A couple weeks ago (Nov. 24), Springfield, Illinois' local free weekly, the _Illinois Time

A couple weeks ago (Nov. 24), Springfield, Illinois' local free weekly, the
_Illinois Times_, printed a long cover story on the evolution/creation debate 
as it pertains to schools, etc.  It was quite well-written, and got the
"thumbs-up" from National Center for Science Education Exec. Director Dr.
Eugenie Scott (I faxed her a copy).

Anyway, several letters have been printed in response to this article.  The
following is one that was printed two weeks after the article. 

                   Understanding Miracles

To the editor:

     Regarding your cover story on the evolution/creation
debate [see "The evolution solution?," _Illinois Times_,
November 24, 1993]:  It seems that many people don't
understand the difference between the method of thought that
is science and the system of belief that is religion.
     While some biblical stories or passages have at least
general scientific support, many have been flatly
contradicted by scientific research.  And many more can be
neither contradicted nor confirmed through science.
     Therein lies the distinction between science and
religion.  Science is a process by which evidence is
collected and evaluated, and possible explanations are put
forth.  This process is based on two assumptions: 1) that
the universe is orderly; and 2) that we can perceive and
understand that order.  Religion, on the other hand, is an
appeal to authority, and requires only the belief that one
source contains the whole truth.  One need look no farther
than at that one source, and all other information must be
interpreted to conform with the "truth" contained in it.
     Creationism asserts that the entire universe was
created--as recounted in the Bible--in a preiod of seven
(presumably twenty-four-hour) days.  The Bible gives no date
for the creation, but in the middle 1600s, a Christian
scholar, Archbishop Usher, used the "begats" in the Bible to
determine that the creation took place in 4004 B.C.  Some--
but by no means all--Christian denominations accept this
interpretation as gospel.  But where are the converging
lines of independent evidence and reasoning to support this
belief?  There are none.  This interpretation is based on
the belief that every passage in the Bible is 100 percent
accurate.
     Why do so many people accept creationism and reject
evolution?  First, it is easy to attribute the wonder and
complexity of our world to an all-powerful, all-knowing God
who simply created everything the way it appears today.  It
requires no mental effort to observe, test, assess, and
propose alternative models because no alternative models are
required.  In contrast, science requires a considerable
amount of physical and mental effort to collect information,
test that information to ascertain its validity, and assess
the results of that testing.  Only then can scientists
propose models to explain how the universe works.  Others
must then repeat the process, and seek other supporting
evidence, before any scientific conclusions can be
considered to be reasonably valid.
     Second, religion has the appealing feature of being
certain.  Science can never be absolutely certain about its
theories because scientists must rely on observable,
repeatable data--and new data may overturn the conclusions
reached with old data.  Religion, on the other hand, can
afford to be certain in its interpretation; since the
"truth" is contained in the Bible (and is therefore above
question), all evidence to the contrary must be
misinterpretation.
     Open-minded scientists are willing to accept the
possible explanation offered by creation science--but that
acceptance depends on the submission of independently
verifiable evidence.  Such evidence, to date, has not been
forthcoming.  All that supporters of creationism offer is
_one_ interpretation of _one_ religion's primary manuscript,
while attacking certain specific interpretations of certain
specific data and theories that challenge their _faith_ in a
5,997-year-old universe.
     There is nothing wrong with having faith, but one must
remember that faith and science are not the same thing.
Faith is belief in the miracle of the universe; science is
an attempt to understand that miracle.

                                   Jeffrey R. Paine
                                   Springfield