Basic question for evolutionists/atheists about the implications of evolution, can you explain it?

Question

Does evolution explain the origin of life or is it just being used to rationalize a belief that life began without God, as our culture moves from freedom of religion to freedom from religion?

Source of the question: evolutionoftruth.com

When evolution is used to explain life's origin and assumes and unprovable position (or faith) that God did not create life, is it then still science or has it just stepped over the boundaries of science to become a humanist religion? If it's religion, why is it taught in our schools? If it's science, why don't we teach all that we know, and do not know, about the possibilities for life's origins and diversity with complete openness and honesty?

source: evolutionoftruth.com

Please explain this also.

Karse: You said, "It's not meant to explain the creation of life."

So you do assume that life was created...

You all assume that I don't believe in evolution. To me, we only evolve within a species. For example use our process of learning, to help our minds evolve. However, this doesn't explain away God, it only makes me believe He created this type of process of evolution.

I do not believe in the type of evolution that says we evolved from fish, however.

"The presence of evolution does not disprove the existence of God. It just reveals that the Bible is flawed."

NO, it doesn't. Your problem lies in this assumption. Unless you'd care to try and explain yourself.

Answer 1

Science as a whole has very little to do with any gods, because of the requirement that it be objective, reproducible, and falsifiable.

It is easy to imagine how many ways in which evolution MIGHT have been proven wrong if things were different. But it's hard to imagine a way in which an all-powerful being could NOT have created the universe (that's what being all-powerful is, neh?). This is why evolution is science but creationism will never be.

For example, animals were associated into groups based on similarity CENTURIES before DNA was discovered. And it turned out that the commonalities of creatures on the surface level was nothing compared to that on the genetic level - many genes shared between different species are not just similar... they are IDENTICAL. And usually in proportion to those centuries-old observed commonalities. If you found a couple humans who looked alike, wouldn't you think they were related? A god could have made all creatures entirely different at every level, and in many cases they would have worked better that way.

In a sense, though, you are right. Evolution IS an attempt to explain how some things might have come to be without the necessity of a god. This in no way demonstrates that there MUST not be a god, which is why most scientists who understand such things find this whole 'debate' rather odd.

You might also say that all the rest of science is an attempt to explain things without a god too, and you would be right if you did. We COULD just say that it is some diety that sticks things to the ground instead of gravity, that it is a god who makes water conform to the shape of a glass that it is poured into, or that it is the divine who controls all things in the universe. But I don't think you'd have a computer, nice clothing, or even food if everyone adopted that viewpoint. Evolution is also paying you benefits of which you may not even be aware.

Deny it at your own risk.

Answer 2

First of all, I would avoid any anti-evolution websites out there. Period. Including the one you cite. Why, because I'm pro-evolution? Actually, it's because I'm pro-rational thought, pro-scientific method, pro-evidence and anti-deception. And EVERY SINGLE anti-evolution site I've seen, 100%, is rife with logical fallacies, factual errors, misdirection, out-of-context quotes, and out-and-out deception.

Evolution says nothing about how life first originated. While I personally see a completely natural origin as far and away the most plausible explanation, evolution is not incompatible with the belief that a god provided the "initial spark".

To make a couple other brief comments on what you've written, first, there is no difference between "freedom of religion" and "freedom from religion." You can't have one without the other. Who defines what a religion is or isn't, anyway? Is that a decision you would really want to leave to gov't to decide and enforce? Buddhism is commonly thought of as a religion, but they do not believe in a creator god. And on the other side of the spectrum, many religious fundies DO call atheism "another religion" (derisively, but sincerely).

Regarding your comments on evolution, you seem to accept microevolution but reject macroevolution. In fact, both have been very well documented and supported by a range of evidence in a number of fields. Molecular biology in particular has some extremely strong evidence in favor of macroevolution. Also, macroevolution is simply what happens when microevolution occurs over an extended time period. There are many, many examples of transitional species, so-called "missing links" between one species and another. Not that you would ever see any such information on any anti-evolution websites.

Evolution is not a belief any more than gravity is. Nor is it a tool of atheists to deny your god. It's simply a part of how nature works.

Answer 3

The origin of life is as of yet a mystery. We don't know why life originated here, why there is something instead of nothing.

But most evolutionary scientists would consider evoking God as the first cause falling back on an idea that runs counter to everything we know about evolution i.e. that complex things evolve from simple things. To suggest the most complex thing possible, a God was just there and created even simple life creates more questions than answers, and questions without answer.

And by the way, freedom from religion was always intended to be part of the deal. The founding fathers just did not emphasize it for politically expedient reasons. Take heart. Nothing's changed.

Answer 4

Evolution is less about the origins of life but more about the developments of it. Beleive it or not religion especially christianity can be supported/ agreed with by the theory of evolution as the bible stories off the world being made in however many days doesn,t specify that these are earth days or that god made each creature separatley. Infact god could be the creator of evolution. I'm sure the same could be in some way linked to a multitude of religions, meaning that evolution is no scape goat from those who, as the question put it, seek "freedom from religion" ,but rather a stumbling block or point of thought for them to consider.
hope you found my opinion interesting/ helpful.

Answer 5

Evolution is the description of the changes in life. It's like walking backwards down a trail.

It's not meant to explain the creation of life, just the process from one step to another.

Like all science it depends on physical evidence and we can only make determinations with the avaiable eveidence, what has been collected.

God doesn't come into the equation when it comes to science

Answer 6

Look, evolution is not a theory...it is an observable phenomenon. Evolution does not attempt to explain the origin of life. Why is it so difficult for "ascientists" (those who choose not to believe in science), to accept the possibility that God is smart enough to have created a complex, self-adjusting system which would allow His/Hers/Its creations continue to flourish in changing environments. Is this beyond God's abilities? We can't you give Him/Her/It more credit?

The presence of evolution does not disprove the existence of God. It just reveals that the Bible is flawed...as even a cursory examination of it shows. But don't feel bad, God didn't write it...regular, everyday human beings did.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Evolution does not explain the origin of life, and has never tried to do so. It only explains how life changes and develops over time. One's beliefs about the origin of the universe should really have no effect on whether one is able to accept the evidence that evolution is real.

Answer 8

Evolution is thoroughly compatible with either a belief in God or atheism. However, it does not attempt to address that question because as others have said it is not a theory about the origin of life.

However, evolution is not compatible with a literal fundementalist reading of the Bible, that believes the earth came into existence 6,000 years ago.

Answer 9

Religion and science are the same ******* things. Both are human-created ways of explaining things that we can't really *know* for certain. With both, we need to have faith in our processes, intelligence, and ability to perceive the truth. Everything starts as an assumption, and facts are just observations in the context of those assumptions.

As for evolution... It doesn't explain the origin of life. But who cares? That neither proves nor disproves "God", nor does it validate or invalidate any religious interpretation of creation.

Answer 10

Science is trying to explain the origin of life and the explanation is called evolution. If you want to believe that God did it good for you, doesn't mean I have to.