Evolution debate.

[symyjym]

Creationalists have had to agree on evolution but have bent it to fit to their belief. Like all breeds of dog came from one dog etc, but they don't believe in the common organism linking all life.

 

[Baldseagull]

WHAT?? Evolution is based on facts. Creationism is based on a book written 200 hundred years after the events they're supposed to be talking about.

Evolution = fact
Creationism = belief

It's not that hard really

I believe in evolution, however it is not a fact. There is a lot of evidence to suggest it is correct but it is not a fact.
You can see natural selection at work and adaptations of species over time, but it is nigh on impossible to explain the evolution of a single cell. Once you have a cell it is possible to imagine all the creatures that have ever lived could be formed over time with evolution, but getting the single cell in the first place is a tough one.

 

[topbanana36]

What a friggin pointless debate, why waste your time on creationists? The 'theory' of evolution is no longer a theory and is scientifically proven, and Creationsim (which is literally literally ridiculed by science) is just believed by idiots. Utter idiots.

Glad you think someone who speaks English, Russian, French, German and Spanish and teaches Science at the one of best Universities in the world is an utter idiot.

 

[Max Paper]

Glad you think someone who speaks English, Russian, French, German and Spanish and teaches Science at the one of best Universities in the world is an utter idiot.

He's right though?

 

[Baldseagull]

totally incorrect

What is the official Pastafarian stance on the origin of Man?

 

[pastafarian]

What is the official Pastafarian stance on the origin of Man?

Its all about Noodles and Pirates

 

[Albumen]

My mother in law is a creationist and she isn't an idiot. She is just firmly entrenched in the belief system that she grew up knowing as the truth. She has been given the tools to retain that belief system in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence by the Creation Ministries. She has shelves full of books which (fail to) challenge evolution and provide (flimsy) evidence that the world is 6000 years old. I my opinion Creation Ministries provide enough doubt about evolution to allow those unable to change their beliefs to continue with their truth. To me the sheer number of books she has on the subject and the stubborn refusal to even entertain the idea of a discussion on the subject hides a shaky belief in her own beliefs.

I was on the mailing list for Creation Ministries for years and read their magazine with interest for a while. While they managed to find a number of holes in evolution theory (holes which scientists will freely admit exsist) they didn't employ the same scrutiny to their own theories.

My beef is with ministers that preach the lie. It sounds like your MiL has struggled with her belief, but has put effort into it!

 

[BadFish]

My beef is with ministers that preach the lie. It sounds like your MiL has struggled with her belief, but has put effort into it!

She is holding onto it, and nothing will make her let go. Like I say CM have help her enormously with this.

 

[Albumen]

Glad you think someone who speaks English, Russian, French, German and Spanish and teaches Science at the one of best Universities in the world is an utter idiot.

If he or she is preaching something that is based on no evidence whatsoever then yes, he or she is an idiot.
My uncle used to think his ironing board was listening to him and told us all. He was an idiot.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

While some friends and I were walking along the beach recently we observed a group of people closely studying the face of the sea cliff. One of them told us they were a group of creationists who were trying to prove that the geology in the cliff face reflected their beliefs. We had an interesting discussion and moved on.

My own friends were quite polite and didn't mention to this group that they are both eminent Professors of geology with decades of academic research and practical experience around the world. Their opinion was that the geology in the cliff face is commonly regarded as being formed over several million years and certainly impossible in only 6000. I'm sure that a really 'spirited' discussion could have happened but we chose to move on.

Although I am a committed evolutionist I found myself reflecting on this event and why creationists are so devoted to their beliefs when the evidence seems to be to the contrary.

 

[symyjym]

I believe in evolution, however it is not a fact. There is a lot of evidence to suggest it is correct but it is not a fact.
You can see natural selection at work and adaptations of species over time, but it is nigh on impossible to explain the evolution of a single cell. Once you have a cell it is possible to imagine all the creatures that have ever lived could be formed over time with evolution, but getting the single cell in the first place is a tough one.

The Universe has had a lot more time to accidently create the single cell than we have had to understand it or recreate it.

I don't find life a miracle or that mankind exists, it was bound to happen somewhere in the vast Universe if not here. What I find fascinating is that against all the odds I am here.

 

[Frank Provocation]

My mother in law is a creationist and she isn't an idiot. She is just firmly entrenched in the belief system that she grew up knowing as the truth. She has been given the tools to retain that belief system in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence by the Creation Ministries. She has shelves full of books which (fail to) challenge evolution and provide (flimsy) evidence that the world is 6000 years old.

I hunger for the day when Evolution types form an alliance, make an army, then force religious types to shut up and behave or be dealt with. Especially the likes of Badfishes mother in law, seems like she's hooked and needs to be battered.

 

[Robdinho]

Evolution is not Science its still only a theory

I love this argument. I think part of the problem is that the word 'theory' means something different in day to day life than what it means in scientific method.

In everyday use, a theory is synonymous with a thought, an idea, a guess. Hence the phrase 'only a theory'.

In science this would be called a hypothesis. A theory in science has evidence to back it up.

Evolution as a process is a fact, it has been observed and merely means something changing/improving over generations.

What is up for debate is whether evolution is the route by which all life came to be as it is now. What the word theory means in this case is not 'a guess'. It means that all of the evidence we have at the minute points to this being the most likely explanation (which is as certain as one can ever be about anything if you think about it).

On the other hand, so much of creationism has been proven to be incorrect that it seems strange that people cling on to the bits that cannot be proven either way as evidence that they are correct.

 

[pastafarian]

She is holding onto it, and nothing will make her let go. Like I say CM have help her enormously with this.

But it is in the interest of the Creation Ministries to help her enormously is it not? Im sure she has spent a pretty penny on gathering all those shelves of books.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

One of the slightly alarming things about living in the USA is finding out that –

46% believe in Creationism - Gallup poll

55% believe they are protected by Guardian Angels - Washington Times

and 57% believe in the Devil - Washington Examiner

Normally as countries become more prosperous and educated they become less religious, America seems determined to buck this trend.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

I saw Ken Ham on Saturday Kitchen the other day.

He failed the omelette challenge miserably- I think it was because he insisted on using his wok rather than the traditional frying pan. Bad times.

 

[Don Quixote]

What does it matter anyway? Does it make a difference if you believed we evolved or were created by God or a bit of both?

 

[Max Paper]

What does it matter anyway? Does it make a difference if you believed we evolved or were created by God or a bit of both?

It's an easy way to spot if a person is intelligent or a moron

 

[symyjym]

I love this argument. I think part of the problem is that the word 'theory' means something different in day to day life than what it means in scientific method.

In everyday use, a theory is synonymous with a thought, an idea, a guess. Hence the phrase 'only a theory'.

In science this would be called a hypothesis. A theory in science has evidence to back it up.

Evolution as a process is a fact, it has been observed and merely means something changing/improving over generations.

What is up for debate is whether evolution is the route by which all life came to be as it is now. What the word theory means in this case is not 'a guess'. It means that all of the evidence we have at the minute points to this being the most likely explanation (which is as certain as one can ever be about anything if you think about it).

On the other hand, so much of creationism has been proven to be incorrect that it seems strange that people cling on to the bits that cannot be proven either way as evidence that they are correct.

Yep until science provides evidence that God does not exist creationalist have something to cling on to, yet at the same time they believe in something that they cannot provide evidence for.

 

[beorhthelm]

My own friends were quite polite and didn't mention to this group that they are both eminent Professors of geology with decades of academic research and practical experience around the world. Their opinion was that the geology in the cliff face is commonly regarded as being formed over several million years and certainly impossible in only 6000. I'm sure that a really 'spirited' discussion could have happened but we chose to move on.

its an overlooked part of the "debate" that geology had already destroyed the foundation of creationism, well before Darwin came along with a mechanism to explain the rich variety of life.

its also daft how creationist insist in attacking evolution for its flaws, rather than defend their own hypothesis. but of course they cant because its as solid as a wet paper bag. then they start insisting evolution is a "belief", not understanding the principles of scientific method. presumably gravity and electromagnetism are also "beliefs" in their warping of reality.