Besides having a ton of holes in it, it seems depressing to me! If we're just animals, what do we have to live for - procreation? Pleasure? That's not enough!
And why are we here? And why have morals? Why treat humans with greater respect than earthworms or raccoons? Why love? Why push ourselves to reach new heights? It seems to me evolution can't answer these basic questions. What do you think?
2007-04-04 05:38:04 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Courtney, why be the best you? If we're all gonna die and no longer exist, why bother?
I wish someone would answer this question! I kinda think these humanists/evolutionists can't.
2007-04-04 05:49:05 · update #1
Here's some 'holes' -
http://www.drdino.com/articles.php?spec=105
http://www.drdino.com/articles.php?spec=73
http://www.drdino.com/articles.php?spec=79
http://www.drdino.com/articles.php?spec=31
http://www.drdino.com/articles.php?spec=9
2007-04-04 06:47:04 · update #2
without God there is no foundation on which to base anything....if we are just animals and just a random accident then my opinions are just as good as yours...in other words, if I think I should be able commit atrocities for whatever reason, who are you to tell me I'm wrong??...you're just an animal like me....God IS the foundation ....without him there is no hope now or after death.
2007-04-04 05:45:03 · answer #1 · answered by TNT 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Evolution does have some holes in it, but the substance around the holes is based on evidence. Furthermore, the holes are getting smaller and smaller due to scientific diligence and incredulity.
What is wrong with "just being animals"? Believe it or not, just like all other animals, we are here primarily to procreate, at least on the "instict for survival" plane. That is why there is pleasure in that particular activity. Can you deny the urge?
That's not the only reason we're here though. As advanced creatures we have relatively long lives (thanks mainly to the results of scientific research, not religion) and can do what we wish with our time.
Morals developed during the evolution of culture. So did religion. One didn't come out of the other either. Sometimes they were hand in hand, but not always. Have you ever been to a different country? If so, you'll notice that the morals you take for granted are not by any means universal.
Why treat humans better than other species? Um, because we are human. Have you noticed sharks pay more regard to other sharks than they do to let's say tuna or seals?
Why love? Love is a term we humans have invented to describe the emotional bond developed between two people. It has nothing to do with some supernatural spiritual being.
Pushing yourself to reach new heights? Since when is improving yourself is a spiritual imperative? If you truly believe that those who don't believe in supernatural beings have no desire or motivation for self-improvement then you are completely out of it.
Evolution needn't answer all of those questions. How about a critical, skeptical and inquisitive frame of mind? If you are driven by a desire to learn as much as possible rather than an apparent desire to rely on the word and canon of others then I think you're missing out on a wonderful part of life.
2007-04-04 06:09:38 · answer #2 · answered by Peter D 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only reason you could feel this way about evolution is if your paradigm for your whole life has been a fundie religious one. Evolution therefore represents, to you, the stripping away of that paradigm and therefore emptiness. You should look around and realise that hundreds of millions of people get alone just fine without having your beliefs.
Evolution is science. It is NOT a philosophy or religion. It happens to explain why you subconsciously have morals, love people, and push yourself. But that is all it is. Truth. Understanding. Science. It doesn't give you instructions on how to consciously live you life.
You are free to do and think what you like. But the truth is, you would do all these things, and you would find meaning, with or without your religion.
2007-04-04 07:13:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you ask me evolution is very boring. Scientists say that human and apes split roughly three billion years ago. Evolution makes May baseball seem eventful. That said, evolution is the most plausible explanation for how we came to be as we are.
Why are we here? Evolution cannot answer this question. I do not know either
.
Why have morals? Again, evolution does not attempt to answer this. I truly feel that virtue is its own reward.
Why treat humans with greater respect than earthworms or raccoons? Not addressed by evolution. I feel that this is an example of the Golden Rule: He who has the most gold makes the rules.
Why love? Not exactly addressed by evolution, although evolution says that lust enables us to pass along our DNA. I say this is something we simply cannot help but do. Why? Sorry, I do not know.
Why push ourselves to new heights? Again, evolution says to better enable us to pass along our DNA. I say because it is fun, interesting and the same ol' same ol' gets really boring.
I am sure these are not the answers you are looking for but they are my answers.
2007-04-04 05:56:02 · answer #4 · answered by Adoptive Father 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. It's not supposed to be 'exciting', merely factual
2. It doesn't actually have holes in it. If you took the time to read about it in detail instead of merely listening to the religious folks who all have an agenda, you would find that out.
3. Why isn't just living, enough? You live, you grow, you attain wisdom, you have experiences, you learn, you love and exist. Not enough for you? Why not?
4. Why are we here? Why ask why? We're here. It simply is the way it is.
5. Why have morals? Because that's how people live with each other without exterminating each other and it's how people live their lives in peace and contentment with their fellow humans.
6. Why treat fellow humans with more respect than animals? No reason other than because we empathize with creatures of our own species more than with creatures of other species. It's the way human beings are. Accept it.
7. Why love? Because the alternative is unacceptable and lonely.
8. Why push ourselves? Because we can, and attainment makes us feel good about ourselves and can improve our world.
Got it?
2007-04-04 05:47:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There is no proof that any God did anything unless you accept that a God created the Mass and energy that caused the Big Bang. I would think it would be insulting to such a God if you would not believe that the God would know enough to perceive that the Big Bang began evolution. The God would also know the paths of evolution of every mote of that big Bang. Including the Earth and human beings amongst everything else in the universe.
Why do Christians underrate a God just to have a parable in a book accepted as a true happening?
2007-04-04 05:53:16 · answer #6 · answered by Terry 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Evolution is about biology, not about culture. Culture is an adaptive trait adopted by animals to server a variety of functions. Most of human culture revolves around maintaining Humans coexistence since as an animals we are highly dependent on each other. In other words, Evolution is the technology that creates the computer, culture is the operating system.
2007-04-04 05:47:33 · answer #7 · answered by RjM 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Evolution doesn't address these questions, it only address the biological process in which species evolve. Evolution is a part of science, just like physics. If I asked you to answer these questions from the theory of gravity, or the theory of aerodynamics, could you? No, because they are science related, not morality. So you will never have these questions answered by evolution.
2007-04-04 06:20:14 · answer #8 · answered by Take it from Toby 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, you're belief sounds more depressing than the fact that we are highly evolved animals.
What is there to live for? Please! We live to create our own purpose in life. How can life not be enough for you without some vague promise of an afterlife? I live for my friends and family. I live for the things that bring me pleasure in life. I enjoy every minute that I have here.
Having morals and treating people with respect makes it easier to get along with everyone else, and is just good common sense. Love is wonderful in all it's forms, and would be enough for me to justify living.
It seems to me that anyone who needs the promise of an afterlife to get out of bed in the morning is a pretty sad individual. This life is plenty exciting. There's so much to experience.
It also seems to me that someone who needs an eternal reward/punishment system to keep them acting morally is a person I wouldn't want to be around, because they are obviously damaged. I don't believe in god, heaven or hell, and I am a moral person. I and the vast majority of other non-believers can behave ourselves without any threat of eternal punishment. If you can't, what does that say about you?
The most disturbing question that you ask is "what is the point of living if we're going to cease to exist one day?" This is disturbing because it shows just how much religious beliefs like yours actually devalue life. Life is worth living for it's own sake! Life is wonderful, and the things you do in this life live on in the hearts and minds of the people you leave behind. It's cliche, but life is what you make it.
To you, life is something to be endured until you die and get to go on to your better life, even though that other life that you're looking forward to is only promised. To people like me, life is an adventure, something that should be savored and treasured.
Think about the greatest people in the earth's history. Leaders of men, revolutionaries, people who have done great things and are remembered for them hundreds or even thousands of years after they are gone. That is the only form of immortality that any of us can strive to attain. What if those great people had felt as you do? Would we have a country if the founding fathers had felt as you do?
I hope that someday you can find joy in this life, and experience some of the things in this world that make this life worth living. It's always sad to see someone neglect this life while they are waiting for their next one. I truly feel sorry for you, and will be thinking of you.
2007-04-04 08:07:39 · answer #9 · answered by eviltruitt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Evolution is very exciting- have you ever tried to learn about it? And what's so bad about being here for pleasure and procreation? And the reason I do all those things is because I believe this is my only chance- there's no do- overs. I'm gonna be the best me I can be while I am here
2007-04-04 05:43:26 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Maybe if you saw if from a perspective that you are not better than a raccoon you'd understand. Oh, and sweetie, nobody said evolution is exciting, we said it's more plausable by evidence than an ivisible man living in the sky clapping his hands and everything coming into existance.
2007-04-04 05:42:12 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋