[Junior]

Finally, your last assertion states that "evolutionary theory is behind the great advances in the battles against diseases and cancer". It would be better stated that micro-evolutionary theory is beind these great advances. Speciation has nothing whatever to do with curing diseases. As has been pointed out before, no ID theorist denies that genes mutate, natural selection is a real phenomena, and that species share ancestry. Now, many ID theorists will differ in how deep said ancestry goes. Some believe in a common ancestor, others do not.

Where is the magic cutoff between micro-evolution and macro-evolution? Where do the accumulation of mutations suddenly stop and not allow the crossing of species lines? Or, if you are one to accept speciation, why cannot the accumulation of mutations in the daughter species continue to move those daughter and granddaughter species further and further apart, eventually leading to different genuses (geni?). If we go back far enough, why can't the accumulations of mutations not even lead to different kingdoms in the great (to the nth power) granddaughter species?

[Exnihilo]

Where is the magic cutoff between micro-evolution and macro-evolution?

To my mind, the 'magic cutoff' is speciation. I do not believe that the mutations that we have observed are capable of creating macro-structures such as lungs, eyes, brains, etc. I think that to believe such is to have a faith as great as that in any God. Is it possible? Sure, it's possible, but science is a *long* way from demonstrating such. Right now, it's a nice story that seems to best fit the data. We have fossils, more primative in the strata becoming more complex as we move up, and we have observed mutations today. Then, we have natural selection acting upon gene alleles, giving rise to such fascinating phenomena as the finch beak size variations on the Gallapogos Islands. So, it is assumed that genetic mutations and natural selection alone are capable of creating the vast diversity of life found on earth. Why? Because we assume a priori that life *must* be explained in purely natural terms. Perhaps, one day it will be! I just find it preposterous when people suggest that genetic mutations and natural selection are capable of going from a single cell (previously a proto-cell with RNA) and going all the way to intelligent human beings capable of building space craft and sending them to other planets. It's fine if you wish to believe that, I just think it's a faith on par with any religious faith. It has been observed:

“The fruit fly has long been the favorite object of mutation experiments because of its fast gestation period (twelve days). X rays have been used to increase the mutation rate in the fruit fly by 15,000 percent. All in all, scientists have been able to ‘catalyze the fruit fly evolutionary process such that what has been seen to occur in (fruit fly) is the equivalent of many millions of years of normal mutations and evolution.’ Even with this tremendous speedup of mutations, scientists have never been able to come up with anything other than another fruit fly.” [Rifkin, Jeremy, Algeny (New York: Viking Press, 1983) p. 134]

While we are here, let me ask you two questions that I pose to all naturalists:

#1 “Evolution calls for the development of life itself and subsequent life forms from a purely natural process. Life does not function without the strictly controlled conversion of raw solar energy into useable energy. What are the specific, empirically evident original mechanism/process and pathway of specific, empirically evident mechanisms/processes that led from zero such conversion capability in raw matter to the multiple and varied mechanisms and processes that are inherent in every living organism as we know them?”

#2 “Evolution calls for the development of ever more volume and ever greater variety and complexity of data in the genetic code of living organisms as they allegedly first emerged, then progressed from, simplest forms to the present broad spectrum of variety. What specific, empirically evident original mechanism/process and pathway of specific, empirically evident mechanisms/processes have led from zero genetic data in raw matter to the vast array of voluminous genetic data inherent in living organisms as we know them?”

Good luck.