Dr. McLeroy.........one more time!

It would be easy to just call Dr. McLeroy an idiot and move on from this topic. I believe him to be misguided in his opposition to teaching the theory of evolution, which does not make him an idiot. I have to assume that this opposition stems from his belief and not from some sinister devious plot for some other clandestine reason.

To be fair to Dr. McLeroy as well as to pursue my own understanding of this opposition, the “why” needs to be questioned. I feel that I can support my argument for the teaching of the theory as it is understood today. I believe that evolution in no way supports or denies the presence of God and to use it in such a manner is counter to what science is all about. If it happend by chance or through God has nothing to do with the theory.

As I was preparing my last entry, I came across an article he wrote called "Testable Explanations” (August 2, 2008). First off, I believe every explanation Dr. McLeroy uses to support how science, especially evolution, should be taught in public schools is motivated by one goal; to allow for the debunking of the theory. All theories should be scrutinized, challenged, and run through a meat grinder to get as close to the “truth” as we can. This is not the goal of Dr. McLeroy, his goal is to allow for a mechanism to cast doubt on the theory not to replace it with a better one, but to allow for creationism to also stand side-by-side.

So back to the question of “why” – the foundation for this need of his - crusade more like it – this zealot-like behavior put forth to discredit evolution. I conclude that it stems from his misguided belief that because evolution accepts as the foundation “natural explanations” it therefore excludes the presence or the hand of God.

“For the supernaturalist” Dr. McLeroy writes, “the phrase “natural explanations” does not just undermine his view of science but actually excludes it by definition. “

This is the battle line that has been drawn; you may only choose one – natural or supernatural. Why Dr. McLeroy sees it this way can only be speculated. I contend that he fears science because it weakens his belief or understanding of his God in the same way a child loses their belief in their parents as superhuman as they increase their understanding of the world in which they live in.

The explanation for natural phenomenon, from gravity, to reproduction, to physics, to the origin of life comes from science. There is no other way to know and understand this phenomenon other than through the use of the scientific method. What we see is the result of how it was designed to work. Whether this design is from the hand of God or through chance will never be known. It works in a particular way, a natural way, a way in which we can hypothesize and test.

Just as children may be thought of as a gift from God they do not result from a supernatural explanation. The way life on earth has gotten to this point also follows a particular methodology, it has evolved over time. This is how it appears to work based on the evidence we have encountered. There is no need to have a supernatural explanation because one is not needed. It follows a prescribed methodology seen constant – tested - over time. If God had a hand in this it was setting up the parameters. God’s creation was DNA, and DNA changes the structure of life randomly, suddenly, minutely, and quietly over time.