Page 63 - The Religion of Darwinism
P. 63

61




            theory depends on a fairytale about the “Temple of Nature” that he
            learned from his grandfather, mistaken inferences derived from an
            amateur's knowledge of biology, an extreme prejudice for the rejection
            of Creation based on speculations about these mistaken inferences,
            and a superficial 19th century culture that believed atheism to be
            science.   This picture, compiled from ancient pagan cultures, is part of
            the false belief known as the Scala Naturae proposed centuries ago by
            Aristotle.
                 The only reason why false religion is stubbornly espoused is that
            it is seen as an instrument in the propaganda against true religion, that
            is, belief in AllŒh.   Phillip E. Johnson of Chicago University, who
            occupies an esteemed position in academic circles despite his criticism
            of the theory of evolution, explains:
                 In short, the triumph of Darwinism implied the death of [belief in]
                 God and set the stage for replacing ...religion with a new faith
                 based on evolutionary naturalism.  56
            In another book Johnson describes this aspect of Darwinism:

                 Prejudice is a major problem, however, because the leaders of
                 science see themselves as locked in a desperate battle against
                 religious fundamentalists, a label which they tend to apply broadly
                 to anyone who believes in a Creator who plays an active role in
                 worldly affairs.   These fundamentalists are seen as a threat to
                 liberal freedom, and especially as a threat to public support for
                 scientific research.  As the creation myth of scientific naturalism,
                 Darwinism plays an indispensable ideological role in the war
                 against fundamentalism. For that reason, the scientific
                 organizations are devoted to protecting Darwinism rather than
                 testing it, and the rules of scientific investigation have been shaped
                 to help them succeed.  57

                 As Phillip E. Johnson has said, materialist philosophies found
            support for their own views in the theory of evolution and
            propagandist activities against religion found strength in Darwinism.
            Therefore, the promotion of Darwinism is one of the most important
            aims of anti-religious forces, and the most prominent proponents of
            Darwinism are adversaries of religion and of those who practice it.



                                                        N
                                                       O

                                                            F
                                                           O
                                                  L
                                                E
                                                   I
                                                      I
                                                    G
                                                                       N
                                                                     I
                                                                        I
                                                                           M
                                                                         S
                                                               D

                                                                A
                                                                    W
                                                                  R
                                               R
                         E
                        S
                           R
                              L


                 A A CLOSER LOOK AT THE RELIGION OF DARWINISM
                   C
                      O
                     L
                               O
                                         T

                                          H

                                            E
                                  K
                                 O

                                      T
                                     A
   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68