howdoyouseetheroleofthecreationistmovement Withourlimitedresourcesshouldn'twejustconcentrate developingintheU.K.?Whereshouldwe be onthegospel? concentratingourefforts? I agree with anyone who sayswe should concentrate on Ithinkthattherewill always be anurgentneedto getthe theGospel. ButtheGospelhasnofoundationifwedonot creation message into our churches. Our land needs tell people that there is a Creator to whom we are all preachers who fear God and not man and who are not accountable. The Apostle Paul was himselfa creationist! afraid to preach faithfully from Genesis 1and Romans 1. The book of Acts records how Paul talked about the It also needs teachers in theological seminaries who Creatorandthecreationduringhisevangelisticpreaching. understand that Genesis was written by a God ofinfinite Therearemanypeopleinourdaywhoareonapathtohell wisdom and therefore can be trusted, whereas evolution thinkingthatthetheoryofevolutiongivesthemanexcuse istheproductofatheisticphilosophyandthereforecannot not to believe in God. Therefore, creationists are doing a betrusted.Butwemustneverforgetthatprayerisourmost vitaljobwhentheydefendthebookofGenesisandshow powerful weapon. how creation reveals a Creator. RevieW" Refuting Evolution, byJonathan Sarfati. Master Books, The NAS document is, in fact, a self-contradictory effort Arizona. 1999. 144 pp. ISBN 0-89051-258-2. claimingthatcreationistideasarescientificallyuntestable, while simultaneously subjecting them to test! Dr. Sarfati Reviewed by Paul Garner scrutinisesthe NAS documentandexposes its naturalistic bias and its selective and misleading presentation ofthe In mid-1999 the ten-member Kansas Board ofEducation scientificevidence. His analysiswillbe particularlyuseful voted to omit particles-to-people evolution from school to creationiststudents, parents, andteachersinthe U.S.A. assessmenttests. Theteachingofevolutionarytheoryhad who are concerned to counter the NAS's evolutionary notbeenbanned in the state, neitherhadthe teaching of propaganda. creationist theory been mandated. Nevertheless, the fall However, it is likely to be of wider value. Teaching out from the decision was extraordinary. Apocalyptic AboutEvolutionisanup-to-datepresentationofwhatthe statements from various members of the evolutionary prestigious National Academy ofSciences believes is the establishment predicted the collapse of the overwhelming evidence in favour of Kansas economy, while others felt that it evolutionary theory. Refuting Evolution is, heralded the end offree thought in the state. therefore, a handy critique of the latest pro Some commentators called it a 'medieval' evolutionaryarguments.Itdealswithexamples decision that set Kansas back 100 years and of'evolutioninaction',suchasthedevelopment made it a laughing stock in an age of ofantibioticresistanceinbacteria,theGalapagos enlightenment. Whatever one makes of the finches, and dog breeding, and shows that BoardofEducationdecision,itisobviousfrom such changes are qualitatively different from thesubsequentfurorethatthecreation-evolution thoserequiredforparticles-to-peopleevolution. controversyisalivepoliticalissueintheU.S.A. Sarfati reviews the fossil finds that are said to inawaythatitisnotintheU.K..Itwasintothis prove that dinosaurs evolved into birds and melee that Dr. Jonathan Sarfati's book was hoofed land mammals into whales. The basis propelled.Tocapitaliseonthemediacoverage for these transitions is far less solid than the of the Kansas decision, Answers in Genesis NASpresentationsuggests.Therearealsobrief placedaquarterpageadvertisementforRefuting chapters examining aspects ofhumanorigins, Evolutionin the newspaper U.S.A. Today. The resultwas the big bang, the age of the earth, and the scientific that tens ofthousands ofcopies were distributed. legitimacy of the design explanation for living things. Strictlyspeaking, RefutingEvolutionis a response to a Sarfati concludes that the only reason for excluding the publicationoftheAmericanNationalAcademyofSciences conceptofintelligentdesignfromscientificdiscussionsof, (NAS)entitled TeachingAboutEvolutionandtheNatureof or teaching about, origins is an apriori commitment to Science. During 1998 the Academy had distributed this philosophical materialism. As a popular-level primer on documenttostateschoolsandotherinstitutionstopersuade thelatestevolutionaryargumentsandcounter-arguments, teachers to present evolution as a fact ofscience and to RefutingEvolution is a useful contribution. providethemwithammunitionagainstcreationiststudents. 4 The Seventh European Creationist Congress A T PORTSM0 UTHtherewerelectures,discussion,constructivedebate andsometimesweagreedtodiffer!Mostofalltherewasopportunityfor fellowshipandencouragementintheLord'sworkinthismostvitalarea ofcreation. DR. MARC SURTEES has provided us with a summaryofwhat the speakerssaidintheirlecturessothatthosenotabletobepresentcanreadabout themainissuesraised.Sometopicswerenew,somefamiliarbutworthhearing again, some controversial and theychallenged us to thinkissues through. The Seventh European Creationist Congress (7th ECC), onlyresponsetofailureoftheMichelson-Morleyexperiment sponsoredbytheCreationScienceMovement,washeldat todetectthe'ether'.StartingfromCoulomb'spostulatesfor Portsmouth University from the 21st to the 25th August movement of radiation across an atomic particle, he 2000. It drew over 100 delegates from France, Germany, arguedthatabetterexplanationisthattheuniverseisfilled Holland, Norway, Sweden, U.S.A., Zimbabwe, Romania by two fluids that interact. In this model, fundamental andtheU.K.Fifteenspeakersfromfivecountriespresented particles are holes in one fluid filled by the other. papers on various aspects of creationism. Presentations Consequently he is able to provide explanations from were made in a well-equipped lecture theatre using classical physics for the findings ofmodern physics. One modern audio-visual projection facilities. important consequence is that intensity of light decays Dr. DavidRosevear (U.K.) commenced proceedings fasterthancurrentlybelieved;thereforedistancestofaroff with an overview of the problems with a mechanistic galaxies may be overestimated. explanationfor the originoflife ina paperentitled Could ApaperontheDoctrinalimplicationsofbiblicalcreation lifehavearisenspontaneously?We were reminded ofthe waspresentedbyDr.JohnPeet(U.K.). Hedemonstrated inadequacies ofMiller's foundational experiments with a thatwherewe standwithregardto the Bible's accountof supposedearlyearthatmospherethatonlyproducedatar creation affects our doctrine ofGod, the Scriptures, man, like racemic mixture of a few amino acids and other the fall and salvation. Ifevolution is true then God is not organic molecules. The problem of chirality, i.e. that the God ofthe Bible. The God ofthe Bible is sovereign; proteins are made up of left-handed isomers of amino therefore the origin oflife was not due to chance. He is acidsandDNAright-handedisomersofsugarsandbases, omnipotentandnotlimitedbyscientificprocesses. Godis cannot be explained away. The talk concluded with a trustworthy and we can trust his record ofthe events of description of the design features of the enzyme ATP creation. Godisgood; therefore Hewouldnothaveused synthase. processes involving natural catastrophe and death to TuesdaystartedwithasurveyofTheintricaciesofflight create a good creation. God's word is the supreme in someflying creatures, by ProfessorAndyMclntosh authority and therefore Genesis is historical and the (U.K.). In his introduction we were reminded of the meaning ofGenesis 1is given by a plain reading. Man is centrality of Scripture in all our thinking as creationists. made in the likeness ofGod; we are not the image ofan Design in creation confronts us with the wisdom ofGod ape. Therefore, our nearest relative is God. The universe who created everything out of nothing, by His spoken was designedandmade to be mankind's home, ofwhich word(Psalm148:5).Therefore,thecreatedorderwouldbe wearestewards.Ourcodeofethics,whetherweareselfish expectedtoshowGod'spowerandweshouldfinddesign, or self-sacrificing, our idea of responsibilities and rights purpose,detailandprecision. Histalkwasillustratedwith and our attitude to people flows from ourunderstanding examples ofthree types offlying creatures: birds, insects ofGenesis,asdoesourattitudetowork,restandmarriage. andbats.Thefactthatbirdshavebeendesignedtoflywas Morality has a basis in either creation or evolution demonstratedbylookingattheirair-filledbones, theone polygamymakes evolutionarysense as does murder and wayrespiratorysystem(uniquetobirds)andthedesignof ethnic cleansing. If we do not punish animals for these feathers(interlockingbarbsthatarecontinuouslymaintained things,whypunishpeopleforthem?Inthedoctrineofthe bypreeningandapplicationofoiltoensurethatthesliding Fall we understand why work becomes labour and jointsfunctioncorrectly).Wingletsfoundonsomespecies, relationshipsareshattered.BeforetheFallGodtalkedwith suchastheowl, showadvanceddesignfeaturesthathave man; now men and women accuse each other, health only recently been recognised by human engineers. becomes sickness, life becomes death. Sin is revolution, Butterflies and other insects have been equipped with henceGod'sjudgementandthebeginningofenmity,pain, different design features as shown bythe 'clap and fling' conflict,toilanddeath.Ourassuranceofsalvationdepends mechanismthat increases lift. Dragonfliesgenerate liftby onGod'sword. Ifevolutionistrue, atonement,re-creation using their wings as rotors and have a finely tuned andthenewbirthmakenosense.Thelastthingsarelinked mechanismfortimingrotationofthewingsformodifying tothe Flood; ifthe Floodisa myththensois ourultimate the amount oflift. salvation. Eitherwe agree with Romans 11:36 (from him Mr. Francis Pym (U.K.) presented his paper on The andthroughhim)orweagreewithNebuchadnezzarwho twofluid theory: physical implications ofa background claimedtohavenoneedofaCreatorbecausehediditall. mediuminspace.Hearguedthatrelativitytheoryisnotthe Weshouldhavethesameattitudethat]obdidwhenhe is 5 given a creation lecture to show God's greatness and he in the formation ofbiozones in the strata is not clear. humbles himself. Wednesday's proceedings began with the paper on WewereencouragedinPresentingourmessage,byMr. Early 19th centuryBritish scripturalgeologists presented Roydon Bolton (UK.) to make use of the various byDr.TerryMortenson(Hungary).Thiswasareviewof computerised tools at our disposal, as was amply the geological controversy between uniformitarian and demonstrated by their use during the congress. catastrophistgeologyandthe 'scripturalgeologists' ofthe The first non-UK. speaker was Dr. loan Strainescu early 19thcentury. Wewere remindedofkey elementsof (Romania) who described his Axioms of the scientific the historical context: the teachings of Galileo, who model ofCreation. Science has to conform to criteria of claimedthattheBibletellsushowtogotoheavennothow testability or logical probability. It deals with cause and the heavens go, and Francis Baconwith his two separate effectand information. Itis objective and independentof booksofobservationalscienceandscripturaltruth. These the observer. Inderivingaxiomsforscientificcreationthe principles were used to falsify the work ofthe scriptural starting point is the revelation that God is the first cause geologists. We were also reminded ofthe effect ofother and was not created, but is infinite, eternal, omnipotent key-ideas that contributed to the overthrow of biblical andomniscient.Dependentaxiomsarethatthebasiclaws truth, for exampletheEarthcondensingfromagascloud, ofnatureareimplantedincreation,mass/energyisconstant, Lamarckianevolution,anoldEarth,old-earthcatastrophism, entropyincreasesandcatastropheisalocalrapidincrease geologicaluniformitarianism,stratigraphyandindexfossils. inentropy.Rapidcreationofoptimalconditionsisrequired Furthermore, there were leaders within the church who and information in genetic codes is decreasing. He also were abandoning a literal interpretation ofscripture and presentedsomederivedpropositionsregardingtheEarth, accommodating these new ideas (e.g. Sedgwick and oneofwhichisashort-livedmagneticfield.Hismethodology Buckland). Thus, when Lyell published, the church had is based in meta-theory that gives rise to the proposed alreadyabandonedaliteralviewofGenesis.Inthiscontext axioms. thescripturalgeologistsexpressedtheiroppositiontothe Mr. Peter Wilders presented a paper by Dr. Guy loss of a literal interpretation of Genesis. They were Berthault(France). Geologicaldatingprinciplesquestioned misrepresented by the establishment buttheirarguments wasanassessmentofthegeologicalprinciplesunderpinning were not refuted. GeorgeYoung(1777-1848) was one of the geological column that had been presented to the French Academy of Sciences. Berthault's assessmentisbasedonhisresearch on lamination and sedimentation. His experiments in lamination started in 1974and confirmed the problems with the principles of stratigraphy and Steno's three postulates that are the basis of stratigraphy.Classicalgeologydoes not commonly take into account theeffectofcurrentflowthatwould have occurred during marine transgressions and regressions. Changes inflow rates resultin the formationofmultiplefades(aseries ofstrata that are ofsimilarnature) that form togetherdownstream of the current flow. Such strata are notsuccessivelayerswhenformed in a current. Berthault suggests thatmountainupliftcouldresultin perturbation ofthe rotation ofthe Earthandresultintransgressionof the sea onto the land. Various groupsoffadeswouldresultfrom such transgression/regression events. These principles may be applicabletomicrofossils.However their applicability to larger fossils isuncertainandtheroleofcurrents The newBCSdisplaystand 6 atthe 7thECC 30 onwell-developedlimbs, a lateral line, fish-like middle earand a tail fin is thought to be among the earliesttetrapods. Todaythereare eight known Devonian genera of tetrapods and they are globally distributed. They are unusual animals with 8, 7 or 6 digits. Different putative ancestors have beenproposedbutcurrentlythere isnofossil thatisconsideredtobe the directancestorofany ofthese tetrapods. There is an unresolved conflict between the radiometric/ palxomagnetic and the biostrati graphic ages; for example, rocks lying under fossils found in Greenland have been dated radiometrically as Carboniferous. There are also dating problems associatedwithtrackwaysofthese Dr.MarcSurtees(left)andDr. TerryMortensen onthe 7thECCtriptoDownHouse, Devonian tetrapods. There have thehomeofCharlesDarwin been different theories advanced for the environmental conditions the four mentioned and is considered to be the most thataresupposedto have causeda transitionfrom fish to geologicallycompetentofthescripturalgeologists.Hewas tetrapod.ThecurrenttheoryisthattheDevoniantetrapods astudentofPlayfair, hadtrainedasascientistandworked were aquatic and the limbs were a useful exaptation (not for40yearsas apastorinWhitby. He published21 books adaptation).'Todate, thefossil evidence,whichislargely includingScripturalGeologyandcontendedthatthefossils fragmentary, appearstoshowagroupofanimalsthathave were theresult ofthe Flood. Three othersdiscussedwere amosaicofcharacteristics e.g. tetrapods with certainfish- George Fairholme,John MurrayandWilliamRhind. They likefeatures.Thisevidencepresentsanumberofproblems all maintained the accuracy of scripture particularly from the pointofviewofa classical Darwiniantransition. regarding the Flood, the fourth commandment and the Forexamplethereisnofossilevidenceforatransitionfrom biblicalunderstandingofdeathasaresultoftheFall.They pairedfins tolimbswithdigits, wristandanklejoints.The exposed the logical errors of interpretation in lobe-finned fish have larger fore limbs and the land uniformitarianism. Other points raised by them included tetrapods have larger hind limbs. A creationist response gradedtransitionsinsedimentarydeposits(e.g. sandstone was proposedonthe basis ofthe availableevidence. The blendingintolimestonewithoutbioturbation,indicativeof Devonian tetrapods are 'chimeromorphs', with rapid successive deposition), polystrate fossils, the characteristics ofmore than one group. They are extinct unreliabilityofshell-formingcreaturesasindexfossilsdue amphibious animals with a body plan designed for a to taxonomic problems of distinguishing species when particular habitat associated with Devonian and some shellmorphologydepends onthe chemicalenvironment, Carboniferousdeposits.Thesefossilsprovidelittlesupport and geologically misplaced human fossils. They insisted foraclearevolutionarytransitionfromfishtotetrapod.The on the unreliability of the infant science of geology questionthat remains unansweredis, whydo theybriefly compounded by the fact that most worked from local appear then disappearat that stage ofgeological history? geology (e.g. Cuvier worked only in the Paris basin-and Lunchwasfollowedby Themessageofthetreerings, by Huttonpublishedbeforedoinganyfieldwork).Therefore, Mr. H. Hoogerduyn (The Netherlands) who presented the scriptural geologists argued against the catastrophists evidence in support of his theory that the ice age took and uniformitarians. They were ignored because they place in the days ofAbraham, Isaac andJacob. The main challenged the reigning paradigm, not because of their features ofthis impactwintermodelareanice age lasting observations.Deism,atheismandliberaltheologydefeated 500years, four majorclimatic cycles andfluctuations due them. Two lessons for today were offered by way of to oscillations of the axis of rotation of the Earth. The conclusion. The claim, by scholars such as Knoll and ultimate cause ofthe ice age was cosmic bombardment. Numbers, that young-earth creationism is a 20th century Three lines ofevidencewere presentedto supportan ice phenomenonisfalsified. Theirwritings showtheerrorof ageduringthedaysofAbraham,IsaacandJacob.Thefirst the old-earthintelligentdesign movementin ignoring the line ofevidence was biblical. Genesis 41:54-57 describes flood and keeping the Bible out. afamineinallthelands;thiswaslinkedtotheiceage,said AcriticallookattheLatePaleozoicfish-tetrapodtransition wasprovidedbyMr.PaulGarner(U.K.)inapapercalled 'Anexaptationisacharacteristicthatissaidtohaveevolvedfor Conquestofthe land?The transition from fins to limbs is oneuse,onlytobeco-optedforanother,differentuse.Inthis said to have occurred during the upper Devonian. case,thelimbsarethoughttohaveevolvedforlocomotionin Ichthyostega, withlarge pelvicandpectoralgirdles, digits thewaterandonlylaterpressedintouseforwalkingonland. 7 tohavebeencausedbytheimpactofanasteroid.Evidence was first found; they should have been seen during the that asteroid impacts occurred during the Old Testament initialcarefulexaminationthatwould normallybecarried period was provided by Isaiah 24:17-20 which was out on a find ofthis importance. interpretedas a descriptionofan impactevent. Thebook He then went on to highlight some items that he feels of Job describes ice age conditions and Job 38:31-33 need to be addressed by creationists. Firstwas the 'water appearstodescribetheeffectsofthestars.TheBiblestates vapourcanopy',itsroleintheFloodandtheeffectthatthe that Abraham, Isaac andJacob all lived through different loss of this canopy would have had on the life span of famines and the suggestion is that these famines were humans. Itwas proposedthattheeffectofthis canopyon associatedwithperiods ofincreased coldduring the 500 infra-redradiationemittedfrom thesurfaceoftheearthis year-longiceage.Second,thereisarch:eologicalevidence significant. Secondly, the Flood myths that have many forcatastrophicimpactcausingthecollapseofBronzeage consistent features provide powerful evidence of the civilisations. Reference was also made to an ancient map reliabilityofGenesis.Third,evidencefromtheGreenwich showingGreenlandfree ofice.Thirdly, therearetreering Observatory that supports the theory that the Sun is data from Bristlecone pines that are viewed as showing shrinking was briefly discussed. Fourth, much evidence sharp swings in climatic conditions. There appears to be exists to corroborate the biblical record ofJoshua's long somecorrelationwith theVostokice core, polleninclays day, including folk stories from the American continent and oxygen isotopes in deep sea cores. The proposal is whichtellofalongnight, andonefromFijiwhichhas the thatabsolutedatingcanbeobtainedfromthetreeringdata Sun remaining stationary on the horizon. Fifth, we were and that all these data can be correlated. The correlated urged to do more work on the origin of clays that are cyclesindicatefluctuationsduringtheiceagewithvarious supposed to be Flood material. Currently there is lack of warm and cold periods. a credible mechanism for eroding rock into clay, but the Mr. Peter Bluer (D.K.) presented Mathematical action of hydrothermal jets rising to the surface could eVidencesforGenesis1,whichwasbasedonBiblenumerics provideasolution. Sixthistheproblemofthesequenceof first described by Ivan Panin about 100 years ago. He the fossils in geological strata. There is a need for a showedhowthefirstwordsofthe Bible(Genesis 1:1)are related to the function jCi)=37x + 6y. This function is relatedto the numericalvalueofthefirst7Hebrewwords in the first verse of Genesis. By summing some ofthese numbersothernumberscanbeobtainedthatarefactorsof the prime number 37 that appears in the function above. This, and the fact that other derivations of the prime number 37 and its numerical reflection (3) show a remarkable symmetry, were presented as proof that the Bible is reliable. Dr. Bill Cooper (U.K.), in collaboration with Mr. Malcohn Bowden, gave a paper with the title The Japanese plesiosaur reconsidered, and argued that we should not accept the explanation that the so-called Japanese plesiosaur was a rotting basking shark. Several pieces of evidence were presented to support the claim that itwas a plesiosaur-like creature. There was red meat visible around the spine. There were dermal fibres that were not characteristic ofa shark. However, the analysis of the amino acid content of the dermal fibres was inconclusive. The smellwas saidto be similarto that ofa decayingmammal.Someofthephotographsshowedwhat appeared to be nostrils on what is thought to be the remainsofthehead.Therewerefat-liketissues.Thedorsal fin appeared to be absent Cthose supporting the basking shark interpretation conclude that it had slipped round during decomposition). Itwas claimed that the drawings werenotconsistentwithwhatisvisibleonthephotographs. The final talk on Wednesday was by Mr. Malcohn BowdenCU.K.)whostartedwithareviewofthePiltdown Manfraud. Severalpiecesofevidencewerepresentedthat implicated the Natural History Museum in the planning andexecutionofthefraud.Thediscoveryofafraudbythe Museum appears to have been carefully managed and Dr. NancyDarrallatthePiltdoumMemorial, which Charles Dawson was made a scapegoat. It is indeed marksthespotwheretheremainsoftheinfamous surprising that the abrasions on the teeth that led to the 'ape-man'---laterrevealedto bea hoax-were detectionoffraudwereonlynoticed40yearsaftertheskull discoveredin 1912 8