Do I Have to Believe Evolution?

[Elderman]

Well,For 116 years it graced the halls of the National Museum of Wales at Cardiff—the fossilised skeleton of a 200m[illion]-year-old predator that once cruised the Jurassic seas,” says Britain’s newspaper The Guardian. “Then curators at Cardiff decided the remains of the ocean-going carnivore ichthyosaurus needed a brush up—and realised that they had been taken in.” “When we stripped off five layers of paint we found it was an elaborate forgery,” said conservator Caroline Buttler. “It was an amalgam of two types of ichthyosaurus plus a clever attempt at fake parts.” Instead of disposing of it, the museum will put it on display as an example of a fake fossil.

[mibn2cweus]

//Hang around for a few million years, and you may see changes in some of the larger, slower growing species as well :)//

Given a sufficient period of time, one might hope to observe some evolution in certain peoples beliefs as well . . . as painfully slow as that process appears to be at times.

[Elderman]

‘No we haven't stopped evolving’.

In the last two decades, about 19 million died from AIDS, and some 35 million now have the virus that causes it. Millions of children are left without parents—they died from AIDS. And untold numbers of babies are dying from AIDS, passed on to them when they were still in the womb.
More suffering is being inflicted on children in other ways. Citing information provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), England’s Manchester Guardian Weekly stated: “In the wars of the past decade, 2 million children have been killed, 4-5 million disabled, 12 million made homeless, more than 1 million orphaned or separated from their parents and 10 million psychologically traumatised.” Add to this an estimated 40 to 50 million abortions worldwide—every year!

Many view the future with foreboding. A group of scientists stated: “Human activities . . . may so alter the living world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner that we know.” They added: “Even at this moment, one person in five lives in absolute poverty without enough to eat, and one in ten suffers serious malnutrition.” The scientists took the occasion to “warn all humanity of what lies ahead” and said: “A great change in our stewardship of the earth and the life on it is required, if vast human misery is to be avoided and our global home on this planet is not to be irretrievably mutilated.”
Why has God allowed so much suffering and wickedness? How does he purpose to remedy the situation? And when?

[mibn2cweus]

Perhaps reliance on God to solve our problems is largely responsible for our own lack of response to them . . . if not the cause of them.

[jomifl]

Elderman.. you do pick and choose your scientists don't you?

[sandyRoe]

Eichmann, you write as though you may have the answer. Will you share with us?

[naomi24]

Ahh, fake monsters to more gloom and doom. I suspected he'd get there eventually.

[rov1100]

Random mutations of a 4 letter code to produce a 3 billion length string in the correct order without errors would take much longer than Earth has existed ie about 4.5 billion years. Remember mutations occur in humans quite rarely and when they do we get unpleasant results such as cancer.

[mibn2cweus]

Cancer . . . because God likes to roll the dice too.

[jomifl]

Rov ..or sickle cell anaemia which protects against malaria.

[old-wos-is-name]

Isn't a bit strange that we have five fingers on each hand, and so do most animals on this earth? why only five, ten would have been even better, or was it because their gloves would not fit?

[jomifl]

Most animals on this earth do not have hands.

[WaldoMcFroog]

"But why should someone who questions a theory be labeled incompetent, uninformed, a ‘prisoner of old illusions and prejudices’?

Well, when the person concerned is you, it's because you fail to respond to requests for evidence, clearly don't understand the theory of evolution, as demonstated in your posted claims of "evolution says X" where X is completely contrary to the theory, and clearly is solely relying on creationist sites, it seems appropriate.

[birdie1971]

Elderman

You earlier state, “... when scientists use the weight of their authority to impose blind belief in evolution, they are in reality implying: ‘You are not responsible for your morality because you are merely the product of biology, chemistry, and physics...”.

I've never once heard any scientist state that a person is not responsible for their own morality. I strongly suspect that your above paraphrase has been invented by you or another religious apologist. I would therefore be grateful if you could provide me with a link to verify your statement.


You also state, “... A group of scientists stated: “Human activities . . . may so alter the living world that it will be unable to sustain life in the manner that we know... Even at this moment, one person in five lives in absolute poverty without enough to eat, and one in ten suffers serious malnutrition... [we want to] warn all humanity of what lies ahead... A great change in our stewardship of the earth and the life on it is required, if vast human misery is to be avoided and our global home on this planet is not to be irretrievably mutilated.”.

I also strongly suspect that this quote is bogus. Who is this 'group' of 'scientists' who apparently jointly released the above statement? It sounds to me like it has been penned by a creationist/religious apologist (by the used of the phrase, “stewardship of the earth”) and placed into the invented mouths of a group of anonymous 'scientists'. Once again, I would be grateful if you could provide me with a link.


It is clear that you haven't bothered to click on the link I provided above to the Talk Origins website, http://www.talkorigin...-misconceptions.html. Do yourself a favour and read it. If nothing else, it will at least let you know the facts about what it is you're arguing against.

It is also quite obvious that you find it impossible to stick to any one subject. You're now banging on about AIDS which bears no correlation to the matter currently under debate. What's the matter? Have things got a little too complicated for you so you've decided to abandon talking about evolution and return to what you think is safer territory – the reasons for suffering and wickedness?

[birdie1971]

Trying again with the link...

http://www.talkorigin...q-misconceptions.html

[Elderman]

Birdie:
No things have not got complicated. But you don’t seem to realise that it all ties in.
If some scientists are willing to speculate that life came from an extraterrestrial source, what is the basis for ruling out God as that source?
Anyway, I don’t see why I should do all the leg work. You have the internet and its resources just as I have.
But to put you out of your misery here is some research for you to do.
http://www..lbl.gov/S.../Archive/LSD-DNA.html
If you are into reading there is the New Scientist magazines – look at 30 May 2009 page 18 .
Scientific American – June 2007 p48
I could go on and on.
Why so many false stories? Basically because those doing the research need spectacular headlines in order to continue to receive funding. No headline – no funds. Therefore they are encouraged by the media both in print and electronic to provide dramatic stories.

[naomi24]

Elderman, //If some scientists are willing to speculate that life came from an extraterrestrial source, what is the basis for ruling out God as that source? //

The leap between a potential extra-terrestrial source and an imaginary supernatural source is a giant one.

[Elderman]

You ought to know Naomi you say you Understand every think.

[jomifl]

Elderman.. when has Naomi ever said that she understands everything.? You are just assuming that because you think she knows more than you:-)

[Elderman]

No you said, Humility does not involve having a submissive attitude, it involves not believing we are right all the time..try it sometime.

[LazyGun]

@ Elderman and everyone else,

Elderman says:

"No you said, Humility does not involve having a submissive attitude, it involves not believing we are right all the time..try it sometime."

I am sure that I am not the only one who can spot the irony of your comment.