So why should I care about Creationism or its most recent incarnation: Intelligent Design (ID)?
Creationism teaches us that there was a creator whose design resulted in nature as we see it, so that every change or mutation is just a step in the designer’s process. The alternative, evolution teaches us that nature is a function of natural selection: if a mutation improves an organism then nature will embrace it (survival) and if the mutation fails to improve then nature will reject it (extinction).
ID attempts to take a turn away from a faith based ideology, by not specifying that the creator was God, but as the promoters of ID are all Christian based organizations those attempts are somewhat weak. However even evolutionist don’t deny that the existence of a creator, so where is the conflict of ideas.
Evolutionist many of whom believe in a creator believe that if there were a creator he started the process and then stood back letting natural selection take over. And accordingly, there’s no reason to believe natural selection is finished. Some doubters even joke that if the Creator took the path of an intelligent design, He made it look like evolution to a scientific mind. Regardless the process is still 'evolving'.
ID however seems to view the present as the end of the process. And with humans currently residing as the top dogs in nature, then humans are the ultimate design. The creators masterpiece. And here is where I see danger.
Evolutionism tells us that humans are just a point on a timeline: subject to extinction, whereas ID can be used to posit the creator will protect humans from extinction -- at least until He’s decided in His wisdom that it’s time for the Apocalypse.
Then ID/Creationist can take a fatalist view to nature – “what happens is destined”. While evolutionists understand that we humans are probably one of the first species ever capable of intelligently designing our own extinction, so we better take precautions.
Maybe that’s why I as a believer in science and evolution have a greater respect for the possibility of man made global warming. And I wonder if my friends who deny this possibility aren’t relying more on their Creator to take care of these kinds of problems than taking any personal responsibility.
Are the two equations?
Creationism = don’t worry, be happy: it’s all decided.
Evolution = be careful or you might end up extinct like 98% of all the other Earth life forms that preceded you.
If so there’s danger in the differences. I and every other evolutionist should resist the Creationism and Intelligent Design movement if only as a survival for mankind strategy.