Crosstalk: March 8, 2017

Dr. Jerry Bergman has taught biology, genetics, chemistry, biochemistry, anthropology, geology and microbiology at the college/university level for over 40 years. He has taught at the University of Toledo Medical School, Bowling Green State University and Owens College in Ohio. He has written over 1,000 science publications, has published over 40 books and monographs and has been a consultant for over 20 science textbooks.

Charles Darwin is well known for his book, 'On the Origin of Species'. He was actually slated to go into the ministry. After taking a 5 year trip around the world, he began to question some of his beliefs of design in the natural world.

Dr. Bergman noted that Darwin was trying to murder God by eliminating the main reason people have for believing in God. That belief revolves around the evidence from nature. So he came up with a way to explain life through natural means; in essence, without an intelligent creator.

Has Darwinism itself evolved? Dr. Bergman believes it has and in many ways. The main way is through the belief that mutations produce genetic variety. The problem with that idea is that 99.9% of all mutations are harmful or near neutral. Near neutral means they don't destroy immediately but do cause damage. That damage does build up resulting in eventual failure of the organism and the species.

Darwin believed that there are 'gemmules' in the body that pick up information, passing that on to future generations. There is no evidence for this and even in Darwin's day this idea was viewed as fallacious.

So while aspects of the theory have changed, has it done anything to affect the moral outlook of anyone?

Darwin's theory has impacted many people over the past 150-plus years. The list includes Richard Dawkins, Havelock Ellis, Alfred Kinsey, Margaret Sanger, Sigmund Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche, Charles Manson and Benjamin Spock. Jim has Dr. Bergman give information on each of these individuals, so there's much to learn from this history tour of Darwinian influence when you review this edition of Crosstalk.