Few better ways of promoting atheism than teaching ID

Dr Ken Smith, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., M.Lit.St.
Graceville, Queensland [Australia]

Dr Smith's letter was published in The Australian newspaper on 22 October 2005.

I trust that religious leaders and theologians will join forces with scientists (Letters 21/10) in efforts to keep "intelligent design" out of science classes.  The proponents of ID claim that some aspects of the detailed biochemistry of living organisms are too complicated to have evolved, and so must have been created by some "intelligent designer".  In other words, a gap in our present scientific knowledge is filled by attributing it to the direct work of God.  Those who want such a god-of-the-gaps approach seem unaware that science is in the business of filling in our present knowledge of how the world works.  So, as time goes on, the available gaps for God's activity will steadily decrease.  Is this really what those who support ID want their (and our) children taught?  I can think of few better ways of promoting atheism.