May-June 2005 A MAGAZINE OF UNDERSTANDING The Tiny Code That’s Toppling Evolution What Do DNA Discoveries Mean for Evolution? • God’s Challenge to You John Paul II’s Impact on the World • Where Is the Europe-U.S. Divide Leading? GN#58 Section 1.6.indd 1 4/21/05 9:15:23 AM Intelligent Design n our last issue, we reported in our new feature “God, Science and the Bible” on British phi- May/June 2005 Volume 10, Number 3 Circulation: 428,000 The Good News (ISSN: 1086-9514) is published bimonthly by the United Church of God, an Ilosophy professor Antony Flew, considered the International Asso cia tion, 555 Technecenter Dr., Milford, OH 45150. © 2005 United Church of God, world’s best-known atheist, bowing to mounting scientifi c evidence an International Asso ciation. Printed in U.S.A. All rights reserved. Repro duction in any form without written permission is prohibited. Periodi cals Postage paid at Milford, Ohio 45150, and at additional proving the existence of God. mailing offi ces. Scriptural references are from the New King James Version (© 1988 Thomas Nelson, Flew said his current ideas are similar to those of American “intel- Inc., publishers) unless otherwise noted. ligent design” (ID) theorists, who see evidence for an intelligent Dona tions to help share The Good News and our other free publications with others are grate fully guiding force in the universe’s construction. accepted and are tax-deductible in the United States and Canada. Those who choose to voluntarily support this work are welcomed as coworkers in this effort to proclaim the true gospel to all nations. Frankly, the evidence for creation is all around us. It always has been. As the apostle Paul said about even ungodly people: “. What Publisher: United Church of God, an International Asso cia tion Council of Elders: Aaron Dean, Robert Dick, Jim Franks, Doug Horchak, Clyde Kilough (chairman), Victor Kubik, Les McCullough, may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made Joel Meeker, Mario Seiglie, Richard Thompson, Leon Walker, Anthony Wasilkoff it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible Church president: Roy Holladay Media operation manager: Peter Eddington Managing editor: Scott Ashley Senior writers: Jerold Aust, Roger Foster, Melvin Rhodes, qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly Tom Robinson, John Ross Schroeder Art director: Shaun Venish seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are Circulation manager: John LaBissoniere Editorial reviewers: John Bald, Bruce Gore, without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20, New International Version). Paul Kieffer, Graemme Marshall, Richard Thompson, David Treybig, Lyle Welty King David tells us, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no To request a free subscription, visit our Web site at www.gnmagazine.org or contact the offi ce nearest you from the list below. The Good News is sent free to all who request it. Your subscription is provided by the voluntary contributions of members of the United Church of Frankly, the evidence for creation is all God, an International Asso cia tion, and others. Personal contact: The United Church of God has congregations and ministers throughout the around us. It always has been. United States and many other countries. To contact a minister or to fi nd locations and times of services, contact our offi ce nearest you or access our Web site at www.ucg.org/churches. God’” (Psalms 14:1; 53:1, emphasis added). As evidence, David Unsolicited materials: Due to staffi ng limitations, unsolicited materials sent to The Good News will not be critiqued or returned. By their submission authors agree that submitted materials become the gazed up at the awesome grandeur of the heavens (Psalm 19:1). He property of the United Church of God, an International Association, to use as it sees fi t. This agreement also looked to the complexity of his own body: “You formed my is controlled by California law. inward parts . I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully NORTH, SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA made; marvelous are Your works . .” (Psalm 139:13-14). United States: United Church of God, P.O. Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH 45254-1027 Phone: (513) 576-9796 Fax (513) 576-9795 Web site: www.gnmagazine.org E-mail: [email protected] Yet David in his ancient context had no idea just how marvelous. Canada: United Church of God–Canada, Box 144, Station D, Etobicoke, ON M9A 4X1, Canada Modern microbiology has revealed an unimaginable complexity Phone: (905) 876-9966, (800) 338-7779 Fax: (905) 876-0569 Web site: www.ucg.ca Caribbean: United Church of God, P.O. Box N8873, Nassau, Bahamas beyond human ingenuity. Phone: (242) 324-3169 Fax: (242) 364-5566 A couple of years ago, I saw a program airing on PBS that amazed Martinique: Église de Dieu Unie–France, 127 rue Amelot, 75011 Paris, France Spanish-speaking areas: Iglesia de Dios Unida, P.O. Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH 45254-1027, U.S.A. me. Titled Unlocking the Mystery of Life: The Scientifi c Case for Phone: (513) 576-9796 Fax (513) 576-9795 E-mail: [email protected] Intelligent Design, it is a “must see” (available through IllustraMedia EUROPE British Isles: United Church of God, P.O. Box 705, Watford, Herts, WD19 6FZ, England .com and Amazon.com). Featuring ID scientists such as Michael Phone: 020-8386-8467 Fax: 020-8386-1999 Web site: www.goodnews.org.uk Behe, who is interviewed in this issue of The Good News, the France: Église de Dieu Unie–France, 127 rue Amelot, 75011 Paris, France Germany: Vereinte Kirche Gottes/Gute Nachrichten, Postfach 30 15 09, D-53195 Bonn, Germany evidence it presents is startling. Phone: 0228-9454636 Fax: 0228-9454637 When you observe the bacterial fl agellar motor and the protein Italy: La Buona Notizia, Chiesa di Dio Unita, Casella Postale 187, 24121 Bergamo Centro, Italy Phone and Fax: (+39) 035 4523573 Web site: www.labuonanotizia.org E-mail: [email protected] assembly plants with machines that transport the building blocks of Netherlands: P.O. Box 93, 2800 AB Gouda, Netherlands life to where the assembly instructions demand, you will believe! This Scandinavia: Guds Enade Kyrka, P.O. Box 3535, 111 74 Stockholm, Sweden is biochemical nanotechnology—microscopic robots and manufactur- Phone: +44 20 8386-8467 Fax: 0046 0142 10340 E-mail: [email protected] AFRICA ing at the subcellular level. How could this have arisen by chance? East Africa–Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda: United Church of God–Kenya And then there are the assembly instructions themselves— P.O. Box 75261, Nairobi 00200, Kenya E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.ucgeastafrica.org Ghana: P.O. Box 3805, Kumasi, Ghana E-mail: [email protected] encoded in the informational language of DNA. It is far and away Malawi: P.O. Box 32257, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, Malawi Phone: (02) 226076 E-mail: [email protected] the most brilliant computer code ever written. We are now only Mauritius: P.O. Box 53, Quatre Bornes, Mauritius Nigeria: United Church of God–West Africa, P.O. Box 1715, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria beginning to comprehend it. How could it have written itself through Phone: 234-1-791 8009 E-mail: [email protected] mindless chemistry? Antony Flew explained that his newfound belief South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland: United Church of God–Southern Africa, P.O. Box 2209, Beacon Bay, East London 5205, South Africa in God is based on developments in DNA research. Phone and Fax: 043 748-1694 E-mail: [email protected] Zambia: P.O. Box 23076, Kitwe, Zambia Phone: (02) 226076 E-mail: [email protected] Flew, however, is quick to add that his view of God is certainly not Zimbabwe: P.O. Box 928, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe akin to the biblical one. He sees God as merely a “First Cause” who Phone: 011716273 E-mail: [email protected] does not intervene in creation. If there is a cosmic purpose, in Flew’s PACIFIC REGION Australia: United Church of God–Australia, GPO Box 535, Brisbane, Qld. 4001, Australia conception it is unrelated to the human individual. He still does not Phone: 07 55 202 111 Free call: 1800 356 202 Fax: 07 55 202 122 believe in any kind of revealed religion or life after death. Web site: www.ucg.org.au E-mail: [email protected] Fiji: United Church of God, P.O. Box 11081, Laucala Beach Estate, Suva, Fiji Yet the mere fact that someone of Flew’s stature has reversed his New Zealand: United Church of God, P.O. Box 22, Auckland 1015, New Zealand position may mark the beginning of a sea change. Perhaps others Phone: Toll-free 0508-463-763 Philippines: P.O. Box 81840, DCCPO, 8000 Davao City, Philippines who’ve held the same views will examine the evidence and do Phone and fax: +63 82 241-0150 Cell/text: +63 918-904-4444 Web site: www.ucg.org.ph the same. And some may go further—to ponder the possibility Tonga: United Church of God–Tonga, P.O. Box 127, Nuku‘alofa, Tonga that if there is a Creator, He may have more in mind for each of us ALL AREAS AND NATIONS NOT LISTED United Church of God, P.O. 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