The Mystery of Life's Origin: Reassessing Current Theories

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The Mystery of Life's Origin: Reassessing Current Theories is an intelligent design religious book written in 1984 by the creationists Charles B. Thaxton, Walter L. Bradley and Roger L. Olson.


[edit] Authors

The book was written by two chemists Charles B. Thaxton and Roger L. Olson with Walter L. Bradley an engineer.[1] All three of the authors are devout Christian creationists yet attempted to try and downplay this and pretend to be neutral in parts of the book to sell more copies.[2] Charles Thaxton is a fellow of the Discovery Institute.[3]

The book has been claimed as one of the first books that started the modern ID movement in America.[4]

[edit] Overview

In a nutshell the authors attack science and reject all natural theories for the origin of life on earth and end up claiming that the Christian God did it. If the Bible had not been written they probably would not have written the book.

[edit] Reception

The book is endorsed by young earth creationists and other religious creationists who believe that the book has debunked any natural theory for the origin of life.[5][6] The book has also been supported by creationists who believe the book has proven the existence of the Christian God.[7]

The book has been universally rejected as anti-science and promoting religious pseudoscience and creationism. Scientists have written that the authors have not understood and have mispresented the theories of life's origin that they were meant to be criticising and set up arguments where they do not exist. Many scientists have debunked the claims in the book from each of the chapters.[8] Despite this some creationists still continue to claim the book has debunked evolution yet the book has nothing to do with evolution.

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. About the Authors
  2. Article at the Discovery Institute
  3. Charles Thaxton, Fellow - CSC
  4. Allene Phy-Olsen (2010) Evolution, Creationism, and Intelligent Design p. 16
  5. Ken Ham Website
  6. Muslim Creationist Website
  7. Book Review by a Creationist
  8. A Review of "The Mystery of Life's Origin."
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