Richard Dawkins refuses to debate the views of Darwin. Image from Wikipedia.
Joel Kontinen
Turkish activist Adnan Oktar, who uses the pen name Harun Yahya, is a colourful anti-evolutionist. Yahya is a devout Muslim and often comments on fossil finds and the reporting of science publications. His views have spread throughout the world through books, DVDs and the Internet and for instance National Geographic and New Scientist have written about him.
Recently, Harun Yahya challenged Richard Dawkins to debate evolution but Dawkins turned down the offer. Dawkins explained that he has vowed not to debate with creationists. Yahya concluded that Dawkins is unable to defend evolution.
Yahya’s claim might have some truth in it. Darwins could well be afraid that he would lose the debate. When American creationist pioneers Henry M. Morris and Duane T. Gish of the Institute of Creation Research (ICR) debated with evolutionists in several US universities in the 1970s, they almost always won the debates.
Although Harun Yahya has brought about much good with his writings, Christians should take a critical approach to his views on science and Christianity. He believes in millions of years of earth history and as a Muslim he rejects the Jewish-Christian idea of the Jews being God’s chosen people. In addition, he claims that the doctrine of Trinity is a heresy.
We should keep in mind that although resisting evolution is recommendable, God has revealed to us in the Bible that He has chosen Abraham’s descendants as His special people and that we can only be saved through faith in Jesus Christ, who is God’s only begotten Son (and not only a prophet as Muslims believe.)
Sources:
Morris, John D. 2002. Duane Gish: The “Bulldog” of Creation Ministry. Acts & Facts 31:3, 1-2 (March 2002)
Yahya, Harun. 2008. Darwinism-Watch. Com. http://www.darwinism-watch.com/index.php?git=makale&makale_id=1577
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