[b] [QUOTE]When taken all by itself, this quote appears to be conceding that the geological column does not contain a record of change over time. But in the body of the letter Raup is taking issue with the common but erroneous view that evolutionary change is one of orderly progress. He explains that this is definitely not the case, and compares it more to price fluctuations on Wall Street. So when Raup in his conclusion denies "a detailed and orderly progression" in the fossil record, he isn't saying it isn't a record of change, but merely that it isn't a record of orderly progress.[/b][/QUOTE]
The reason they believe it is because the alternative is special creation.