1. NORWICH DEBATE REPORT from
John Mackay. Many people have asked us how it went so here it is in brief:
Atheist Biology Professor John Turner vs John Mackay.
1. We agreed at the start that since the debate would centre on the British High School Curriculum and was aimed at British school classrooms, it wouldn’t be a stand-up, knockdown brawl, so it was very British and gentlemanly (with some exciting Aussie lapses).
2. My opponent’s main arguments were a) the world is too old for creation to be correct and b) we scientists are so rigorous we must be right and c) if what John Mackay says is correct then why isn’t it published? Notably absent was any argument from his research speciality (plants), and he admitted he was aware that there were no intermediates as proof, but surely given long enough evolution must have happened, as being a scientist he cannot accept the supernatural.
3. My tack, after much discussion with UK science Teachers and in association with Dr Diane Eager, was to choose three examples listed as evidence for evolution in the high school course, then tell the rest of the story on what is left out, as I gradually twisted the knife (with Christian grace of course) until we could pronounce “Evolution … Myth Busted!’
This tactic covered Bacteria evolving resistance, the origin of life by chemical evolution, and the Bombardier beetle. Since the UK beetle unit actually refers to Professor Andy McIntosh as Leeds University Professor, and uses the beetle spray as evidence of evolution, I contacted Andy who was unaware his work was being used to promote evolution, so we finished with a new quote from Dr Andy re the beetle spray; “It is an example of a pulse combustor which could never be evolved. It needs precision design!” Evolution … Myth Busted!
Highlights: William identified himself after the debate. He had been a Goth, but after seeing me on UK TV he had become a Christian.
According to film Video Team, the filming went well and a DVD should appear after editing for a) schools and b) the public. Keep watching for details.
As with all our work with students, thanks to all who subsidise this ministry as without your help we couldn’t afford to do it.
1. We agreed at the start that since the debate would centre on the British High School Curriculum and was aimed at British school classrooms, it wouldn’t be a stand-up, knockdown brawl, so it was very British and gentlemanly (with some exciting Aussie lapses).
2. My opponent’s main arguments were a) the world is too old for creation to be correct and b) we scientists are so rigorous we must be right and c) if what John Mackay says is correct then why isn’t it published? Notably absent was any argument from his research speciality (plants), and he admitted he was aware that there were no intermediates as proof, but surely given long enough evolution must have happened, as being a scientist he cannot accept the supernatural.
3. My tack, after much discussion with UK science Teachers and in association with Dr Diane Eager, was to choose three examples listed as evidence for evolution in the high school course, then tell the rest of the story on what is left out, as I gradually twisted the knife (with Christian grace of course) until we could pronounce “Evolution … Myth Busted!’
This tactic covered Bacteria evolving resistance, the origin of life by chemical evolution, and the Bombardier beetle. Since the UK beetle unit actually refers to Professor Andy McIntosh as Leeds University Professor, and uses the beetle spray as evidence of evolution, I contacted Andy who was unaware his work was being used to promote evolution, so we finished with a new quote from Dr Andy re the beetle spray; “It is an example of a pulse combustor which could never be evolved. It needs precision design!” Evolution … Myth Busted!
Highlights: William identified himself after the debate. He had been a Goth, but after seeing me on UK TV he had become a Christian.
According to film Video Team, the filming went well and a DVD should appear after editing for a) schools and b) the public. Keep watching for details.
As with all our work with students, thanks to all who subsidise this ministry as without your help we couldn’t afford to do it.
