Dr. Kent Hovind has offered 250,000 to anyone who can prove evolution is true. Type his name in and do a search on him. How well can you people prove it? So far no one has earned it. Use to be 100,000.
2006-10-04 06:39:58 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am a Christian creationist. Please do not listen to anything Dr. Kent Hovind has to say. He means well, but he has a horrible understanding of science and discredits serious Christian scientists.
2006-10-04 06:43:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
What are his definitions of 'proof'? By scientific standards it has been proven. The problem is that most non-scientific people 'move the goal posts'. That is to say when an answer is given the rules of the game are changed so the answer is no longer satisfactory.
On a similar note if you can prove the existence of god, ghosts, or the super natural the Amazing Randi will give you $1 million dollars. He has a website that says this.
At JREF, we offer a one-million-dollar prize to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event. The JREF does not involve itself in the testing procedure, other than helping to design the protocol and approving the conditions under which a test will take place. All tests are designed with the participation and approval of the applicant. In most cases, the applicant will be asked to perform a relatively simple preliminary test of the claim, which if successful, will be followed by the formal test. Preliminary tests are usually conducted by associates of the JREF at the site where the applicant lives. Upon success in the preliminary testing process, the "applicant" becomes a "claimant."
2006-10-04 13:46:15 · answer #2 · answered by zatcsu 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Kent Hovind is a huxster. Him NOT accepting evidence is not proof that evolution isn't true. What the self-titled Dr. does is mix abio-genesis in with evolution and they are TWO totally different things, hence he sort of has an escape loop.
I don't "believe" in evolution. Things evolve all the time it is a FACT, the difference is that literalist Christians do not accept macro-evolution. They do accept micro-evolution, viruses and bacteria evolve all the time. Small changes in animals too.
And even if "evolution" weren't true, so what? Still doesn't prove that the Christian God is "the" creator, no more than an Invisible Pink Unicorn or Green Leprechaun.
2006-10-04 13:46:03 · answer #3 · answered by FreeThinker 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I am so tired of having to break out Richard Dawkins all the time, but here we go again...
It is more or less impossible to "prove" a scientific theory. Unless we are certain that all possible scenarios that could disprove the theory have been tested, it is not techically proven. However, what makes a theory like evolution viable is that it is refutable, meaning its concepts can be scientifically tested. To date, the theory of evolution has been tested and not yet disproved, which means until something comes along to disprove it, it is accepted as scientifcally valid.
Creationism, on the other hand, is entirely irrefutable. It does not lend itself to be proven or disproven. It comes with no scientifc evidence, yea or nea. As such, it is neither a theory or a hypothesis. It's just a story.
2006-10-04 13:49:49 · answer #4 · answered by Mark M 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A word for the wise:
I used to believe the stuff Kent Hovind had written... but a LOT of his theories don't hold water, and even other scientists who are Christians have denounced him. He has had several attempts at the money, but his panel seemingly reject everything placed in front of them.
Mind you, I am a young-earth creationist Christian myself... but there are far better researchers to turn to than Mr. Hovind. I mean no offense to either him or you, but the truth must be known... and regrettably, he hurts our stance that religion and science can indeed work together.
EDIT : Journey... I'll take you up on your bet. But, we have to wait about 120 years or so for me to show you. ^_~
2006-10-04 13:48:00 · answer #5 · answered by seraphim_pwns_u 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, but he gets to decide whether or not the proof is sufficient, and it's abundantly clear that no proof will ever satisfy him.
Tell you what: I'll give you the same amount if you can PROVE that every word in the Bible is literally true. But, like Hovind, I get to decide whether or not the proof is good.
If I never pay out the cash, will that prove that the Bible is fiction? That's the standard you're setting.
2006-10-04 13:46:46 · answer #6 · answered by x 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I can't prove that the sun will rise tomorrow, how can I prove something like evolution?
"There is no defined criteria for how the Committee will decide success or failure.
Hovind reserves the right to reject any material, without reason, prior to submission to the Committee
Even when material has claimed to have been passed to the Committee no judgment has ever been delivered "
2006-10-04 13:42:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you read all the fine print to his offer, he made it so it is impossible to do it. He included things that aren't in evolution, that need to be proved. He also wants proof for everything with no margin of error. In other worlds, if you prove that dinosaurs died off 65 million years ago, you would have to prove that it didn't happen 65.1 million years ago, which is impossible based on the accuracy of the measurement.
He set the challenge up to be impossible.
2006-10-04 16:22:04 · answer #8 · answered by Take it from Toby 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
And, I'll give one billion dollars to anyone who can prove God exists, using the same criteria used by under indictment for fraud, and well known charlatan Kent Hovind.
2006-10-04 13:56:05 · answer #9 · answered by Left the building 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It has been proved, but Xian fundies will never except the truth. Mr. Hovind should pony up 250,000 for anyone who can PROVE that Xian creation myth is true, and what other 6000+ creation stories aren't true. How well can you fundies prove your myth?
2006-10-04 13:52:56 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have to agree. "Dr Dino" as he calls himself, discredits serious Christians with embarrassing claims and hypotheses. For instance, he believes in fire-breathing dragons and lots of government conspiracies.
His $250,000 challange is, of course, worded to be impossible. Right off the bat, he re-defines evolution. Instead of the scientific, understood meaning of evolution (the change of allele frequencies in a population over several generations), he invents his own meaning, which he says includes:
- Time, space, and matter came into existence by themselves. (this is cosmology, not evolution)
- Planets and stars formed from space dust.
(this is also cosmology, not evolution)
- Matter created life by itself.
(this is abiogenesis, not evolution)
His offer is disingenuous, and his prize is uncollectable, both because he redefines evolution, and because he is having all kinds of IRS trouble.
2006-10-04 13:52:56 · answer #11 · answered by ouini 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋