Famous Talk-show Host Comes Out in Support of Evolution

Conservative (morally and politically) US talk-show host Dr Laura Schlessinger, with more than 400 stations in her radio network, expressed her support for the theory of evolution on two recent broadcasts (including, last week, 21 February 2002).

Here is the response that an AiG-US staff member sent to Dr Schlessinger (more popularly known as “Dr Laura”) on February 23 (slightly edited from original):

23 February 2002

Dr. Laura,

We heard your comments Thursday (WKRC, Cincinnati) about your belief in “molecules-to-man” evolution and its compatibility with the Old Testament. A significant number of Ph.D scientists, however, would vigorously disagree.

You indicated that evolution was God’s wonderful way of creating. But why would the all-powerful Creator of the universe use such a cruel and wasteful process as‘survival of the fittest” (nature red—with blood—in tooth and claw, as Tennyson put it) to bring about the higher forms of life? The horrible evolutionary process goes completely against the nature of the loving, omnipotent God of the Old Testament1

Actually, the bloodshed and struggle for life we see today are devolutionary, and are the results of Adam’s fall and the subsequent Curse (Genesis chapter 3), and are not evidence at all of the upward progression required by evolution.

You referred to bones in museums as proof of evolution. If you could be specific, we would be glad to offer a reply. AiG has reviewed virtually every proposed “ape-man’/other supposed intermediates (e.g. Archaeopteryx) and have found them wanting.

Hearing on the February broadcast that you have studied biology and thus have chosen to believe in evolution, we would ask: where did the genetic information come from that could change, let’s say, a limb to a wing (i.e. reptiles evolving to birds—and where is the skeletal evidence of this in museums)? Natural selection preserves characteristics, and genetic mutations are information losing. Where does the genetic information come from, then, to change an animal’s DNA to make it more complex?

It is not surprising that even with her respect for Old Testament teachings (she is an Orthodox Jew), Dr Schlessinger’s secular academic background in behavioral and natural sciences has led her to embrace evolution. It demonstrates that even though a person may follow the moral teachings of the Old Testament, it does not necessarily prompt a belief in the historicity of the Old Testament.

As AiG has pointed out many times before, Genesis is not allegory or myth—it was written as “historical narrative,” and is intended to be read as such. See Why Do You Take the Bible Literally?

Concerned AiG supporters who have contacted us about the broadcasts hope that she develops “a new attitude” (to borrow her famous phrase) towards the authority of the Bible from its very first verse.

If you would like to write a respectful letter to “Dr. Laura,” informing her of the significant minority of scientists—and many Orthodox Jews—who accept Genesis as written, send a fax to (818) 461-5140 or write to Dr Laura Schlessinger, P.O. Box 8120, Van Nuys, CA 91409.