Evolution is just a theory, right?

Question

The number one point that christians use to attack evolution is that it is just a theory. Because it is just a thoery it has to be proven before the churches can accept it. Now hear this: Electricity is just a theory, but I don't see any church, small or big, rejecting it (amish excluded). They should reject it because electric light is man made imitating the light that god created. They should reject it because it was developed through scientific process, and science pursues knowledge. The original sin is eating from the tree of knowledge. I think christians do not reject electricity because otherwise they would not be able to bring people in church to give their money. How would a multimillion dollar megachurch survive without some air-conditioning, lights, microphones, projectors, electric musical instruments, etc? How would any size church bring in big money without these amenities?

Electricity is just one example.

There is current and voltage law, but it is electric theory.

I had to repost this question because it was deleted based on chat and personal communications. Please feel free to answer again.

I will repeat myself and try to make it a little more clear for everyone in confusion.

There is Voltage Law, there is Current Law, there is Ohms Law, and many other laws related to the electric theory. However, electricity is still a theory. Some answers already posted explain it better than me.

Answer 1

Ok.

Yeah, it's just a "theory". A SCIENTIFIC THEORY. Not a "theory" in laymans terms.

A theory is an explanation of a set of related observations or events based upon proven hypotheses and verified multiple times by detached groups of researchers. One scientist cannot create a theory; he can only create a hypothesis.

In general, both a scientific theory and a scientific law are accepted to be true by the scientific community as a whole. Both are used to make predictions of events. Both are used to advance technology.

The biggest difference between a law and a theory is that a theory is much more complex and dynamic. A law governs a single action, whereas a theory explains a whole series of related phenomena.

The vast majority of people misunderstand what "theory" means in the context of science and will base their assumptions about evolution on their faulty knowledge. In truth, a theory is accepted as fact by the scientific community. It may be tweaked and made more elegant, but overall it doesn't change.

Answer 2

The weakest part of your question is the phrase "just a theory". It plays to the empty rhetoric of a vocal minority of Bible-believing Christians. The word Law refers to highly reproducible observations. The Law of Universal Gravitation, Coulomb's Law, current or voltage laws, are all tested. Newton did not test the Law of Universal Gravitation; he used it to make a global explanation of Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion, a set of reproducible observations and analyses of the motion of planets.

Gravity is "just a theory". Electricity is "just a theory". Evolution is "just a theory". In each case, there is extensive evidence and few contradictions. Electricity (or more accurately electromagnetism) is the best proven. It has been evaluated such that many constants are known to ten decimal places. Quantum electrodynamics, Maxwell's equations, atomic theory and many other aspects are tightly nailed down. There are still some unanswered questions. Gravity is not so well categorized. The constants are not as precisely determined. Quantum gravity has not been solved. Gravity waves have not been demonstrated. There are more blanks to be filled in.

Comparing evolution to gravity and electricity is tricky. It is the least well characterized despite the most information. There are more forms and less binding rules. Evolution explains the diversity of life on Earth, the complex interactions of species, the genome, antibiotic resistant bacteria and many other problems in biology. It also has the most open ends -- most notably the fact that most creatures are not fossilized.

In the end, I'm not as cynical as you. Most Christians accept evolution. Biblical literalists do not. A small subset of them have such hatred of evolution that they use rhetoric, deception, and in some cases (the greatest minority) outright lies to attack it.

Answer 3

In order to comprehend spiritual matters, you must analyze and correct your definitions, essentially, become un-lost. Evolution is a "GIVEN" and Divine "Instant Manifestation" or Creation is a "GIVEN." Truthfully, Creation is the real pattern played out in our manifestation or history. Paradoxically, you and everyone else are basically instructed to explore the falsehood, the other Given, Evolution. This exploration forms a foundation for scientific knowledge.
You need to get this: This is the First Paradox for you to handle. Divinity can handle many, like juggling balls, without becoming lost or distracted. Surely, you can get this most simple gift, right? I know, complicating matters is the fact that your memory of prior physical manifestations, your memory of heaven and the various manifesting stages, has been blocked, but that just makes things a bit more interesting...something to find out just how lazy you are.
Christians attack evolution because they became lost. Their definitions do not work, and their power diminished.
Your question has too many elements in it, indicating a disordered mentality. Please ask one at a time. You have actually asked for answers to the following questions:
1. Evolution real or not? 2. Why Chrisians attack evolution? 3. Exactly what is electricity? 4. Why do Amish reject electricity? 5. What is original sin? 6. Explain Tree of Knowledge for real. 7. What is the deal with megachurches?
See what I mean? Too much. You need to focus.

Answer 4

Then answer 2 very simple questions.

1. If natural selection works, how did it start? You need something to select, don't you?

2. OK, that was an origins of life question. So, how did life originate, spontaneously?

3. How in the world can matter, cause and effect, create information? Somehow, eyes, hearts, lungs, legs, muscles, veins, hair, tear ducts, etc., had to begin. I think it is easier for the immensity of sand, with the interplay of waves and storms, to create a simple microchip, than, the complexity of life and existence.

4. Do not think in terms of Christians. It takes 4-5 steps of faith to get there. Think in terms of basics. The universe and life is caused, not uncaused. At least, that is what I believe.

Maybe you are searching. Here are some more issues to consider.

Take care.

Answer 5

What if we said "some christians" to point out the fact that some are really intellegent people trying to find their way out of an intellectual prison, just the same as some scientists strive to escape the prison of ignorance by seeking loopholes in their own logic?

We should all try a little harder to think for ourselves by rejecting factionalism, don't you think?

I often see this as the BIG ARGUMENT we all overlook for the sake of entertainment, which is just fine until somebody gets hurt. Sure, it's hard work to be objective, but it's honest work.

Answer 6

Once again, the only difference between scientific theory and scientific law is falsification. People do not understand that "theory" means something very different in scientific terms than in layman's terms. Due to falsification, and because science is very prudent with making laws, evolution will probably always be a theory. All that means is that it's been proven, but hasn't been disproven. (That's falsification, which is a really tricky concept, but science double-checks itself before stating something as law.)

Answer 7

~~ Jason,,, Evolution is an irrefuteable, proven scientific fact. It is as simple as "Adapt to your environment or die". You are not seeing the individual trees because The Forest is in your way. Although I'm an atheist, The "Religious" Question should be updated and reformulated to ask the following,,,"Just as religion (The Church) once claimed the Universe and Sun revolved around the Earth, we should now accept that the world is much older than 12,000 years old, as archaeology and geology has shown, and reconsider the date of God's Creation.",,, or 'they' can wallow in their continuing ignorance of Faith .

Answer 8

You got to be kidding me right? You do know that’s junk science don't you? Academia has brainwashed the culture and the empty students into believing man is a primitive creature and the dinosaurs lived ages before him. This is the result of pseudo science and theories of evolution being taught as near fact in schools. If it was proven then it would be called the law of evolution wouldn’t it smart guy?

Ever hear of Ohm's Law? Electricity is NOT a theory.

Wickliffe - EE

Answer 9

I have read enough books but none of the books give 100% guarantee on their theory. Just by putting matching bones together doesn't make theory real.

There are a hundreds of Dog Breeds. Now just because you found the bones of Chihuahua after ten thousand years cannot prove that today it has become a poodle because of evolution. Science might show you the bone structure with a close resemblence though.

So why don't we call apes, APES and not make bones about it!!

Answer 10

Correct, evolution is a THEORY, not a fact, and every public school presents it as such.
In science, as in religion, nothing can every be PROVEN beyond a doubt... no matter how many experiments you do, the next one could, potentially, provide conflicting evidence. I mean, monkeys could, in theory, fly out of my butt... not likely, but no one has ever proven that it CAN'T happen.... ;)