Thread: Evolution is a Fact - Not a Theory

Originally Posted by Photolysis

And what things can evolution not explain? That's a very bold claim.

The dellusional extremist are certainly an amusing bunch. How about, the universe. Realize your idea of science is limited for once. Or do you know everything like the pope?

1.tao is correct about most people who believe in God not believing the Bible to be literal.

2. I believe in a higher power, but I do not see how this would conflict with evolution. When you think about it, wouldnt a higher being want the world to be able to develop itself? I would think that would be the most beautiful thing it could create. It would be like a cosmic movie to see life's trails, successes and failures. Hell not only life but the whole universe developing thanks to the laws set up, what more could such a being want then to enjoy watching his work? Without having to constantly interfere.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not talking about 'Evolution' against 'the bible'. I find there is more than 2 choices to make.

nor do I, hence why I said, not conflicting with a "higher power"

however I guess I should notate that those two parts of my post are seperate points

Originally Posted by Mystic7

The dellusional extremist are certainly an amusing bunch. How about, the universe. Realize your idea of science is limited for once. Or do you know everything like the pope?

Evolution can't explain the universe? I'm shocked.

Originally Posted by tkdyo

1.tao is correct about most people who believe in God not believing the Bible to be literal.

If they call themselves Christians, it's their book, therefore up to them to defend what it says and instructs its followers to do, many of whom do take it literally.

Originally Posted by tkdyo

2. I believe in a higher power, but I do not see how this would conflict with evolution. When you think about it, wouldnt a higher being want the world to be able to develop itself? I would think that would be the most beautiful thing it could create. It would be like a cosmic movie to see life's trails, successes and failures. Hell not only life but the whole universe developing thanks to the laws set up, what more could such a being want then to enjoy watching his work? Without having to constantly interfere.

So besides being totally unnecessary to explain how anything happened (besides some initial event or deciding on some universal constants or something), the higher power is also totally uninvolved? Therefore it is meaningless and we can totally disregard its "existence"?

yeah, pretty much. Think about it. If you were a higher power would that not be the ideal universe? One that doest require constant maintenance and you can just enjoy it?

Its why I dont concern myself with the afterlife too much.

Originally Posted by Scatterbrain

Evolution can't explain the universe? I'm shocked.

I know, right? It's almost like they think (very liberal use of that word) they know what they're talking about. The ignorance might even be cute if it weren't so fucking repulsive.

Originally Posted by Scatterbrain

Evolution can't explain the universe? I'm shocked.

So you think you can explain the universe, and then your shocked when someone normal states they don't know everything....And you wonder why I find you amusing.

Originally Posted by Mystic7

So you think you can explain the universe, and then your shocked when someone normal states they don't know everything....And you wonder why I find you amusing.

Indeed.

Originally Posted by Mystic7

So you think you can explain the universe, and then your shocked when someone normal states they don't know everything....And you wonder why I find you amusing.

OK, I'll ask the obvious question...

Where does it say that evolution explains the universe?

Originally Posted by Spartiate

Where does it say that evolution explains the universe?

You can never seem to think with your own mind.

Originally Posted by Mystic7

You can never seem to think with your own mind.

Mystic, you're a hypocrit. You say you are just learning from us but you refuse to take any information from us or absorb what we are saying. You simply put up a brick wall and stonewall anything people say and then have the audacity to call us blind. I am copying and pasting this response to any other silly posts you make until I finally see you take in something someone says and actually learn from it as you propose to be being but show no actual behaviour of doing.

~

Originally Posted by Mystic7

How about, the universe

Evolution explains the genetic variances among organisms and how the repercussions of the survivability of traits effects the future generation's genetic makeup. It deals with how the inequality of the viability of certain genes leads to a change of the status quo over time.

It does NOT deal with the origin of the universe. It does not even attempt to. That is left solely up to other fields of science. Other fields, which, by the way, are doing quite well. The origin of the universe, however, has no bearing whatsoever on evolution--whether the universe was created in a cosmic big bang, or when Ra masturbated it into existence is absolutely irrelevant. The fact is, organisms evolve. You may debate how they evolve. You may debate why. You may debate whether there is a purpose behind it. You may debate whether a creator intended a specific path for evolution. You cannot, however, deny that it IS happening, and that it has repercussions in the real world.

Originally Posted by Tsen

whether the universe was created in a cosmic big bang, or when Ra masturbated it into existence is absolutely irrelevant.

Omg that made me laugh out loud.

Very good rest of the post too.

Right... so what I have here is the theory of evolution, somehow mixed up in Godly/Unrelated/etc affairs?

Okay... so how can I inject my little musings of insanity (I jest ):

1) Evolution. By no means a perfect theory. Having done Biology for A-levels, I can understand that whilst very good at explaining the progression and diverging of species, however it won't explain the following:

• The universe - For this you need Astrophysics. Not Biology...
• The Perpetuation of Information - This is an interesting topic, but it isn't something that evolution can explain as well. It works upon different principles.

So, what can I add into this. Evolution is still a work-in-progress theory. It has gone beyond the stage of hypothesis, as it has been observed occurring within nature, but there are a few things that need to be tweaked (of which has already been discussed).

2)Religion/Atheism/etc - Personally, in any topic involving science, I'd like to see Religion kept out. Why? Because it has a nasty habit of complicating matters and generally causes flames to burst out of my screen. Of course, I have had plenty of healthy discussions around religion and philosophy, but most of the time, the discussions I witness are hardly civil. This also applies within politics, education (save for furthering the knowledge of not only one's own culture, but other's as well, as opposed to simply forcing scripture upon one), etc...

As for my beliefs, they are my own. I do not wish to be called religious, atheist, or even agnostic because of them, however, I do not mix this belief with the knowledge I have gained through science and whatever. In my perspective, beliefs and knowledge are two separate things.

3)Troll infestations. A common affliction to even the most healthy of forums. Only cured through a period of quarantine and confinement, in which in the said trolls are left in 'sensory deprivation'. Whilst one must expect a serious struggle for the first few weeks, after a long enough period, the trolls will simply curl up and disappear up their own asses, being unable to sustain themselves on other people's attention.

why is this even still a debate? Try being against evolution in any univeristy, and you'll be laughed all the way back to jesusfag county rural usa

Originally Posted by Taosaur

Your response to my request for "a sincere, thoughtful religious person's outlook" is a good case in point. I would characterize your summary as an unexamined, dogmatic, and literalist outlook, suggesting that you can't even conceive of a "sincere, thoughtful religious person."

I was just telling you what I was taught, what the Bible says, and what I thought most Christians believe, at least most Christians in my region. If most Christians think the Bible is not literal, then there is a whole spectrum of beliefs that could be considered Christianity. Making a book of rules symbolic when it determines a person's eternal destiny is a really bizarre concept. I can tell you what their books says, but it would take me as many characterizations as there are such Christians to tell you what they think. Once you say a book is purely symbolic, there is no limit to what it can be interpreted as saying. There is no book titled The Disciples' Guide to What Jesus Said He Really Meant When He Spoke Symbolically by The Twelve Disciples or "Burning Bush" Means "Hallucination Revealing The Truth About Nirvana I Found While on Mushrooms" and Other Things I Was Really Saying by Moses.

I think a lot of literalists are sincere. I question their intelligence and sanity, but I think a lot of them believe exactly what the Bible says.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

I think a lot of literalists are sincere. I question their intelligence and sanity, but I think a lot of them believe exactly what the Bible says.

Of course they are sincere. Same with the Koran. Sure, some people have realized that they can't live in modern society and follow their religion (all that rock-throwing, etc.), but a lot of people would like to change things back so that they could, and in some places they still are doing it that way.

i thought this thread could use a bit of comical releif.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1GhYGEoRfo

Well anyways, im leaning towards evolution a bit after doing more research.

Originally Posted by bluefinger

after a long enough period, the trolls will simply curl up and disappear up their own asses

Oh yeah. Like that snake that eats itself.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

and Other Things I Was Really Saying

If I ever write a book, I'm using this for its subtitle.

Originally Posted by Tsen

when Ra masturbated it into existence is absolutely irrelevant.

Atleast you have done some homework. That is suprising. Someone with some knowledge of culture and mythology.

Originally Posted by O'nus

until I finally see you take in something someone says and actually learn from it

Would this be your idea of learning or my idea of learning? Do you think I can't handle your idea of learning? Do you wish me to show you? It would be for your benifit not mine.

Originally Posted by Mystic7

Would this be your idea of learning or my idea of learning? Do you think I can't handle your idea of learning? Do you wish me to show you? It would be for your benifit not mine.

First, it would be learning: gathering new ideas and growing as an individual.

I do not see how else you would define learning unless it became a new word like "ego-inflation". Do you want to just hear people say, "Oh Mystic, you're so right, you're so sexy"? Or do you want people to actually offer ideas for you to consider to develop your already existing ideas?

I do not care if you show me or not - I am pointing out the hypocricy in your statements and how nonsequitor you are. If you can show otherwise, then I learn as an individual. More importantly, it's just fucking annoying to have someone troll around saying, "I don't care about talking to you people; I am learning from you" and then in the next sentence say, "You're blind" or some other vague response that tries to maintain some sanctimonious yet vague definition that desparately tries to reach beyond its context because it has no other chance of surviving otherwise.

The only thing to my benefit is either having you finally able to offer ideas to discuss and allow mutual enlightenment, or learn that you are someone who is a hypocrit and refuses to take others comments into consideration and just pontificates.

That is my main complaint; you are blindly pontificating vague nonsequitor nonsense.

~

Originally Posted by O'nus

"Oh Mystic, you're so right, you're so sexy"?

For the record, this is all I want people to say of me (except replacing Mystic with Mark, obviously...).