There is the theory of light, theory of gravity; why do theists have trouble with the the theory of evolution?

Question

It seems crazy to me that so many people don't understand how the word "theory" is applied in science. It is understood that gravity, light, evolution, electricity, earthquakes, etc. occur and exist. We posulate a "theory" to explain how they might work. That is the best we can ever do.

Answer 1

I'm constantly amazed at the propaganda against evolution that Christians spout. The "its so full of holes" thing is something that no honest scientist would say -- it's only pseudo scientists who say things like that. People who start with a conclusion and then try to defend it, rather than looking at the data and seeing where it leads.

The theory of evolution is one of the most successful theories in all of science. It explains so much of what we see when we examine life on earth. People who think that only archeological data is used to justify evolution are ignoring lots of other data. Data from genetics is especially useful. The modern theory of evolution includes models that predict rates of genetic drift, and by examining the genetic markers in lots of people it is possible to correlate genetic drift with athropologic data about known migrations of races of men in the past.

In fact, by studying the Y chromosome we are able to isolate just the male line, and by studying mitochondrial DNA we are able to isolate just the female line. Studies done on these two independent types of DNA are very revealing. They show consistency in many ways, but they also differ in an interesting way. They show that in the past, women tended to travel more than men. This might seem unituitive, because you would think that men might go off on long trips for hunting or wars, and women would stay behind, right? However, men tended to return back after their wars, and take home women that were captured, so in reality it was more common for women to be relocated permanently.

So, you evolution deniers are denying reality. I think that if there is a God, then he used evolution as his means of creating the diversity of life, and he's probably not too happy with people who are spreading lies about the way he works.

Answer 2

The theory of light - Quantum Electrodynamics - and the theory of gravity - General Relativity - are theories that make precise predictions that can be verified my experiment. As soon as experiments show that observations do not match predictions - it will be discarded and a new theory will take its place. This is in fact what we see happening in Physic today. Theories that have been verified by hundreds of experiments are being discarded because they are unable to explain key experimental observations.

The theory of evolution we have today makes no predictions and so it cannot be verified. It is more a belief system that attempts to hold all biological phenomena in a unity. As new observations are made, the priest of evolution come out and attempt to explain how the observation is consistent with the unity of evolution. They describe plausible paths that connect events that when destroyed by new observations simply change the paths and provide new explanations.

Instead of singing praises to an unknowable Creator, they sing praises to an unknowable Natural Selection. Instead of believing that intelligence permeates all of creation, they chose to believe that "stupid chance" governs all we see in the universe. They criticize theist for intolerance, while they go on witch hunts to drive out any who don't pledge unquestioned faith to what they call "science". Slime as more chance of evolving into intelligent life than Darwinist seeing that different lines of scientific investigation should be pursued.

Evolution. Its not a theory, its not science - its a religion. A religion mandated by federal courts.

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OBTW - Don't give me that DNA, genetics or even common ancestor are any proof of evolution. Remember the fundamental premise of evolution is that dumb chance combined with an unknowable entity called Natural Selection are responsible for all we observe.

God forbid - I'm sorry - Darwin forbid that anyone actually investigate Natural Selection and question how it creates complex design much less intelligence. No - it is sufficient to say I have eyes to see and ears to hear, walk upright and have a large brain because Natural Selection determined that was the best form of all other possible forms for me. How is this different from the story of Genesis? Reality I can handle - its these irrational leaps of faith I have to question.

Answer 3

The problem with theories is there isn't always a way to prove them. Unless you've come up with a time machine that I don't know about, then I'm guess the evolution of humans from primates is going to remain a highly contested theory.

Unfortunately less educated ppl mistaken theories for facts when in reality they're just, in the simplest of forms, ideas based in the most part on facts.

Evolution is argued about for the same reason that religion is argued about. Because a lot of people believe that their beliefs are the only right ones and that nobody else has a right to a different belief. Next question

Answer 4

In response to davlynark - so God told you the truth? Was it over coffee? What color was his hair? Was it long or short? What color were his eyes? What are the exact words from his mouth? Was he fat or skinny? Was he black or white? Was he more or less than 6 feet tall? Unless you can answer these specific questions, he didn't tell you anything. What you want to believe is that the Bible "tells" us the truth. But there are a lot of books out there and not of them tell the truth - why should we believe the Bible, written 400 years after Christ died, and not by anyone who knew Christ, let alone had a talk with God. And in case you didn't know this, the Bible is the end result of picking from more than 100 different versions submitted and written about the life of Christ. SO what do you think, O So Smart One, about the other versions that were edited out and didn't make the final cut? Do you know why they didn't make the final cut? Can you name one of those that wrote a 400 year old story of Christ that was not accepted into the Bible? Your definition of "truth" is suspect, not based on fact, observation, or personal experience. Someone ( or several someones ) say some things and you believe them.

Answer 5

Theists don't understand the idea of a "theory" at all.

They just accept blindly that light and gravity and electricity exist in the way science describes, and get all pissy about evolution because it contradicts the Creation myth, whereas gravity and all that doesn't.

Although, I have run into some Christians who still believe in geocentrism based on the Bible....*shakes head*.

Answer 6

I'd say it's always the theists the last to accept anything controversial in science when the pressure of holding onto an outdated belief finally resulting to unpopularity of their church, diminishing members, losing tithe. I suspect it will just be a matter of time when the church would be bent to accept the theory or risk alienated from the mass, lose their appeal and clout to influence government policy. Unaware of their hypocracy, they themselves are proving the theory when engaging their survival towards who's the fittest.

Answer 7

That particular theory is a problem for theists simply because it threatens their world view. Most people think that they have a good bead on things and to think otherwise is far too scary. There are those who love the box and those who love to be outside of it. We as a society are raised on fairy tales. Is it really any wonder that many of us grow up and believe the most amazing one ever told? To theists, particularly xtians, a 'theory' pales in comparision to the promises in the good book. Gotta hedge your bets ya know.

Answer 8

Christian leaders know that if they accept the theory of evolution then its BYE BYE to 'Adam and Eve and the garden of eden'. Which means no 'Original Sin', which means no need for a saviour, which means No second Adam, Which means Jesus aint sh!t, which means no need for a personal relationship with the imaginary Jesus to avoid being tortured by God for all eternity. Which of course means , No more Cashola for the leaders.

Answer 9

the the theory of light and gravity have been proved. The evolution will never be proved It needs to be struck out of text books ! Teenagers should be treated with respect and decency,not be taught fallacies in school!

Answer 10

Theories are weak....they are excepted because its all we know as truth at the time. Dont forget that once (long ago) man proved that the earth was flat and the sun revolved around us.

When it comes to evolution.....its so full of holes that its not even funny. One guy says we stem from birds, another monkies, and another fish. Yet nobody can ever find a missing link for any of these. The closest we have is "Lucy" the oldest monkey bones we could find....that means jack sh!t.