Page 64 - Atlas of Creation Volume 2

Obviously, mutations do not give rise to evolutionary de-
velopment—which poses an insurmountable obstacle for
the punctuated theory of evolution. Since mutation is de-

structive, the living undergoing macro-mutations that the
proponents of evolution propose will suffer "macro"-de-
structive effects. Some evolutionists put their trust in mu-
tations occurring in the regulatory genes in DNA. But the

destructive effect that applies in regard to other mutations
also applies here. The problem is that mutation is a random
change, and any random change in any structure as complex as
genetic information will have damaging consequences.

In their book The Natural Limits to Genetic Change, geneticist
Lane Lester and population geneticist Raymond Bohlin describe
the mutation dilemma in question:

The overall factor that has come up again and again is that muta-
tion remains the ultimate source of all genetic variation in any evo-

lutionary model. Being unsatisfied with the prospects of
accumulating small point mutations, many are turning to macro-
mutations to explain the origin of evolutionary novelties.
Goldschmidt's hopeful monsters have indeed returned.

However, though macromutations of many varieties produce
drastic changes, the vast majority will be incapable of survival, let
alone show the marks of increasing complexity. If structural gene
mutations are inadequate because of their inability to produce signifi-

cant enough changes, then regulatory and developmental mutations ap-
pear even less useful because of the greater likelihood of nonadaptive or
even destructive consequences . . . But one thing seems certain: at present,
the thesis that mutations, whether great or small, are capable of producing

limitless biological change is more an article of faith than fact. 44

Observation and experiment show that mutations may alter, but do
not improve on, genetic information and that they do damage living
things. It is obviously inconsistent for the proponents of punctuated
evolution to expect any "success" from them.

The Narrow Populations Error

The second concept that proponents of punctuated evolution

stress is that of "narrow populations." They state that a new
species forms only in communities containing very few num-
bers of a plant or animal species. According to this claim,
large populations of animals exhibit no evolutionary devel-

opment and can maintain their stasis. However, if some
small groups leave these populations, they become iso-
lated (generally assumed because of geographical
causes) and can reproduce only amongst themselves. It

is claimed that macro-mutations affect these small
groups because they reproduce only among themselves,
and so rapid "speciation" thus takes place.

62 Atlas of Creation Vol. 2