Intelligent Design - Ducking Reality

Intelligent DesignDucking Reality
2016 by Joseph "Rick" Reinckens II

"If it looks like a duck ...
... and it walks like a duck
... and it quacks like a duck ...
Yes, but ...
What do you tell some quack when ...
It doesn't look like a duck ...
... and it doesn't walk like a duck
... and it doesn't quack like a duck
... and it doesn't have feathers
... and it doesn't have wings
... and it doesn't have a bill
... and it doesn't have webbed feet
... and it can't swim
... and it can't fly ...
But ... he still insists that it's really a duckand that people who claim it's not a duck just don't want
to admit ...that it really is a duck!
What would you say? ...
Claim: Disguised religion

It is certainly true that many people without a scientific background claim they are advocating
ID when in fact they are advocating their personal religious beliefs. Butas books by Stephen C.
Meyer, William Dembski, Michael Behe and others make clearmodern ID as a scientific theory
is not based on religion.
When ID detractors claim ID is "disguised religion", they are basically thinking of mainstream
Western religions, mainly Christianity, and they are conflating laypeople misusing the term ID with
scientists advocating science-based ID.
But here is a partial list of things that normally are part of religion but are not part of ID:[1]
1.
ID does not address the nature of the hypothesized designer(s).
2.
ID does not address whether there is only one designer or multiple designers.
3.
ID does not address whether the hypothesized designer(s) have existed continuously or there
are successive designer(s).
4.
ID does not address the source or origin of the designer(s).
5.
ID has no position on the possible gender(s) of the designer(s).
6.
ID does not address whetherif there are multiple designersthey all cooperate or at times
oppose one another.
7.
ID has no position on the location(s) of the hypothesized designer(s).
8.
ID has no position on the moral character(s) of the hypothesized designer(s).
9.
ID has no position on the goal(s) of the hypothesized designer(s).
10.
ID has no position on whether there was a single design "up front" or the design has been
modified over time.
11.
ID has no position on whether there is a "plan for history".
12.
ID has no position on whether the designer(s) know future events.
13.
ID has no position on the possible existence of deities.
14.
ID has no position on the nature of possible deities.
15.
ID makes no claim of supernatural or divine revelation.
16.
ID makes no claim of anyone being supernaturally or divinely "called".
17.
ID has no pantheistic view or concept, i.e., "God is the entire universe and the universe is god."
18.
ID has no position on the possible existence of "spirit beings" such as angels, demons, devils,
demi-gods, Aeons (Gnosticism), etc.
19.
ID has no concept of "nature spirits" or similar entities.
[1] The italics are also bolded because italics alone on-screen often are barely noticeable. To those reading a printed
copy, I do apologize for the somewhat "in your face!" appearance on paper.
p. 2
20.
ID has no position on the possible existence of a "spirit world".
21.
ID has no position on the possibility of "past lives".
22.
ID has no concept of "samsara", the Hindu "cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth".
23.
ID has no position on the possibility of reincarnation.
24.
ID has no concept of nirvana, release from the samsara cycle.
25.
ID has no concept of a cycle of birth, growth, destruction and rebirth of the universe.
26.
ID has no position on the possibility of resurrection.
27.
ID has no position on the possibility of an afterlife.
28.
ID has no position on "soul sleep", "universalism / universal salvation", "conditional

immortality", "annihilationism", "destruction" and other views of what occurs after physical
death.
29.
ID has no position on the possibility or possible meaning of near death experiences.
30.
ID has no position on the possibility or possible meaning of "shared death experiences". [2]
31.
ID has no position on the possibility or possible meaning of out-of-body experiences.
32.
ID has no position on the existence of some type of "heaven", "paradise".
33.
ID has no position on the existence of some type of "purgatory".
34.
ID has no position on the existence of some type of "hell", Hades, "underworld".
35.
ID does not advocate any type of moral code.[3]
36.
ID makes no attempt to encourage or discourage particular behaviors.
37.
ID has no position regarding the relationship between a person and other persons, the
government, etc.
38.
ID does not have a concept of being or having a "spirit".
[2] A "shared death experience" does not involve multiple deaths. An SDE occurs when a dying person and others
in the room experience the same paranormal phenomena. SDEs are almost never mentioned in NDE literature and
tend to be erroneously lumped in with "deathbed visions", which are the dying person's visions. SDEs are discussed
in detail in Glimpses of Eternity, by Raymond Moody, MD., PhD., ISBN-10: 0824948130.
[3] I repeatedly say "ID does not have a concept of ...." Just to be clear, that does not mean "denies". Music theory
also "does not advocate a moral code" and "has no concept of repentance".
p. 3
39.
ID takes no position on the possible distinction of a "material world" and a "spirit world".
40.
ID does not have a concept of a soul.
41.
ID does not have a concept of a spirit body.
42.
ID does not have a concept of chakra as in some Indian religions.
43.
ID has no concept of "spiritual energy".
44.
ID takes no position on possible "supernatural" or "miraculous" healing.
45.
ID does not have a concept of sin or "transgression" or trespasses against some deity or spirit
being(s).
46.
ID has no concept of "temptation" or "testing".
47.
ID has no concept of "predestination" or being "chosen".
48.
ID has no concept of repentance.
49.
ID has no concept of atonement.
50.
ID has no concept of forgiveness of "sin".
51.
ID has no concept of absolution.
52.
ID has no concept of righteousness.
53.
ID has no concept of "substitutionary atonement".
54.
ID has no concept of "imputed righteousness".
55.
ID has no concept of "justification".
56.
ID has no concept of "sanctification".
57.
ID has no concept of "glorification".
58.
ID has no concept of "divine sparks".
59.
ID has no concept of "divine emanations".
60.
ID has no concept of sefirot.[4]
61.
ID has no concept of covenants between humans and deities, spirits, etc.
[4] Pronounced say-fear-wrote, the ten "emanations of God" discussed in the Jewish Kaballah.
p. 4
62.
ID has no concept of disputes between humans and deities, spirits, etc.
63.
ID has no concept of possession.
64.
ID has no concept of an indwelling presence of a deity or spirit being.
65.
ID does not have a concept of holy, holiness, sacred.
66.
ID does not have a concept of blasphemy, sacrilege.
67.
ID does not have a concept of salvation.
68.
ID does not have a concept of a savior, Messiah, etc.
69.
ID does not have concepts of "good and evil".
70.
ID does not have concepts of "saved" and "lost".
71.
ID has no concept of guilt.
72.
ID has no concept of "spiritual gifts", "divine gifts", etc.
73.
ID has no concept of a "spiritual journey".
74.
ID has no concept of "spiritual growth".
75.
ID has no concept of "spiritual insight".
76.
ID has no concept of "rewards".
77.
ID has no concept of "redemption" or a "redeemer".
78.
ID has no concept of "karma".
79.
ID has no concept of "punishment" or "condemnation".
80.
ID has no concept of heresy.
81.
ID has no concept of oaths, vows, or similar commitments to some god, spirit, etc.
82.
ID has no concept of "judgment".
83.
ID has no concept of a relationship between humans and god(s) or spirit-beings.
84.
ID has no concept of "inspiration" from a god or spirit being.
85.
ID has no pilgrimages.
86.
ID has no scriptures.
p. 5
87.
ID has no proverbs.
88.
ID has no lectionaries.[5]
89.
ID has no other sort of "religious" writings.
90.
ID has no mantras such as in some Hindu religions.
91.
ID has no spells, hexes, incantations, imprecations, curses, supplications, potions, magick,[6]

sorcery, enchantments, etc.
92.
ID has no concept of mediums who can communicate with spirits, deities, etc.
93.
ID has no life-cyle events, e.g., bris (circumcision), receiving a Hebrew name, baptism,
confirmation, bar/bat mitzvah, marriage.
94.
ID has no literary genres, e.g., poetry, homilies, inspirational, "wisdom literature".
95.
ID has no parables.
96.
ID has no musical pieces such as Ode to Joy, Ave Maria.
97.
ID has no nigunim.[7]
98.
ID has no amulets, talismans, or similar objects indicating religious affiliation or thought to

provide some kind of protection.
99.
ID has no statuary.
100. ID has no sculptures other than depictions of atoms, molecules, and other depictions commonly
used in many fields for pedagogical or investigational purposes.
101. ID has no dietary requirements, similar to kosher, hallel (Moslem).
102. ID has no functional heirarchy, e.g., priests, pastors, bishops, cardinals.
[5] A book of biblical excerpts to be read or preached from at a given time of year or particular occasion such as a
marriage.
[6] "Magic" is what illusionists like Penn and Teller do. It uses misdirection, optical illusions, distractions, trick props,
etc. Magick is the technical term for purported use of supernatural powers, for instance where Exodus 7:11-12 says
the sorcerers of Egypt used their "enchantments" to turn wooden sticks into live snakes.
[7] A nigun (pronounced "knee goon") is a slow vocal melody using nonsense syllables such as "la la" or "yie lie lie"
(rhymes with "my") sometimes used at the beginning of a synagogue service, with the cantor singing a short
improvised phrase and then the cantor and congregation repeating it, etc. The purpose is to get the congregation into
a contemplative mood, rather than people trying to read or remember lyrics and pronounce them correctly or possibly
being distracted by whatever the particular lyrics happen to be talking about.
p. 6
103. ID has no geographic divisions such as regional districts, or the Church of England.
104. ID has no functional divisions analogous to parishes or episcopal districts.
105. ID has no paintings, drawings, etc., other than would normally be found in scientific literature.
106. ID has no hermeneutical principles (how to interpret a religion's texts.)
107. ID has no catechisms.
108. ID has no creedal statements, like the Apostle's Creed or Maimonides' 13 Principles of Faith.
109. ID has no legal code.
110. ID has no hymns.
111. ID has no prayers, prayer topics, places set aside for prayer, times set aside for prayer.
112. ID has no sacrificial practices.
113. ID has no votive offerings or deposits.
114. ID has no concept of offerings or donations of money, time, goods or services other than those
typically found in academic and scientific fields.
115. ID has no non-scientific terminology, similar to: Torah, Bible, blessed, backslider, Rapture.
116. ID has no visual symbols.
117. ID has no clergy.
118. ID has no choirs, music teams, etc.
119. ID has no rituals.
120. ID has no ceremonies.
121. ID has no funerary or burial practices.
122. ID has no "special places", "holy places", like Mecca or Jerusalem.
123. ID has no concept of worship, adoration, devotion, etc.
124. ID has no concept of tithing or other financial support obligations.
125. ID has no liturgies (prayers, songs, rituals, etc., with fixed content and/or sequence).
126. ID has no legends, stories, etc., similar to those about Abraham, Moses, King David, etc.
p. 7
127. ID has no "founding father" figures like Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Gautama
Buddha.
128. ID has no "heroes of the faith" held up for emulation, such as Paul, Joan of Arc, the
Maccabees.
129. ID has no sacraments.
130. ID has no statuses, similar to "married", "single", "clergy", "deacon".
131. ID has no personal titles, similar to Rabbi, Reverend, Imam, etc.
132. ID has no seminaries, "Bible" schools, Yeshivas, etc.
133. ID has no "Sunday school", Shabbat school, or similar programs.
134. ID has no "life application" teachings.
135. ID has no "meaning of life" teachings.
136. ID has no "purpose of one's life" teachings.
137. ID has no restrictions on or requirements for marriage.
138. ID has no ordinations.
139. ID has no induction into a "group", analogous to baptism, conversion to Judaism, etc.
140. ID has no congregations.
141. ID has no denominations.
142. ID has no sects.
143. ID has no missionaries.
144. ID has no architectural styles.
145. ID has no iconography.
146. ID has no religious culture.
147. ID has no special garments, e.g., yarmulke (Judaism), priestly robes, prayer shawl, hijab
(Islam), turban (Sikh).
148. ID has no special days of celebration, remembrance, etc.
149. ID does not require allegiance to a particular entity, e.g., Jesus or Allah.
p. 8
150. ID does not have "prophets or oracles", meaning "someone who speaks on behalf of a deity."
151. ID does not have martyrs.
152. ID does not have "ministries".
153. ID does not advocate any social justice agenda.
154. ID does not participate in social justice activities.
155. ID does not have "saints".
156. ID does not have a position on quality of life questions.
157. ID has no mystics, mysticism, or "mystical" practices.
158. ID has no "hidden" teachings or "secret" knowledge only disclosed to "initiates".
159. ID has no "overseers", similar to deacons, stewards, trustees, congregational "elders".
160. ID makes no claims of and takes no position regarding "miraculous deliverances", etc.
"Okay ... but that's only a hundred and sixty things religions have and Intelligent Design
doesn't.
"I still say ID really is just disguised religion!"
Quack ... Quack ... Quack ....
Joseph "Rick" Reinckens II, B.A., J.D.
p. 9

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Intelligent DesignDucking Reality

2016 by Joseph "Rick" Reinckens II

Claim: Disguised religion

ID does not address the nature of the hypothesized designer(s).

ID does not address the source or origin of the designer(s).

ID has no position on the possible gender(s) of the designer(s).

ID has no position on the location(s) of the hypothesized designer(s).

ID has no position on the moral character(s) of the hypothesized designer(s).

ID has no position on the goal(s) of the hypothesized designer(s).

ID has no position on whether there is a "plan for history".

ID has no position on whether the designer(s) know future events.

ID has no position on the possible existence of deities.

ID has no position on the nature of possible deities.

ID makes no claim of supernatural or divine revelation.

ID makes no claim of anyone being supernaturally or divinely "called".

ID has no concept of "nature spirits" or similar entities.