Article by Cameron Spink

I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I received Charles Darwin's Origin of the Species as I walked through LaTrobe University. This book was being handed out by people from different church groups. What is particularly encouraging about this book is the fifty-four page introduction by Christian evangelist Ray Comfort outlining the history and the problems of evolutionary theory:

"Tens of thousands of copies of a special printing of Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" that include a special forward pointing out the gaps in the theory of evolution, the improbabilities it assumes and the still-missing "missing link" are being distributed Down Under by Christian author and activist Ray Comfort..." World Net Daily

Some things listed in his introduction include the lack of fossil records to support evolution, the lack of transitional forms observed in creatures today and the biological discrepancies that suggest evolution has no merit.

The reason these books are being given out now is simple: Richard Dawkins, the staunch defender of evolution and one of the world's foremost atheists is in Melbourne, Australia this week in preparation for the Global Atheist Conference this coming weekend.

Ray Comfort is well-known in the States for his book You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence, But You Can't Make Him Think: Answers to Questions from Angry Skeptics which tickled Richard Dawkins the wrong way and caused Dawkins to both refuse to debate with Ray Comfort as well as class him in quite derogatory terms.

This is encouraging for me because at times it feels like it is only the atheist side that are mobilising. It is great to see there is resistance to the atheist's shout that the only way to "celebrate reason" is to have an atheist world view.

Sometimes free thought seems pushed out the door and people cannot have any world view, regardless of evidence, that does not point to a naturalistic (natural effect and appearance) conclusion.

One should always question their beliefs whether it be Christian or Atheist. One cannot just be prejudiced by their worldview to reject reasonable evidence that is sitting in front of them. Above all, we must remember that this debate needs only one ingredient, the capacity for free-thought. Disregarding opinions and evidence does not lead to intelligence, it merely restricts your mind and your thinking. What is more important to say: "Don't question evolution" or "Don't question the right to have a voice"?