Teaching alternatives to evolution: Equal Time for Buddhist "Infinite Causes" and Christian "Intelligent Design"
In the United States, the establishment religion's preachers and politicians have been shoving a warmed-over Creationism into the schools using the new term "Intelligent Design". This 'theory' is centered on one analogy, zero facts, and a lot of propaganda. The analogy is that the "complexity" of life is supposedly evidence for design by a rational supernatural being (and only singular of course)--after all, aren't Human machines complex and designed by rational beings? This philosophical argument is destined to get raised in every classroom where a teacher dares to mention the word evolution.
Secularists are in vain trying to convince the population that they should not allow equal time for the two viewpoints (scientific and Christian). However, it is my thought that Buddhist parents worried about their children being taught lies in science class have another option than to just join the materialist argument. We should realize that the "equal time for all ideas" tactic provides us with an opportunity to expose this nation to the truth of the Buddhist worldview, since no school district could legally allow one belief expression and then forbid another. At the very least, our efforts to promote new ideas will reveal to the world that there is more than one religious alternative to materialism, and get more people to question the establishment beliefs and look into the possibility that the Buddha may be showing them the way.
Yes, there is a Buddhist alternative to Christian creationism. The Biblical literalists have exposed their ideology's fundamental flaws by their emphasis on "Intelligent Design". By defining their god in this way, the Christians have proven that they worship a false god.
The Intelligent Design argument uses a core analogy (the designs of mighty Jehovah would somehow resemble the designs of mortal Joe Blow), but they do not use logic to fully explore the implications of this analogy. They say that life forms on Earth, which are complex and always fall apart and die, are "designed". If true, what does this tell us about the Designer? Human designs are complex and prone to falling apart because humans are BAD DESIGNERS. We are limited in ability, we often do not completely understand what we are doing, we do not have the ability to predict every possible emergency, and we must accept trade-offs. These facts are not something to be ashamed of; we are simply doing the best we can. But clearly this would not be what to expect from a supposedly 'perfect' creation.
The Christians' assumption that the Designer has a "plan" for us is another obvious example of placing Human traits onto a god. Plans are the product of inferior minds. If I told you to build a bridge, would you be able to do it without planning it? Of course not! Humans plan things out because of our limited resources, our need to 'double-check' for errors, and our inability to keep an entire project in perspective. If the Designer makes plans, His mind must have the same flaws and limitations. A limited, false god is what the Intelligent Design advocates want your children to worship!
Do we not have the right to have the weakness of the Christian viewpoint detailed, just as the Creationists want children to be exposed to criticism of Darwin's ideas? The 'Intelligent Designer' definition of their god has made an idol out of Human reasoning and thinking. It is only human to place what we consider our greatest, most noble characteristics onto gods. No matter how proud we feel about the good aspects of humanity, this is an error. Humans use reason because we have IMPERFECT KNOWLEDGE. We have to figure things out for ourselves, make theories, learn about the universe around us. For us, this is an admirable ability. But saying that God has any of these traits is mere idolatry. The ultimate reality is infinitely farther above our "intelligence" than we are from the mindless movements of the paramecium. A "designing, planning god" is a small and man-made god, a false god.
Intelligent Design and Creationism in all forms is simply self-worship, placing human arrogance into the heavens so we can pretend that we are masters of the universe (through a surrogate that thinks like us). This is an evil that has constantly led us away from the truth.
So what is the Buddhist alternative? Our ongoing project will be the theory of Infinite Causes, the Buddhist alternative to Intelligent Design. We will show how the ID philosophy fails when contrasted to even the most basic facts about the universe. The basic definition of the IC worldview and the contrast between IC and ID is described on the Infinite Causes page. Please check back here as we add to the program by assembling a collection of links (below) for various viewpoints on Buddhism and science.
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