Saturday, November 12, 2005
Intelligent Design vs Evolution - National Debate Continues
It is the policy of this blog to never comment on matters of religion or politics, lest someone be offended. The following quotes, from the sources indicated, are provided merely so those who rely on this site as a primary news source are current on the views of major players in this national debate.
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI said that far from being a product of chance the created world is an "intelligent project" that reflects a divine origin. The pope made the remarks at a general audience at the Vatican Nov. 9, commenting about Psalm 136, which gives thanks for creation. The pope quoted St. Basil the Great, who in the fourth century warned that some people, "fooled by the atheism that they carry inside them, imagine the universe deprived of direction and order, as if at the mercy of chance." Speaking extemporaneously to the crowd in St. Peter's Square, the pope said St. Basil's words had "surprising relevance" today. "How many people are there today who, fooled by atheism, think and try to demonstrate that it would be scientific to think that everything is without direction and order," he said.
New York Times Op Ed by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama
SCIENCE has always fascinated me. As a child in Tibet, I was keenly curious about how things worked.... At one point I became particularly intrigued by an old telescope, with which I would study the heavens. One night while looking at the moon I realized that there were shadows on its surface. I corralled my two main tutors to show them, because this was contrary to the ancient version of cosmology I had been taught, which held that the moon was a heavenly body that emitted its own light.
But through my telescope the moon was clearly just a barren rock, pocked with craters. If the author of that fourth-century treatise were writing today, I'm sure he would write the chapter on cosmology differently.
If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change. In my view, science and Buddhism share a search for the truth and for understanding reality. By learning from science about aspects of reality where its understanding may be more advanced, I believe that Buddhism enriches its own worldview....
As noted, there will be no sendup on either position. I have been accused of having a sardonic wit ever since high school, but never of carrying coals to Newcastle.
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI said that far from being a product of chance the created world is an "intelligent project" that reflects a divine origin. The pope made the remarks at a general audience at the Vatican Nov. 9, commenting about Psalm 136, which gives thanks for creation. The pope quoted St. Basil the Great, who in the fourth century warned that some people, "fooled by the atheism that they carry inside them, imagine the universe deprived of direction and order, as if at the mercy of chance." Speaking extemporaneously to the crowd in St. Peter's Square, the pope said St. Basil's words had "surprising relevance" today. "How many people are there today who, fooled by atheism, think and try to demonstrate that it would be scientific to think that everything is without direction and order," he said.
New York Times Op Ed by Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama
SCIENCE has always fascinated me. As a child in Tibet, I was keenly curious about how things worked.... At one point I became particularly intrigued by an old telescope, with which I would study the heavens. One night while looking at the moon I realized that there were shadows on its surface. I corralled my two main tutors to show them, because this was contrary to the ancient version of cosmology I had been taught, which held that the moon was a heavenly body that emitted its own light.But through my telescope the moon was clearly just a barren rock, pocked with craters. If the author of that fourth-century treatise were writing today, I'm sure he would write the chapter on cosmology differently.
If science proves some belief of Buddhism wrong, then Buddhism will have to change. In my view, science and Buddhism share a search for the truth and for understanding reality. By learning from science about aspects of reality where its understanding may be more advanced, I believe that Buddhism enriches its own worldview....
As noted, there will be no sendup on either position. I have been accused of having a sardonic wit ever since high school, but never of carrying coals to Newcastle.
