TITLE: Darwin's Last Defense 8/13/15 By Richard McCaw 08/13/15 |
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Suppose for a moment that Charles Darwin has time-travelled into the 21st century in 2015, and I am an atheistic investigative reporter in a Ft. Lauderdale courthouse, determined to hear all the facts for and against evolution.
Mr. Darwin stands before Lord Montboddo, the judge, where Robert Virchow, the lawyer for the prosecution begins cross-questioning him.
“Mr. Darwin,” Virchow asks, “Could you define for us the term “0perational Science?”
Darwin replies, “Very simple, sir. Operational Science is science that is both testable and repeatable.”
Robert Virchow asks, “Do you mean like the big Bang theory which allegedly occurred 13-15 million years ago? But, Mr. Darwin, that cannot be measured, repeated, tested, or observed.”
“Your honor,” Mr. Darwin pleads, “Is Mr. Virchow trying to be smart? The Big Bang theory is foundational to science. Who does not believe that?”
Lord Monboddo smiles, “Mr. Darwin, Mr. Virchow can be sarcastic. Take that with a smile.”
Virchow continues, “Mr. Darwin, could a dinosaur turning into a bird 150 million years be either observable or repeatable?”
Darwin frowns and steps back. “Sir, is that a serious question?”
Lord Monboddo nods at Mr. Darwin. “Mr. Darwin, please answer the question.”
Darwin looks at Virchow. “Of course not! We are not talking about the evolution of dinosaurs.”
“Then,” asks Virchow, “What are we talking about, sir?”
Darwin stutters. “Many transitional fossils have been found, sir. Evolution is a fact!”
“But Mr. Darwin,” Mr. Virchow responds, “You mean the many fragmentary remains that do not show gradualism? Shall I begin listing them?” Then, after a slight pause, he asks, “Mr. Darwin, may I ask another question?”
Darwin replies. “If I can answer, I certainly will.”
“Did you know that after the Cambrian explosion hundreds of thousands of living species appear abruptly with fully formed structures?” Virchow pursues the point, “And because of obvious abrupt appearances of species in the fossil record and the absence of graded transitional fossils, Drs. Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge rejected the theory of gradual evolution and formed the theory of punctuated equilibria?”
Darwin looks stunned. “No. We never knew that in my day.”
“Mr. Darwin,” Robert Virchow lowers his voice, “This has been said before in this court, but let me repeat it. All observed mutations demonstrate a loss of genetic information from the genetic code, or they are neutral.”
Darwin turns red in the face. “Well, what about the evolution of Galapagos finches?”
“Science has moved on, Mr. Darwin,” Virchow retorts.
“What do you mean?”
“Galapagos finches evidently had a built-in adaptability to various climatic conditions!”
Darwin becomes agitated. “What …?”
“While the drought resulted in a slight increase in beak size, the change was reversed when the rains returned!”
“Sir,” Darwin pleads, “Evolution is a fact! Vertebrate sequences are enough to convince any intelligent person.”
Mr. Virchow interrupts. “Your honor, surely Mr. Darwin knows about the Haeckel forgery.”
“Accusation against Haeckel was never conclusive, Mr. Virchow,” declares Darwin.
“Mr. Darwin,” Virchow responds, “In 1997-1998, scientists declared Haeckel’s drawings scientific fraud of the worst kind!”
Mr. Wallace,the lawyer for the defense, interrupts, “Your honor, may I speak to my client?” When Lord Montboddo nods, Mr. Wallace approaches the witness stand, leans towards Mr. Darwin and whispers in his ear. I assume that he is confirming that science in fact did expose the Haeckel forgery.
Darwin appears sadly silent at that moment.
“Your honor,” says Mr. Virchow, “My next witness, Mr. Bertram Collins, our city’s most excellent engineer, will respond to the argument about similarities.”
An echo is repeated from the door by a uniformed policeman. “Mr. Bertram Collins!”
A short, plump man with the top of his head bald, a thin beard along his jaws to his chin and a bushy mustache, suddenly stands up. He strides forward from the back of the court, proceeds to the witness stand to take his oath with his hand on the Bible, then sits down.
“Tell us, Mr. Collins,” says Mr. Virchow, “about bridges and their similarities.”
“As an engineer,” Collins begins, “Many similarities exist between bridges. It would be ludicrous to suggest that such similarities illustrate evolution from one simple bridge over a country river to a more complex bridge somewhere else. The similarities are only signatures that reveal the intelligence involved in their blueprints and construction.”
Clapping, heads nodding and people loudly talking to each other ensues.
“Silence in the court!” Judge’s voice bellows loud and clear.
Darwin stutters. “B-b-but…the similarities in backbones of …” A blank look spreads across his face as he seems lost for words.
Lord Montboddo then intervenes. “While we await Mr. Darwin’s response, Mr. Virchow, do you have any further comments or questions?”
“I do, your honor,” Virchow replies. “If it is illogical to believe that a theatrical production can be written, rehearsed by its actors, and performed without intelligence, then it is also illogical to believe that complex structures of cells and intricate parts, as science proclaims, could have evolved without intelligence. Unfortunately in Mr. Darwin’s time, not much was known about complex cell structures or the flaggelum’s complexities.”
Darwin’s jaw drops as if struggling within himself for some rational response.
But no response ever comes from him before the judge dismisses court for that day.
You know how I’ve always dreamed of travelling the world, relaxing by some beach and watching the girls go by, but you could not pay me a million dollars to be in poor Mr. Darwin’s shoes.
All that he believed and wrote would take more faith for me to believe. In fact, all the evolutionists’ examples I have heard so far would require miracles for the gradual coming together of so many particles, mark you, by pure chance. In fact, I think I am becoming an immediate believer in some intelligent designer, whoever He is, even though I could not point Him out to anyone determined to go their own way and to believe any nonsense, as long as it gets rid of design, purpose and responsibility in our individual lives.
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