AIG: The True Meaning of “DNA Day”

We wonder what you think of this new article at the website of the creation scientists at Ken Ham’s Answers in Genesis (AIG) — described in the Cast of Characters section of our Intro page. It’s titled DNA Day: What Are We Celebrating?

It was written by Michael Belknap. We found a reference to him at Linkedin, which describes him as “Zoo Keeper at Answers in Genesis.” Before that he was “Veterinary Technician at McClendon Veterinary Services,” and he attended East Texas Baptist University. The article begins reasonably enough:

Here in the United States we’ve recently seen something of a bombardment of declared holidays and observances: things like Law Day, National Defense Transportation Day, and Arbor Day. In the midst of all these pseudo-holidays is one that has a particular relevance today: National DNA Day.

National DNA Day was initially introduced via resolutions from the United States Senate1 and House of Representatives. Though the Senate and House only observed the day on April 23, 2003, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and other groups have pushed for the annual observance of DNA Day. According to the NHGRI website, “National DNA Day commemorates the successful completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the discovery of DNA’s double helix by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953. This annual celebration offers students, teachers and the public many exciting opportunities to learn about the latest advances in genomic research and explore what they may mean for their lives.

We don’t really need a national “holiday” for DNA, do we? Surely Congress has more important work to do. But AIG’s position isn’t because of simple practicality. As you’ll see, their objection is based on Oogity Boogity. Here are some excerpts, with bold font added by us:

It is worth noting that Watson and Crick — both outspoken atheists — were motivated to study and comprehend DNA out of an eagerness to see faith in God and belief in His Word undermined. You see, what Watson and Crick desired to discover in DNA was a way to explain how life could have come about apart from the involvement of God. Truly, they sought for an empirical confirmation of their presupposition that no Creator God exists — although [bible, bible]. So they are “without excuse” in their atheism, which is essentially neo-paganism — worship of creation rather than the Creator.

DNA Day is a celebration of neo-pagan atheism! How horrible! AIG continues:

Perhaps here it is profitable to note that paganism’s primary unifying principle is the belief that, ultimately, anything can transform into anything else; that the universe is infinitely malleable. All that is really needed are principle [sic] constituents (whose origins are either presumed infinite or are not explained) plus time and tumult.

So that’s what paganism is! Wow — those people are really crazy! Let’s read on:

In cosmic evolution, the principle [sic] element — the substance that supposedly makes anything possible — is generally considered to be hydrogen. Hydrogen is a light, colorless, odorless gas, which, given enough time, supposedly turns into fireflies, cheesecake, human beings, and so on. So, in striking similarity to other pagan myths, evolutionary cosmologists largely insist that everything that exists has come about from a bit of hydrogen, a pinch of incomprehensible time, and the requisite cosmic agitations.

Those evolutionary cosmologists can’t be allowed to have a holiday! We continue:

Likewise, in biological evolution, the principle [sic] element is DNA. Consistent with their pagan assumptions, evolutionary biologists insist that one type of organism can morph into another completely different type of organism through the modification of DNA over successive generations via the main catalysts of natural selection and mutation. In other words: principle [sic] constituents, plus time, plus tumult.

All we can say is: Aaaargh!! Here’s more:

DNA isn’t just a code like, “I-N-T-H-E-B-E-G-I-N-N-I-N-G-W-A-S-T-H-E-W-O-R-D,” where simple bits of data are merely transcribed and copied and modified. DNA and its supporting systems operate more like what just happened when you took in the information of that code, looked for a recognizable pattern, broke it down in your mind, properly established the code as familiar English words (while simultaneously eliminating other possibilities), comprehended that the code had an intentional meaning, comprehended what that meaning was, made an accurate copy by committing it to memory, and perhaps even responded physically in some way.

That is what DNA is like: it’s a complex language; it’s poetry.

Ah, yes — DNA is poetry! And that inspires your Curmudgeon to present a little verse we composed just for this occasion:

Mary had a little lamb,
“Ewe,” she said. “It’s macro-evolution!”

Yeah, that was bad. Okay, moving along with the AIG article:

Besides, even if DNA were merely a code, codes only make sense within a construct of intelligence. Codes must be read, they must be understood, and then they must be acted upon. So, just as life only comes from life, information only comes from information. DNA is not the random result of physical laws acting on matter, but neither is it just the practical product of an intelligent being. DNA is the result of an artist — the Artist. Truly, this molecule is arrayed in a way that displays the signature of the triune God.

Only a pagan would deny it. Another excerpt:

So where does this leave us, Christians? First, give thanks to God that we don’t have to guess about our origins — and we don’t have to make up science fiction tales and then convince ourselves or others that they’re true. We are told what happened by the One who made all things — things whose continued existence is dependent upon “”the word of His power”” [scripture reference].

Now he shows us how blind Watson and Crick truly were:

Of course, herein lies a great irony — a problem that mercilessly plagues every effort to provide an exclusively materialistic explanation for the existence of the universe and all that it contains: Watson and Crick were in reality attempting to disprove the existence of God by striving to understand the tangible products of His creative and sustaining words. Put another way, these men were trying to use the proof of God’s existence as proof that He doesn’t exist. This is nothing short of madness [bible, bible].

Watson and Crick were fools! And now we come to the end:

Second, on this day let’s be careful not to honor merely the structure of DNA because that would ultimately miss the point of DNA. A sequence of DNA exists for the same reason that the entity it codes for exists: to bring glory to the God who made it [scripture reference].

Hey — we have an idea: Why not combine DNA Day with Thanksgiving Day? If you agree, write your Congressman!

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