Ben Carson in The Washington Post

On Education: Evolution and creationism both require faith

An unusual controversy has erupted at Emory University over the choice of famed neurosurgeon Ben Carson to deliver this year's commencement address because he does not believe in evolution. Nearly 500 professors, student and alumni signed a letter expressing concern that Carson, as a 7th Day Adventist, believes in creationist theory that holds that all life on Earth was created by God about 6,000 years ago. It rejects Darwin's theory of evolution, which is the central principle that animates modern biology, and which virtually all modern scientists agree is true. The letter's authors are not seeking to have Carson disinvited. Instead, they say it was written to raise concerns about his anti-scientific views.

Carson has spoken publicly about his views on evolution and creationism, once telling a convention of the National Science Teachers: "Evolution and creationism both require faith. It's just a matter of where you choose to place that faith."

Source: Wash. Post "Creationist views" on 2016 Presidential hopefuls May 8, 2012

On Education: Creationists have God's ethics; evolutionists must find them

[Critics who oppose Carson speaking at Emory University said] that Carson has made comments that suggest people who believe in evolution do not have ethics. In an article in the Adventist Review, Carson was quoted as saying, "By believing we are the product of random acts, we eliminate morality and the basis of ethical behavior. For if there is no such thing as moral authority, you can do anything you want. You make everything relative, and there's no reason for any of our higher values."

But Carson said that the Review article had not published his complete quote and that he does not think evolutionists are unethical: "Those of us who believe in God and derive our sense of right and wrong and ethics from God's word really have no difficulty whatsoever defining where our ethics come from. People who believe in survival of the fittest might have more difficulty deriving where their ethics come from. A lot of evolutionists are very ethical people."

Source: Wash. Post "Creationist views" on 2016 Presidential hopefuls May 8, 2012

The above quotations are from Media coverage of nationwide political races in The Washington Post. Click here for other excerpts from Media coverage of nationwide political races in The Washington Post. Click here for other excerpts by Ben Carson. Click here for a profile of Ben Carson.
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Page last updated: Dec 15, 2021