Untitled - So Far

Lately, I've realized that it's somewhat discourteous to have family and friends always telling me how clumsy I am. OK, so farming holds a few dangers for the uninitiated and there have been the odd accident or two, emphasis on the 'odd'. Who could be more unitiated than a novice farmer?

Who knew a tractor would tip over that easily? And sliding 3 stories out of the hayloft, face first, on my belly was never something I imagined. If I had imagined it, I certainly would not have volunteered. Still, it happened. Alright so, a series of slight accidents several winters ago resulted first in 3 broken toes on my right foot, then a few days later a couple of broken ribs, followed by 3 broken toes on my left foot. None of those incidents was exactly foreseeable. And only one of the broken bones resulted from a fall (off an icy loading dock). It could have happened to anyone. They just happened to happen to me.

Face it, as a computer geek, most of my waking life is spent with my ass in a chair and my head in the clouds where all good creative thinking takes place. So, I was unused the need to be so completely aware of my physical environment. But I’m learning.

Of course, my balance has improved a thousand fold and I haven’t had a farming ‘mishap’ since before June 4th 2006. You might ask why that date precisely? That was the day I had my tonsils out, my uvula (hangy-down thing in the back of your mouth) trimmed, my deviated septum un-deviated and passages to my sinuses enlarged. Now I can do something I have never been able to do – stand on one foot! Pretty cool.

The point is I am not a klutz. And when I make it to June 4th 2007 with out anymore mishaps, I am going to have a big party. I’ll invite all my friends. I’ll be serving crow.

Why is it Evolution *VS* Intelligent Design?

I'll be right upfront about my bias - I am a BIOLOGIST by training. I believe strongly in Evolution.

The problem I see with the Evolution/Intelligent Design debate is the assumption by both sides that these ideas are incompatible.

Evolution is a scientific theory, the compilation of observation and experimentation. It is the product of REASON. Intelligent Design is the belief that someone/something intentionally created life. It is the product of FAITH.

Reason and Faith are not mutally exclusive. As far as I know, science has no way to measure intent. Scientists overstep when they say categorically that life was not intentional. They may not believe life was deliberately created but, since there is currently no way to test this through observation or experiment, the question, from a scientific point of view, is an open one.

As for The Faithful, if the products of REASON can challenge your FAITH, the problem isn't with REASON it's with your FAITH. The core of your FAITH should not be able to be shaken.

If your Faith demands that human understanding of the mechanics of life never grow or change, you are going to be disappointed. If your Faith concedes that human understanding (of science, theology and everything else) is incomplete, then new ideas and new points of view will add to your sense of wonder and strengthen your FAITH.