Thank you. I very much appreciate a reasonable person such as yourself. I knew this would be a tough subject to bring up. Even FReemailed the admin mod in advance to ask how best to handle the graphic photos, because I didn't want to exploit them, just provide examples. These are profound questions. I have an inquiring mind.
It's not an easy topic to bring up (judging from the various types of posts)...although I believe the direction of this thread was predicated upon the format of the initial question...but that's, of course, already done.
These are profound questions. I have an inquiring mind.
I can offer you my opinion, however I need to first state that I am not much involved in the ID theory stuff. I had a personal experience with God and therefore I have no doubt to His existence...so I know He is the creator and never really worried too much how He went about it (but still, I do read a range of materials).
It is interesting how this thread jumps between a ID design question and a theological question. They aren't precisely the same. I believe that an ID advocate would respond something along the lines that someone already has in this thread...that is that a design can be correct and yet something can go wrong with any given instance of that item. They used the example of a car that was designed correctly, but one might be a lemon or may just experience failure along it's lifespan. Interestingly, when people have offered responses strictly from the ID issue leaving out any specific concept of God someone comes along and shifts it to the competence or intelligence of that designer. That sort of comment is founded in a number of assumptions such as that the designer intended a perfect design, that the designer would make sure (through intervention is necessary) to eliminate any variance from a presumably perfect design, that quality of life and value of life are intertwined with physical condition...in essence, those arguing against ID are making it an issue of theology...why would God allow X to happen.
Personally, I'm much more comfortable discussing in the theological realm and could address that angle. But if one wishes to discuss it exclusive of any particular concept of God then why do the anti-ID'ers assume the designer is perfect? or has good intentions...that shifts from the topic of ID to one of meanings and intentions.
When one backs the creation/evolution question to the point of origin it really comes down to choosing one of two eternals...one is eternal matter that behaves without cause or a creator who is eternal (with a nature that we can have very little comprehension of given our finite nature and the infinite required for such an eternal creator). But I realize that is not the focus of your question...although, ultimately, I think the question always begs that creation question.