Does it sadden you that most people think that evolution is BS???

Question

Ithink it's really sad.......Darwin must be rolling in his grave.... :-(

Answer 1

Yes, it saddens me ... and as an American, it embarasses me.

But for the record ... it is not "most people."

First, this limited to Americans. Evolution is far more accepted in most other parts of the civilized world. In a study published just last month the U.S. ranked 33rd out of 34 countries (with only Turkey falling below us) in the grasp of genetics and acceptance of evolution.

And even in the United States it's not a "majority". The percentage of Americans who overtly reject evolution has dropped from 48% to 39%. (The number who accept evolution also dropped, but not as much, from 45% to 40%.) The number of Americans who are unsure, has increased, from 7% to 21%.

(All this despite the fact that within among scientists, acceptance of evolution is about 95% among American scientists, and 99.8% among scientists from other nations.)

To me, the decrease in people rejecting evolution, and the large increase in the number who are unsure, shows that the fundamentalist movement in the U.S. has been successful not at gaining converts to creationism ... but in succesfully *confusing* people ... specificlly, non-scientists. Fundamentalists should be proud of the great service they are doing to the scientific literacy of Americans. Woo-hoo ... we're number 33! we're number 33!

Answer 2

Sure, but fundamentalist scientists are partly responsible.

They could acknowledge that there is no scientific evidence about how the big bang started, and that a higher power is as good an answer as any, scientifcally speaking, It would go a long way toward convincing a whole lot of people that it didn't all flash into being 4000 years ago, wth dinosaurs and man walking the Earth together.

There's fault on both sides here. So I am far more sad that scientists don't reach out to religious people to explain to them that accepting evolution need not mean rejecting the idea that a higher power created man and watches over man today.

Answer 3

Most people do not think that evolution is BS. This world is not made up of mostly Christian fundamentalists. Personally they do not sadden me, they have a right to their own opinion even though I do not agree with it. What does sadden me is the fact that people feel the need to start arguments about it on here ad infinitum that are completely counterproductiive and pointless because this website is not a soapbox, its a question and answer forum, not a place where people should seek validation for an opinion that no one's answer on here will ever change.

Answer 4

Yes and No. I have no problem with people who don't believe in evolution based purely on Faith in their religion. Can even kinda respect that commitment. But as a paleontologist, I get very upset by the scientific sounding lies and deception pushed by the American 'Intelligent Design' set. I guess I feel sad for some of the people who are taken in by it.

Fortunately few people in my country think evolution is BS, it's only on the web that I get confronted by the worst side of the American/Middle East anti-evolution movement. During Darwins own time, a majority of people didn't believe in evolution - he was very nastily criticised constantly. I think he would be relieved to see that it is only the fundamentalist religious heartlands of the USA and Middle East to go.

Answer 5

It saddens me that so many people are completely uneducated on the subject. If everyone was educated on the science of the subject, and they still believed it to be false, I could accept that. Their priority might be faith over science, but at least they would know what they were talking about. The worst questions on here are when creationists post a smug question they think shows that evolution is false, and in reality, their question shows a complete lack of any knowledge on the subject. The one that really gets to me is the "why are there still apes around". Now you've gone and got me worked up.

Answer 6

Yes it saddens me. The amount of observable evidence supporting the theory of evolution is, in my humble opinion, extremely compelling. Our cumulative knowledge of the fossil record and genetics really makes the theory of evolution almost seem factual. Many people have tried to disprove evolution and none have succeeded. There are gaps in the fossil record but that is to be expected.

I cannot read Genesis and clearly understand what it describes. All that about separating the waters above and below the firmament is a bit sketchy to me, does that mean that heaven is the sky and the waters are above and below the sky? If so how can the sky reach above the tops of the clouds? if not then exactly where is heaven (the firmament) and where are the other waters? Clearly there are themes here beyond the understanding of mortal man. Why can't God's initial conception of a day also be beyond our understanding? Perhaps the first days described in Genesis took Billions of our years to play out. Perhaps evolution is God's law and part of His plan. I fail to see how the theory of evolution goes against belief in God. People try to simplify the Bible and in doing so they both trivialize God and elevate themselves, it seems a little blasphemous to me. No one can truly know the thoughts and workings of God. Though I like to believe that God receives enjoyment from our increased understanding of His creation. I imagine Him watching Darwin and thinking "That's using your brain".

Answer 7

I am a Catholic, Darwin was a Christian, and we all know that the Bible is not law. It is stories and parts of history. How the world started may be disputed until the end of time. Christian fanatics need to open their minds and quit being so gullible. I have always been told to read between the lines. Maybe Christian fanatics should do the same.

Answer 8

Yeah.

Less about evolution than the display of the human to choose comfort over uncertainty, to cling to a belief system or ideology without regard for the consequences. Humans are masters of denial, & not very good @ considering the long term consequences of anything they do.

So, I love them, I am one of them, but still, I have to shake my head sometimes...


;-)

Answer 9

Not at all, considering that unfortunately people have chosen to shorten the term "theory of evolution" to just "evolution", as if it's been proven scientific fact.

In the written history of man, I don't think you'll see any indication that a human has observed "evolution". Yes yes.. millions and gadzillions of years. Lemme ask you this. What sets evolution in motion. Did a fish swim by the shore one day and say "gee. I wish I could walk on land. I guess I'd better pass the message on for my thousands of future generations. One of my future relatives is bound to "evolve into it" one of these days.

It's nonsense. Aside from my opinion, I think it's great how not many people have come to terms with the fact that Darwin denounced evolution before he died, clearly stating that it was just a theory of his.

I won't speak further of this. I could keep going.

Answer 10

Tell yer what... evolution is bullshit. Darwin was just a british asshole who just wants fortune.
There is proof that falsifies Darwinism. Firstly, how is it that animals evolve physically due to adaption? It's not possible! Maybe mental changes, but no physical.
Also... in his book - On The Origin Of Species... he mentioned veistiges- organs that live in imperfect form or condition. He says they loose their function over time. This means that if our organs in our internal systems were vestiges, back, back, back, they would have lost their function and there wouldn't be any life on earth! See!??
This is not the only proof!

Just think... he's british!