Creationism, evolution part of second intelligent design debate
Brian J. Averill
News | 3/7/07
- Page 1 of 1
Engineer Mark Lamontia visited campus for the second time to continue the debate over evolution, intelligent design and creationism at an event sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ Tuesday night in the University Union.
"This is the second year, and in fact there was a lot of great reaction from it last year, so we had him come back," Larry Kelly, campus director of Cru, said.
About a third of the 200 seats set up were filled for the event.
"In many ways I'm an evolutionist. Evolution is a very elastic flexible word. It means many, many things," Lamontia said.
Lamontia does not believe in macroevolution - dramatic changes in evolution, like the formation of a new species or a mass extinction. Instead, he credits significant changes in organisms to a designer, whether that be, as he said, a space alien, time traveler gods or a single god.
Lamontia, a mechanical engineer with 27 years of experience, approached the topic from a secular perspective using his own professional understanding.
"The intelligent design controversy might be consistent with a religious position but it has little to do with religion at all, it's something that's based on evidence," he said.
Many of the students who attended were from Cru but it was open to all of campus.
"Its for everyone, even though it's sponsored by Cru we want to reach out to everyone" Carmen Shui, a sophomore animal behavior major and Cru member, said.
Students skeptical about intelligent design were vocal.
"I thought it was kind of one-sided. It was composed mostly of criticism of evolution and none of intelligent design," Eric Kelly, a junior biology major, said. "I think he kind of picked and chose the kinds of facts he used."
Lamontia used pop references from Star Wars, Mary Poppins and Ice Age to explain the complex arrangements in organisms.
Kelly said the aim of the program was to provide a forum where people could hear about intelligent design.
"It's not generally taught in school, so as a public university that is supposed to be open to new thoughts, we thought we'd like to propose this as an alternate to Darwinism and evolution which is so readily taught and accepted," Kelly said.
Lamontia is planning to return to campus to debate astrophysics professor Alex Storrs.
"As long as it's educational," Lamontia said. "That's what the university is supposed to be about."
"This is the second year, and in fact there was a lot of great reaction from it last year, so we had him come back," Larry Kelly, campus director of Cru, said.
About a third of the 200 seats set up were filled for the event.
"In many ways I'm an evolutionist. Evolution is a very elastic flexible word. It means many, many things," Lamontia said.
Lamontia does not believe in macroevolution - dramatic changes in evolution, like the formation of a new species or a mass extinction. Instead, he credits significant changes in organisms to a designer, whether that be, as he said, a space alien, time traveler gods or a single god.
Lamontia, a mechanical engineer with 27 years of experience, approached the topic from a secular perspective using his own professional understanding.
"The intelligent design controversy might be consistent with a religious position but it has little to do with religion at all, it's something that's based on evidence," he said.
Many of the students who attended were from Cru but it was open to all of campus.
"Its for everyone, even though it's sponsored by Cru we want to reach out to everyone" Carmen Shui, a sophomore animal behavior major and Cru member, said.
Students skeptical about intelligent design were vocal.
"I thought it was kind of one-sided. It was composed mostly of criticism of evolution and none of intelligent design," Eric Kelly, a junior biology major, said. "I think he kind of picked and chose the kinds of facts he used."
Lamontia used pop references from Star Wars, Mary Poppins and Ice Age to explain the complex arrangements in organisms.
Kelly said the aim of the program was to provide a forum where people could hear about intelligent design.
"It's not generally taught in school, so as a public university that is supposed to be open to new thoughts, we thought we'd like to propose this as an alternate to Darwinism and evolution which is so readily taught and accepted," Kelly said.
Lamontia is planning to return to campus to debate astrophysics professor Alex Storrs.
"As long as it's educational," Lamontia said. "That's what the university is supposed to be about."
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Lynn Jemison
posted 3/08/07 @ 9:20 AM EST
ID is a public relations ploy and a political tactic to introduce religion into science classes. The proponents of ID, as shown in Kitzmiller vs. Dover, have no qualms about lying, even under oath, about their motivations and goals. (Continued…)
infidel57
posted 3/08/07 @ 5:01 PM EST
"Lamontia, a mechanical engineer with 27 years of experience, approached the topic from a secular perspective using his own professional understanding. (Continued…)
Paul Burnett
posted 3/08/07 @ 11:17 PM EST
The Dover trial proved the following in a court of law: Intelligent Design (ID) is not science, but a parody of science; ID is not a scientific theory, but a burlesque of a scentific theory. (Continued…)
HHYap
posted 3/09/07 @ 4:49 AM EST
The Creationists and IDers have no respect for human:
>they believe men were created<
Then what are parents for..........?
The teaching of ancient story book 'bible' emphasize killing and as a result:
>non-believers get killed during Crusade<
>the North/South American red-Indians get killed<
An evil religion associated with Christianity. (Continued…)
joe
posted 10/18/07 @ 1:26 PM EST
Dover trial: Lawyers "proving" a scientific point? Give us a break.
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