Orthodox Jewish Biologist argues for intelligent design

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

http://www.alternet.org/story/30335/

"On a recent Tuesday evening, Moshe Tendler, an influential Orthodox rabbi and Yeshiva University biology professor, ambled onto the stage at Kovens Conference Center in North Miami. A stately figure with a wispy white beard and heavy glasses, he surveyed the 300-strong crowd of scientists and intellectuals -- most clad in yarmulkes and dark suits with tallith tassels dangling about their waists -- and urged them to spread the word that Darwin was wrong. "It is our task to inform the world ," he implored. "Or the child growing up will grow up with unintelligent design Unintelligent design is our ignorance, our stupidity."

This may seem an unlikely message from a prominent Jewish biologist. After all, intelligent design theory -- which holds that life is too complex to be a fluke of evolution -- has been crafted primarily by evangelical Christians and spurned by most scientists.

But some Jewish leaders, like Tendler, have begun to quietly embrace the theory. And several of them went public with their support during the Sixth Miami International Conference on Torah and Science, which ran from Dec. 13 to 15 and was hosted by Florida International University's religious studies department, the Shul of Bal Harbour, and B'Or Ha'Torah journal of science. In an area with the second-highest concentration of Jews after New York -- there are 113,000 in Miami-Dade alone -- the event attracted about 1,000 Jewish researchers, intellectuals, teachers and students. There was also one prominent evangelical: Intelligent design luminary William Dembski was among the event's featured speakers.

The conversation proved divisive. Tendler kicked off the conference by attacking the idea that complex life could flow from "random evolution." "That is irrational," he said."

[Ezlivin]

1. Ignorance is equal opportunity

People of all faiths can be equally irrational.

[savemefromdumbya]

2. If so why did god make cockcroaches and silverfish before man?

Insects, bacteria, viruses were around millions (or even billions of years ago) and humans only a few million years, so why would an intelligent designer go for the cockroaches first instead of 'man'

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

3. You ever try and kill a cockroach?

There's your answer :D

[Maat]

4. They're hardly little boogers, aren't they?

We have two pets we call "the Rat Sisters." Watching them, one comes to understand why certain species and their related predecessors have lasted so long.

They are strong and adapt to almost any conditions with ease, and can accept a wide variety of food.

[pschoeb]

5. Could be politically motivated

Rabbi Moshe Tendler's son Rabbi Mordechai Tendler was expelled by the Rabbinical Council of America, on sexual abuse allegations. Rabbi Moshe Tendler has distanced himself from the organization, which he belongs to, and since they just recently announced in a letter their support for evolution, one wonder what Rabbi Moshe Tendler's motivation is. That said it is clear thet the RCA, an important Orthodox Jewish organization, with thousands of Rabbis, supports evolution.