The Theory of Evolution

Pete Harcoff

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... is NOT:

- a religion
- an attempt to deny God
- atheism
- an explanation for the origin of life from non-life
- an explanation for the formation of the planets and solar system
- an explanation for the origin of the universe
- responsible for the current Middle East conflict
- responsible for the events of September 11th
- responsible for your child's bad behavior and/or poor grades in school
- geology
- astronomy
- cosmology
- in violation of the laws of thermodynamics


... IS:

- a scientific theory
- biology
- an explanation for the diversity of biological life on the planet
 

lucaspa

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Good try, Pete. I wish we could convince the board monitor to fix this thread at the top of the Forum permanently. That way we wouldn't have to do the denials in umpteen threads constantly. Hey, Bear, any chance of that? You've got a group of people who refuse to equate evolution and atheism, even the atheists. Why do we have to constantly do that?
 
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Cantuar

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But Pete, if someone's pastor or a good Christian at a creationist website says evolution IS all those things, then why would a member of the flock doubt their word? Everybody knows that atheists (i.e., evolutionists) are untrustworthy and they'll say anything because they're deep in Satan's grip even if (being atheists) they don't believe Satan exists.

I mean, how long ago was the thread about evolution not being the same as atheism started? Didn't change anybody's mind, did it?
 
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PhantomLlama

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This thread should be fixed like Lucaspa suggested. However I agree that it wouldn't change anything. Many creationists I have seen here seem beyond help, as creationism seems to have driven itself so far into their minds that it has become as crucial to their faith as God himself. They can no longer make the distinction between 'creationism' and 'creation', so any attack on the former is interpreted as an attack on the latter and is automatically discounted. Any attempt to seperate the two is also seen as an attack on their faith and suffer the same fate.

But at least we can help the borderline cases and the more rational, but misled, creationists.
 
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The problem is that until the next step in human evolution takes place no one will believe that it is true and the problem with waiting until it happens is that as a race we humans have become so completely dependant on machines that we will never evolve in any noticable way, unless we become telepathic or something.
 
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Joe_Sixpack

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"The problem is that until the next step in human evolution takes place no one will believe that it is true and the problem with waiting until it happens is that as a race we humans have become so completely dependant on machines that we will never evolve in any noticable way, unless we become telepathic or something."

Egads - science fiction for the most part has been a horrible detriment to basic science education in the world. **** X-Files!
 
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Tenek

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Today at 11:34 PM Joe_Sixpack said this in Post #8

"The problem is that until the next step in human evolution takes place no one will believe that it is true and the problem with waiting until it happens is that as a race we humans have become so completely dependant on machines that we will never evolve in any noticable way, unless we become telepathic or something."

Egads - science fiction for the most part has been a horrible detriment to basic science education in the world. **** X-Files!

Hmm. Not sure exactly what you're trying to say, there. It would make sense that genetic diseases that crop up every once in awhile would no longer be eliminated, as we inhibit natural selection by keeping alive people who would otherwise die. Ten thousand years ago someone with my eyes would have a much better chance of getting killed than one with 20/20...
 
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Nathan Poe

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Pete, what are you trying to do? Don't you realize that without these tried-and-true strawmen, there's not much of a debate? Are you trying to shut these boards down?

25th March 2003 at 04:53 PM Pete Harcoff said this in Post #1

... is NOT:

- a religion
- an attempt to deny God
- atheism
- an explanation for the origin of life from non-life
- an explanation for the formation of the planets and solar system
- an explanation for the origin of the universe
- responsible for the current Middle East conflict
- responsible for the events of September 11th
- responsible for your child's bad behavior and/or poor grades in school
- geology
- astronomy
- cosmology


... IS:

- a scientific theory
- biology
- an explanation for the diversity of biological life on the planet
 
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lucaspa

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Today at 12:34 AM Cre100832 said this in Post #8

"The problem is that until the next step in human evolution takes place no one will believe that it is true and the problem with waiting until it happens is that as a race we humans have become so completely dependant on machines that we will never evolve in any noticable way, unless we become telepathic or something."


Already happened.  Genetic studies of Andean and Himalayan highlanders show genetic adaptations to living at high altitude.  Studies show that gene flow into the !Kung is pretty nonexistent and that they have some alleles no other population does.  The movie The Gods Must Be Crazy also highlighted the beginnings of reproductive isolation.  Both the !Kung tribesman and an English woman viewed the other as so different as not to constitute a potential mate.  That's how reproductive isolation starts.
 
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lucaspa

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Yesterday at 04:57 PM PhantomLlama said this in Post #5

Many creationists I have seen here seem beyond help, as creationism seems to have driven itself so far into their minds that it has become as crucial to their faith as God himself. They can no longer make the distinction between 'creationism' and 'creation', so any attack on the former is interpreted as an attack on the latter and is automatically discounted. Any attempt to seperate the two is also seen as an attack on their faith and suffer the same fate.


Yes, you've highlighted the crux of the problem as Berry discussed.  Creationists have made a logical mistake and tied the existence of God and that God created to the particular how of creation that is creationism.  As you noted, if creationism is wrong, the hard-core creationists interpret that as saying God doesn't exist.

However, IMO, we must constantly point out that logical mistake.  We might not be able to prevent the lemmings from drowning in the sea, but we have an ethical duty to try.
 
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lucaspa

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Today at 08:26 AM Nathan Poe said this in Post #10

Pete, what are you trying to do? Don't you realize that without these tried-and-true strawmen, there's not much of a debate? Are you trying to shut these boards down?

LOL! Nathan, there isn't a "debate" anyway. What you are saying is that without strawmen creationists don't have any valid arguments.  And that is true.  But besides the point.

The board can then be used to discuss the details of evolution and the implications of scientific discoveries for theology.  A much better use of internet space anyway, wouldn't you say?
 
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Jon

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25th March 2003 at 01:53 PM Pete Harcoff said this in Post #1
Evolution....


... is NOT:

- a religion
- an attempt to deny God
- atheism
- an explanation for the origin of life from non-life
- an explanation for the formation of the planets and solar system
- an explanation for the origin of the universe
- responsible for the current Middle East conflict
- responsible for the events of September 11th
- responsible for your child's bad behavior and/or poor grades in school
- geology
- astronomy
- cosmology


... IS:

- a scientific theory
- biology
- an explanation for the diversity of biological life on the planet


Remeber, this is evoultion we are talking about here NOT atheism.
 
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