Cardinal denies natural evolution

[muriel_volestrangler]

and claims it's an existing Catholic position. Discussion here
in GD.

This looks like a big step backwards for the Catholic church - about 150 years, I'd say.

Evolution in the sense of common ancestry might be true, but evolution in the neo-Darwinian sense - an unguided, unplanned process of random variation and natural selection - is not. Any system of thought that denies or seeks to explain away the overwhelming evidence for design in biology is ideology, not science.
...
Now at the beginning of the 21st century, faced with scientific claims like neo-Darwinism and the multiverse hypothesis in cosmology invented to avoid the overwhelming evidence for purpose and design found in modern science, the Catholic Church will again defend human reason by proclaiming that the immanent design evident in nature is real. Scientific theories that try to explain away the appearance of design as the result of "chance and necessity" are not scientific at all, but, as John Paul put it, an abdication of human intelligence.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/07/opinion/07schonborn.html?

"Overwhelming evidence"? What rubbish. Look at how many organisms die, when we can point out features that could save them. And is he trying to say that the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has been planned by God? Wow, if he is, then it looks like the entire human race is getting smitten again for its evil ways, indiscriminately. I don't see much sign of a loving Christian god in that move.

In reality, this is another scramble to keep control of people's minds by a church worried that non-religious answers are spreading. It's the attitude they had to Galileo. Let's hope they don't use house arrests this time.

[onager]

1. They just moved the pea in the ol' shell game (again)...

Intelligent Design is a fairly new...uh..."theory." But as you note, they're already acting like it's all settled:

Any system of thought that denies or seeks to explain away the overwhelming evidence for design in biology is ideology, not science.

Reminds me of the way the American Church enthusiastically claims it invented democracy. Pretty funny coming from one of the most anti-democratic institutions on earth, and one that would love nothing more than to re-instate the Divine Right Of Kings.

[Zenlitened]

2. Question: "What is the evidence for design?"

Answer: "Here's a list of things I don't understand or can't explain."

Such idiocy. These ID propagandists can dress their arguments up in all the fancy rhetorical drag they want, but the simple fact is they are embracing ignorance. Their entire premise ALWAYS returns in the end to "it just seems there MUST be a designer."

They are fools, but powerful and dangerous fools. They are trying desperately to drag the world backward in time to an era of ignorance, superstition and fear. And it seems they're succeeding. :(

I'll await an official vatican statement on this, as the source thus far is one cleric with an axe to grind. But I haven't seen a lot of reasons to be optimistic.

[trotsky]

4. And while they're claiming that a designer is responsible,

let's ask why the following things exist:

* Nipples on men
* the appendix
* DNA for teeth in chickens
* Hell, "junk" DNA in *every* species
etc., etc., etc.

[noamnety]

6. In fairness

designers create a lot of useless crap.

* pointy shoes when they know our feet aren't pointy
* decorative pockets that don't actually open
* thongs

I would put men's nipples and chicken teeth in the same category.

[beam me up scottie]

7. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!

That is the funniest thing I've heard all day !
I HATE those things and pantyhose too !

[noamnety]

8. Ugh pantyhose!

If there were a god ...

[trotsky]

3. I'm so glad they're using resources to clear things up like this.

Maybe next they'll give us a final count on how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

Meanwhile, people die in poverty and from starvation because they can't be bothered to OK birth control. Thousands die in an illegal war and occupation that they can't take a few moments out of their busy day of condemning science to speak out for.

Are those Christian priorities?

[Bill McBlueState]

5. they should have a new motto

the Catholic church: moving toward irrelevancy one step at a time

[GOPFighter]

9. The Catholic Church:

"We give non-invasive lobotomies"