Darwin banknote not to be trusted, says Steve Jones, according to a report in The Guardian, 16 Nov 2008. As part of the widespread celebration of Charles Darwin and his work, the Bank of England is issuing £10 notes illustrated with a portrait of Darwin, his magnifying glass and a hummingbird. Although Darwin is believed to have been inspired by mockingbirds and finches, there is no mention of hummingbirds in his book Origin of Species. This has annoyed evolutionary biologist Steve Jones, who criticised the notes in a speech at the opening of a Darwin exhibition at the Natural History Museum. He said, “This is not a trivial issue. We are surprised by the numbers of people who believe in creationism and rubbish like that only to find the currency in which we place our trust is telling us lies about evolution.”
Editorial Comment: Perhaps the Bank of England knows something Steve Jones doesn’t. Considering the recent financial chaos, putting one’s trust in currency is as useless as putting one’s trust in evolution. However, Steve Jones is correct about the creation/evolution issue not being trivial. If atheists like Jones are correct, then human beings are the products of chance random processes and have no responsibilities and no value. If they are special creations, made in the image of God, they are accountable to the Creator and have eternal value. (Ref. bicentenary, philosophy, atheism)
Evidence News 12 Dec 2008