Christians/creationists don't understand what a "scientific THEORY" is. Why don't they want to know..?

Question

Many people learned in elementary school that a theory falls in the middle of a hierarchy of certainty--above a mere hypothesis but below a law. Scientists do not use the terms that way, however. According to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), a scientific theory is "a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that can incorporate facts, laws, inferences, and tested hypotheses." No amount of validation changes a theory into a law, which is a descriptive generalization about nature. So when scientists talk about the theory of evolution--or the atomic theory or the theory of relativity, for that matter--they are not expressing reservations about its truth.
In addition to the theory of evolution, meaning the idea of descent with modification, one may also speak of the fact of evolution. The NAS defines a fact as "an observation that has been repeatedly confirmed and for all practical purposes is accepted as 'true.'"

The fossil record and abundant other evidence testify that organisms have evolved through time. Although no one observed those transformations, the indirect evidence is clear, unambiguous and compelling.

So no more "yeah, but it's only a theory" arguments please. You have been informed, embrace it..!

Answer 1

(physical reality) - (empirical reality) = faith
Science and religion are orthogonal.

Hindus have 30 crores of gods - 300 million deities. Christians believe their Yahweh has priority. I want a list of each Hindu god and a convincing exposition of why it doesn't trump Yahweh. Submit the list and we'll move on to Japanese gods' coitus interruptus creating the world in a boiling spurt (the obvious pun will not be committed here).

http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/religion.htm

Answer 2

That's a pretty big supposition on your part. Do you have evidence for your theory that creationists don't know what a phrase means? No, because you have no facts. Your evidence is purely anecdotal. What size sample did you use for your tests? What controls did you include in your method to come up with this theory? What statistical method did you use and where is the documentation? Just kidding. Unfortunately theory means supposition. Its the scientific method that means we leave stuff at theory because we can't know. If the universe was moving just right(not just the galaxy) then maybe the sun does orbit the earth. That's why its theory. Not likely. There is a theory there is a being beyond our comprehension, but its just a theory. More likely than the universe revolving around the earth I'd think, but still a theory. Scientific theory requires observation, so no its not the same thing. That's the real drawback. If you can't observe it according to science it doesn't exist. The problem with scientists is they think inside the box because the inside of the box is all they can see. The "mountain of evidence" is all inside the box too. Excluding the ridiculous (like God planting dinosaur bones to try to test our faith) there are creationists with an education and reasonable deduction skills. There is not a single piece of evidence that our known physical reality is the only one that exists and neither of us can prove otherwise. We can debate it without the attitude though. @Catherine Are you drunk? I responded to the OP's question "Why don't creationists understand what a "scientific theory" is?" I think saying creationists don't know the meaning of a phrase is a HUGE supposition.

Answer 3

I can tell you from experience two things. First, when I was a young-earth creationist, it was because I had this strong faith and was convinced by creationist literature and speakers that there was a battle for the hearts and minds of people, and that evolution was turning people away from God. They used scientific-sounding language and made it sound like people's souls depended on this.

What changed my mind about evolution? To put it simply, it was the facts, but I have to say more: it was the presentation of the facts by mainstream biologists in a way that showed point by point where young-earth creationists misconstrue evidence, misquote sources, and misrepresent data, and what the scientific evidence in fact indicates.

The good news is that there is hope for people like me! :-)

Answer 4

Some Christians don't want to accept it because it would contradict the writings of their Holy book. If the book is wrong then their entire philosophical position is compromised because that position is based on the truth of that book. Fortunately (and I say this as an atheist) most Christians in America seem to understand that contradiction and reconcile their beliefs with reality. Unfortunately, a significant percentage does not and they are very vocal.

Answer 5

Out of boredom, I have been spending time in the religion and spirituality section and I have come to a tentative conclusion. Willful, ideological ignorance, or just plain stupidity seem to be the two most prevalent reasons. All PC aside, we know some people are just not that intelligent. Look to the academic left and post-modernism for willful ignorance written large. Either people do not have it cognitively, or their ideology blinds them to the truth. In the end, it makes little difference; you have to want to open your mind, if you have one.

Answer 6

They do want to know! I have spoken on behalf of evolution in many areas of the so-called "Bible Belt" and it turns out they've been deprived of theories. They just know evolution, for example, has something to do with "monkeys." I explained to many about natural selection, bottle-neck effects, and gene flow. They were more receptive than I thought [I went in expecting a very hostile environment!]

Answer 7

I think they do not understand the difference between "belief" and "knowledge."

"To believe" means to accept something as true or false, in the absence of information that would support a reasoned conclusion. You can only "believe" in, or against, something when you have no rational basis for a different opinion.

"To know" means to be in possession of a logical, rational chain of argument that permits no other conclusion.

When you have the chain of argument, but you reject the conclusion, that's not "belief." It is either obstinacy or stupidity.

Answer 8

It's not all Christians. I am Christian. I believe, technically, in both Creationism and Darwinism.

Please, don't adress all of us believers like we're a collective church.

Atheists/Agnostics don't understand what "faith" is. Why don't they want to know..?

Answer 9

I for one believe that God didn't think humans would be smart enough to understand how he created the universe, so he talked to us like we talk to babies or foreigners: in a shortened, easy to understand way, i.e. the Bible. What I'm saying is that God caused the Big Bang to happen, and set evolution in motion.