I can sum it up in three words.

[AV1611VET]

Seriously? Norm MacDonald! Granted, he's an acquired taste. Fired from SNL allegedly for not being funny, did two movies which flopped, 4 or 5 short-lived TV shows which flopped. But there are some of us in his cult following who think he might be the most brilliant comedian ever.

When he's just being honest, it's hard to tell if he's veering into performance art a la Andy Kaufman. There was a podcast once where they have comedians on to have funny interviews. He did like a full interview talking seriously about nothing but death for 2 hours, pausing occasionally to apologize "gee I guess this isn't very funny, is it".

Kinda like another Andy Kaufman, eh?

 

[PapaZoom]

I've actually read every post in this thread so far. It has actually convinced me evolution is true. That's because it started out as one thing, then it evolved into something else.

 

[DawnInVirginia]

Isn't that four?

I count four.

Does anyone else count four?

I counted it twice and come up with 8.

 

[Steven Wood]

Meanwhile, these Christians have no difficulty accepting the evidence that evolution is true:

Pope Francis: “Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve.”

Pope John Paul: "In his encyclical Humani Generis (1950), my predecessor Pius XII has already affirmed that there is no conflict between evolution and the doctrine of the faith regarding man and his vocation, provided that we do not lose sight of certain fixed points." (That's a twofer, if you're counting)

Francis Collins: "But I have no difficulty putting that together with what I believe as a Christian because I believe that God had a plan to create creatures with whom he could have fellowship, in whom he could inspire [the] moral law, in whom he could infuse the soul, and who he would give free will as a gift for us to make decisions about our own behavior, a gift which we oftentimes utilize to do the wrong thing. I believe God used the mechanism of evolution to achieve that goal"

Alvin Plantinga: "The scientific theory of evolution just as such is entirely compatible with the thought that God has guided and orchestrated the course of evolution, planned and directed it, in such a way as to achieve the ends he intends."

Ken Miller: "It’s a fact that living things in the past were different than living things today, and it’s also a fact that when we examine fossils over hundreds of millions of years, we see a series of relationships from one time period to another that document ancestor-descendant relationships as we move forward or backward in time. So, if what one means is the process of change over time, evolution is as much a fact as anything we know in science."

Simon Conway Morris: "Evolution is true, it happens, it is the way the world is, and we too are one of its products. This does not mean that evolution does not have metaphysical implications; I remain convinced that this is the case."

Bishop John Shelby Spong: "The biblical story of the perfect and finished creation from which human beings fell into sin is pre-Darwinian mythology and post-Darwinian nonsense"

Some would question your validity on the "Christianity" of these examples. I on the other hand will tell you that evolution is a complete lie. Read "The Origin of Species" and it's views on African Americans and tell me if it would even be allowed in the United States let alone its doctrine be taught in schools and considered a staple and the end all be all truth. As a matter of fact The THEORY of evolution is the cornerstone of what's wrong with this nation as a whole and Russia can be used as the utmost example. Karl Marx was a devout Christian, he went to public school and read Darwin's book. Soon after he denounced Christianity, developed the working theory of Communism and wrote a book. Not only that he wrote a letter to Darwin thanking him saying if not for him it wouldn't be possible and wanted to dedicate his book to Darwin (Darwin's wife told him he'd better stay away from it). Marx also died penniless and watched his kids starve. Another little footnote on the wonders of survival of the fittest, if Darwin knew so much take a little look into his life. Research his blood relation to his wife and the resulting afflictions of his children and what happened to them, if Darwin truly BELIEVED in evolution he would've known better. Darwin had ABSOLUTELY no idea of what he was talking about, the people that endorsed him didn't even believe him, they went along with him for civil and political gain. The main and ONLY reason that evolution exists is a Biblical, Godly reason. It's for God's purpose and used. It has a reason and is necessary even though it is FALSE.

 

[keith99]

Some would question your validity on the "Christianity" of these examples. I on the other hand will tell you that evolution is a complete lie. Read "The Origin of Species" and it's views on African Americans and tell me if it would even be allowed in the United States let alone its doctrine be taught in schools and considered a staple and the end all be all truth. As a matter of fact The THEORY of evolution is the cornerstone of what's wrong with this nation as a whole and Russia can be used as the utmost example. Karl Marx was a devout Christian, he went to public school and read Darwin's book. Soon after he denounced Christianity, developed the working theory of Communism and wrote a book. Not only that he wrote a letter to Darwin thanking him saying if not for him it wouldn't be possible and wanted to dedicate his book to Darwin (Darwin's wife told him he'd better stay away from it). Marx also died penniless and watched his kids starve. Another little footnote on the wonders of survival of the fittest, if Darwin knew so much take a little look into his life. Research his blood relation to his wife and the resulting afflictions of his children and what happened to them, if Darwin truly BELIEVED in evolution he would've known better. Darwin had ABSOLUTELY no idea of what he was talking about, the people that endorsed him didn't even believe him, they went along with him for civil and political gain. The main and ONLY reason that evolution exists is a Biblical, Godly reason. It's for God's purpose and used. It has a reason and is necessary even though it is FALSE.

The science of genetics was unknown when Darwin wrote The Origin of Species. If you knew what you were talking about you would have known that.

Edit: Also Darwin made no comments at all about African Americans in The Origin of Species and his only comments about Negros were citing other sources and those comments were minimal. One of those was "Livingstone states that good domestic breeds
are highly valued by the negroes in the interior of Africa who have not associated with Europeans." Looks like a second error. Perhaps you should try actually reading it instead or relying on creationist talking points.

 

[Cimorene]

Everything living evolves.

I can sum it up in three words, too.

 

[keith99]

Everything living evolves.

I can sum it up in three words, too.

Actually in the Darwinian sense that is false. Populations evolve, not individuals.

In another sense you are correct however it is correct. A baby evolves into an adult. In humans it is not a striking change, except in a legal sense there is no clear line between baby and adult.

 

[Chesterton]

Kinda like another Andy Kaufman, eh?

In the old days even some of his friends weren't sure whether or not he was doing Kaufman. Except he never breaks character, so it is just him being naturally eccentric, but he knows it's funny. He always plays dumb, and if he likes a joke or story he'll tell it and couldn't care less if anyone else likes it. I think that itself is funny.

He claims he's a Christian sometimes, and he'll seriously defend Christianity, but then he'll turn around and say something ridiculous, so, who knows.

Here's an even more painful shaggy dog:

 

[Cimorene]

Actually in the Darwinian sense that is false. Populations evolve, not individuals.

In another sense you are correct however it is correct. A baby evolves into an adult. In humans it is not a striking change, except in a legal sense there is no clear line between baby and adult.

I would hope people are educated enough about evolution to figure out what I meant.

 

[Gene2memE]

Some would question your validity on the "Christianity" of these examples.

Two/three popes, an Episcopalian Bishop, a Christian apologist, a Baptist minister, and two published scientists - a Roman Catholic and an Evangelical - whose layman level work includes books on the compatibility of God and evolution.

But, you know, they're not True Scotsmen afterall.

I on the other hand will tell you that evolution is a complete lie.

Go on.

Read "The Origin of Species"

Done. It took me a while though.

and it's views on African Americans and tell me if it would even be allowed in the United States let alone its doctrine be taught in schools and considered a staple and the end all be all truth.

Darwin's ideas about race were reflective of those of the society he was raised in. While they seem incredibly racist now, you could actually characterise his views as somewhat progressive for that period in English history.

However, that is beside the fact.

Darwins views about the human social construct of racism have no relevance on whether or not evolution by natural selection is a valid explanation of biological diversity.
Darwain could have been the worst human alive, but that would in no way invalidate his theory, provided it was supported by the evidence.

As a matter of fact The THEORY of evolution

Do you know what a theory is in science? Do you know how the usage of the word Theory in science, differs from the usage of theory in every-day parlance?

Here's a hint. One of these means an unsupported hypothesis, the other is an explanation of the evidence that is supported by repeated confirmation of the evidence.

is the cornerstone of what's wrong with this nation as a whole and Russia can be used as the utmost example.

Based on this statement, I'm just going to assume you're American. What does Russia have to do with the US though? It's so exciting! Let's read on.

Karl Marx was a devout Christian,

And also a German. Well, a Prussian but close enough.

he went to public school and read Darwin's book.

Really? At public school you say?

That's amazing! He must have also invented a time machine in the process as well.

Marx finished his public schooling in 1835, better than 20 years before Darwin published 'On the Origin of Species'. He finished university by 1941, 18 years before 'Species' was published.

Soon after he denounced Christianity, developed the working theory of Communism and wrote a book.

Marx developed his ideas on socialism, communism and atheism in the late 1830s through to the mid 1840s. He was already publishing socialist works in the mid 1840s and published The Communist Manifesto in 1848.

Marx certainly did read 'Species', but only in about 1860. While it was an influence on Marx, he had already been disassociated with religious beliefs for better than 15 years. His famous 'Religion is the opium of the people' line was written around 1844.

There were plenty of other thinkers and ideas that were VASTLY more influential on Marx - English economist, German philosophers and French social theorists - than Darwin every was. Darwin probably wasn't even the most influential voice in biology on Marx, that was likely Tremaux.

Not only that he wrote a letter to Darwin thanking him saying if not for him it wouldn't be possible and wanted to dedicate his book to Darwin (Darwin's wife told him he'd better stay away from it). Marx also died penniless and watched his kids starve.

I'm not sure that any of what you just wrote is true, but none of it is relevant to the validity of evolution.

Another little footnote on the wonders of survival of the fittest, if Darwin knew so much take a little look into his life. Research his blood relation to his wife and the resulting afflictions of his children and what happened to them, if Darwin truly BELIEVED in evolution he would've known better.

Wait, what? Slow down, you've lost me.

You do know what survival of the fittest actually means when it relates to biology? Here's a hint, stop thinking about individuals, start thinking about populations.

Darwin had ABSOLUTELY no idea of what he was talking about, the people that endorsed him didn't even believe him, they went along with him for civil and political gain.

Darwin published 'Origin of Species', 'Descent of Man', 'Variation of Animals and Plants' and all the others and he possessed no clue of what he was talking about.

Really?

At this point I'm just going to assume you're recycling creationist talking points and haven't actually read any of Darwin's works yourself, apart from quotemines.

As for that crack about his supporters only aligning with him for "civil and political gain", I suggest you look up the institutions that supported Darwin's ideas and the ones that opposed them. Here's a hint, one side is primarily independent naturalists and scientists, the other side is primarily religious, civil and political organisations. If I were seeking short term gains, supporting Darwin in the 1860s wouldn't have been my choice.

The main and ONLY reason that evolution exists is a Biblical, Godly reason. It's for God's purpose and used. It has a reason and is necessary even though it is FALSE.

You're fine believing what you want, just don't expect anyone else to believe you unless you can back it up.

 

[keith99]

I would hope people are educated enough about evolution to figure out what I meant.

One would hope, but your hopes would be dashed.

 

[AV1611VET]

I've actually read every post in this thread so far. It has actually convinced me evolution is true. That's because it started out as one thing, then it evolved into something else.

Ya ... but we're still goofballs!

 

[AV1611VET]

Here's an even more painful shaggy dog:

Wow!

I actually watched that!

 

[Neostarwcc]

I can sum up my response to this in two words.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

Lie or projection...

Psychological projection, also known as blame shifting, is a theory in psychology in which humans defend themselves against their own unpleasant impulses by denying their existence while attributing them to others.[1] For example, a person who is rude may constantly accuse other people of being rude. - Wikipedia

 

[[serious]]

That's what I herd.

Not to toot my own horn, but my puns come out ahead. The puns you chuck out are calf level at best. Knock it off. You've butchered these long enough so stop milking the premise.

Sorry to give you such a prime ribbing, not trying to be a jerky, just trying to corral this nonsense.

 

[The Cadet]

Not to toot my own horn, but my puns come out ahead. The puns you chuck out are calf level at best. Knock it off. You've butchered these long enough so stop milking the premise.

Sorry to give you such a prime ribbing, not trying to be a jerky, just trying to corral this nonsense.

 

[Chesterton]

Not to toot my own horn, but my puns come out ahead. The puns you chuck out are calf level at best. Knock it off. You've butchered these long enough so stop milking the premise.

Sorry to give you such a prime ribbing, not trying to be a jerky, just trying to corral this nonsense.

Ooh, ouch, a veritable blitzkrieg! Thread won, sir.

 

[timewerx]

Has the OP replied yet or still curled up and crying from embarrassment??

 

[freezerman2000]

I can sum up my response to this in two words.

What two words?