Darwinism Defeated?: The Johnson-Lamoureux Debate on Biological Origins [Paperback]

But I began to read criticism of Johnson. I found counter-arguments that were often as convincing and as rhetorically powerful as Johnson himself. I became increasingly aware of questions that were never addressed by the good guys: If life evolved, is Christianity false? Does the Bible demand what Lamoreux calls "cosmological concordance"? Does Johnson have a plausible Christian alternative origin model makes sense of the fossils? Is it even desirable to have a supernatural scientific methodology?

The answer to all these questions is no. For those would-be Darwin Defeaters, examine Lamoureux. Question your own objectivity. Don't be afraid that any questioning is compromise, or that your whole Christian world will crumble. Contrary to popular belief, history is full of orthodox Christians who supported evolutionary creationism. Lamoreux's arguments resonate deeply with my own conclusions and intellectual development. I didn't compromise. I refused to compromise in the pursuit of truth, and it led me to the ministry.

This is a wonderful book because it finally calls Johnson to some intellectual accountability. Johnson is forceful and rhetorically powerful in his own books. But force and power is not truth. Johnson's failure here is a testimony to that.

In response to Lamoureux's thirty-eight page critique of Johnson's book "An Easy-To-Understand Guide for Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds," Johnson writes:

"I doubt if the common ancestry thesis is true. However, I do not consider this issue to be of central importance and do not attempt to argue the question for now, because certain crucial work in progress that bears on common ancestry has yet to be published."

Lamoureux candidly replies:

"This is indeed a remarkable statement! Johnson has gained international attention for rejecting biological evolution (or common ancestry), and now he claims that this theory is not "of central importance." In the book that thrust him to the forefront of the modern antievolution movement, Darwin on Trial (1991), seven of the twelve chapters attempt to argue directly against the evidence for common ancestry. Note, too, that in not wanting to deal with the scientific evidence for evolution, Johnson's escape-and-evasion tactic includes an appeal to work "yet to be published." What then is the point in having an evolutionary creationist like me in an exchange of ideas with Johnson if the topic of common ancestry is not central to the discussion?"

Johnson continues his attempt to escape Lamoureux's onslaught by claiming that he does not think it "worthwhile to discuss detailed evidentiary questions with Denis Lamoureux." Can we really blame Lamoureux for being irritated at this? Expecting Christian charity and a zeal for the truth, Lamoureux instead finds himself being denied the opportunity to cross-examine Johnson, the very thing he was asked to do by Johnson in the first place. In his frustration, Lamoureux responds by directing four pointed questions at Johnson concerning his academic authority, scientific beliefs, and poor treatment of fellow Christians. How does Johnson finally respond to these? He doesn't. Instead he excuses himself from the debate with this statement:

"I disavow Denis Lamoureux's characterizations of what I have written."

As if this was not enough of an outrage, in place of a response to Lamoureux's questions Johnson instead offers a radio transcript of a conversation between himself and Dr. James Dobson!

As a young mind attempting to discover the proper relationship between my faith and creation, I have found that Lamoureux has demonstrated beyond doubt that Johnson has little to offer us. In fact, the only thing this soi-disant 'freer of minds' has given us in this exchange is just another fillip, just one more trivial addition to the discussion at large and a deplorable one at that. It is because of this very fact that "Darwinism Defeated?" is and will continue to be a best-seller.