Evolution

[Guest]

As an aetheist I believe in evolution.

And please spare me the rhetoric that I am sure will follow about being an aethiest, I've heard it all.

[Tibby]

As an aetheist I believe in evolution.

And please spare me the rhetoric that I am sure will follow about being an aethiest, I've heard it all.

Man, you get defensive early. :roll:

[vs-eh?]

In my previous life I studied anthropology, specifically skeletal anatomy and evolutionary anatomy. Primates were obviously my concern. I have 10-15 texts on paleoanthropology and primate anatomy of my book shelf.

I have seen alot of primate anatomy, I have held the skulls of our potential ancestors from millions of years ago. I used to love that stuff, but now I probably would even remember what the famed A. afarensis specimen "Lucy" looks like. Or if is still considered of that genus or species.

We see random mutation on the genetic level all the time in lab studies. Combine that with environmental pressures and you get genetic adaptation.

Good simple explanation.

Adaptation/evolution...meh, kinda one in the same to me but. I think people hear evolution, that we "evolved" from chimpanzee's (which is untrue, we likely "evolved" from a common ancestor), and it scares them. The vast time frame generally involved in adaption on a species/subspecies level can't be contemplated.

Do I believe in a god? No, but I'd like to. Do I see the benefit of religion? Of course. Giving hope, guiding you in life, the benefits are obvious. People who take literal interpretations of say biblical events, and preach them as fact in the context they are presented I would take a step back. The bible, like any other religious document was likely written by a man or group of men (sorry ladies, but given time periods of foundation of most major religions) who held sway, had a new idea and it caught on. Kinda like a random genetic mutation that offered a benefit to the environment it served.

[Guest]

Man, you get defensive early. :roll:

Not getting defensive dude, just stating a fact. As soon as one mentions they are an aetheist, a lot of people start to prostelitize.

[Tibby]

Not getting defensive dude, just stating a fact. As soon as one mentions they are an aetheist, a lot of people start to prostelitize.

People do that anytime you state a belief they disagree with. Welcome to the world.

[THE_DITCH_DOCTOR]

Try being someone who planned on being a minister then had a "falling out" with God and then became an atheist... People always tried to bring me "back into the fold" but it never worked....I could just ream them with great effectiveness.

By the way, I am now a churchgoer again....albeit I am far more skeptical than I once was.

Oh, about the evolution thing....I believe in it.

[Guest]

People do that anytime you state a belief they disagree with. Welcome to the world.

Not like the crap I get when I tell them I dont believe in god.

[vs-eh?]

Straight out not believing in a God, is a little close minded. Way's of thinking change, paradigms shift. Remember theories of evolution did not exist not too long ago.

God or I assume the argument here is creationism, cannot be falsified. It relies on belief, "hypotheticals", you can't disprove something that can't be proven. Evolution can be tested against the scientific methods, challenged, found fault within. It has stood the test of time so far, and is as close to fact as you can get with a "theory".

Can I test that the world isn't created and destroyed every nanosecond by God? Can I say that god didn't make it look the evolution hasn't occured over billions of years? We impose modern human emotion and characteristics on God.

Seriously, when I die, do I hope that God rolls up to me in a 5.0 and say's "Get in. Well, what do ya think now?" Of course, but realistically I doubt it will happen. God is a creation of Homo sapiens, likely within the last 200-300k years.

[emt_hound]

Tibby...

"Do Deists believe that God created the creation and the world and then just stepped back from it?

Some Deists do and some believe God may intervene in human affairs. For example, when George Washington was faced with either a very risky evacuation of the American troops from Long Island or surrendering them he chose the more risky evacuation. When questioned about the possibility of having them annihilated he said it was the best he could do and the rest is up to Providence."

From Deism.com...under the FAQ page on defining Deism and its tenants.

"Abandoned" is a harsh word and not one I ever heard before when discussing deism...but you can go the site and see what others have written and make your own conclusion.

[Guest]

Straight out not believing in a God, is a little close minded. Way's of thinking change, paradigms shift. Remember theories of evolution did not exist not too long ago.

God or I assume the argument here is creationism, cannot be falsified. It relies on belief, "hypotheticals", you can't disprove something that can't be proven. Evolution can be tested against the scientific methods, challenged, found fault within. It has stood the test of time so far, and is as close to fact as you can get with a "theory".

Can I test that the world isn't created and destroyed every nanosecond by God? Can I say that god didn't make it look the evolution hasn't occured over billions of years? We impose modern human emotion and characteristics on God.

Seriously, when I die, do I hope that God rolls up to me in a 5.0 and say's "Get in. Well, what do ya think now?" Of course, but realistically I doubt it will happen. God is a creation of Homo sapiens, likely within the last 200-300k years.

Because one doesnt believe in god doesnt make one closed minded. Do I believe in a higher being, other than god, yes. Do I believe that this higher being created heaven, earth, people etc. no. I should have said I am a practioner of buddhism, and have been for 25 yrs.