Evolution question.

[zaangalewa]

But while He (Jesus) was still speaking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and His brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak with Him (Matthew 12:46, see also Mark 3:31, Luke 8:19).

What for heavens sake is your problem and what has this problem to do with evolution?

 

[zaangalewa]

Mary was a young woman who had never had sexual intercourse with a man. What is your problem?

I do not know whether Mary had a sexual intercourse with a man or not -and I would not know who could give me the right to be a spy of an alien power who tries to find this out. This is anyway totally unimportant. Whatever Mary did do or not do - I am sure she made it the right way. With or without sex[ual intercourse]. Why is such a sex theme important for you? What has it to do with what?

 

[Moonglow]

If the cornerstone of evolution is the extinction of species with 'undesirable traits' why do we go out of our way to save people who have these traits? Kinda makes the ToE irrelevant doesn't it? Don't we need the "Darwin Effect" to improve our species?

My (science/ToE oriented) dentist wanted to pull my wisdom teeth, which no doubt took evolution some time to 'select for'. He said it would prevent any dental problems later on. I was 45 at the time and had never had any problems with my wisdom teeth. I'm now 83 and except for having one crowned have never had a problem with them. Why would a strong believer in evolution want to thwart one of its successful accomplishments?

Altruism is why.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

I guess the inspiration to do so came directly from Jesus on his own when he said “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Of course this is nonsense, and the separation and future secular governments came about quite in spite of Christianity.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

That's totally wrong. You are not able to understand the world in which we live when you do not understand specially the influence of the Christian religion and not only the influence of spirituality in general.

You confuse yourself.

Of course culture is influenced by Christianity.

But it is a FACT that our western culture came about quite in spite of Christianity. We just haven't been able to out those childish toys away for good, yet.

 

[Woodznutz]

I do not know whether Mary had a sexual intercourse with a man or not -and I would not know who could give me the right to be a spy of an alien power who tries to find this out. This is anyway totally unimportant. Whatever Mary did do or not do - I am sure she made it the right way. With or without sex[ual intercourse]. Why is such a sex theme important for you? What has it to do with what?

You started it on post #126.

I'm just trying correct the common RC belief that Mary is still a virgin.

 

[Woodznutz]

You confuse yourself.

Of course culture is influenced by Christianity.

But it is a FACT that our western culture came about quite in spite of Christianity. We just haven't been able to out those childish toys away for good, yet.

You probably won't be able to burn all the churches down and arrest all the ministers. You also won't be able to extinguish the need for God in the human spirit.

 

[Woodznutz]

Altruism is why.

Along with all other thoughts science is unable to physically identify them within the human brain. All they can detect is some electrical activity here and there.

 

[LeroyDumonde]

Are we running faster if even the slowest of us reproduce? Are we getting stronger since we no longer have to fight for females? LeroyDumonde points out, we adapt but reacting to HIV is unlikely to fundamentally change humans as a species. The only selection pressures I see are bigger breasts for women and motorcycles for men.

Speciation isn't required for evolution, although it often does happen because of evolution.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

You probably won't be able to burn all the churches down and arrest all the ministers

And you probably won't be able to pass a 7th grade science quiz.

I don't need to extinguish the affinity for utter nonsense that humans possess. We aren't automatons. We learn about the world and discard our base behaviors and affinities. That separates us from bacteria.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Speciation isn't required for evolution, although it often does happen because of evolution.

True. And speciation is just an arbitrarily chosen event anyway. When is an individual a "different species"? It's arbitrary.

 

[Woodznutz]

And you probably won't be able to pass a 7th grade science quiz.

I don't need to extinguish the affinity for utter nonsense that humans possess. We aren't automatons. We learn about the world and discard our base behaviors and affinities. That separates us from bacteria.

Do you think a 7th grader is smarter than a seasoned adult?

 

[Woodznutz]

Nah, those studies are bunkum.

Tell that to the Mormons.

 

[Woodznutz]

And you probably won't be able to pass a 7th grade science quiz.

I don't need to extinguish the affinity for utter nonsense that humans possess. We aren't automatons. We learn about the world and discard our base behaviors and affinities. That separates us from bacteria.

I dare say that religious people take what God's word instructs them to do much more seriously than what evolution instructs unbelievers to do.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Do you think a 7th grader is smarter than a seasoned adult?

Quizzes don't test your intelligence. They test your knowledge.

And yes, the average 7th grader knows more facts about evolution than 99% of the deniers I have come across.

 

[LeroyDumonde]

True. And speciation is just an arbitrarily chosen event anyway. When is an individual a "different species"? It's arbitrary.

Theoretically it has to do with the ability to create viable offspring, but in practice it's not so clear cut, especially when looking at animals and plants that exist only in the fossil record.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

I dare say that religious people take what God's word instructs them to do much more seriously than what evolution instructs unbelievers to do.

I don't get it. Evolution doesn't instruct anyone to do anything. Neither does the theory of gravity.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

Theoretically it has to do with the ability to create viable offspring, but in practice it's not so clear cut, especially when looking at animals and plants that exist only in the fossil record.

And some species are "chronospecies". They are separated by time boundaries. Can't really test if two extinct species can produce viable offspring.

 

[Woodznutz]

Quizzes don't test your intelligence. They test your knowledge.

And yes, the average 7th grader knows more facts about evolution than 99% of the deniers I have come across.

Quizzes test your memory more than your knowledge.

Most avid deniers know lots of 'facts' about evolution.

 

[Woodznutz]

I don't get it. Evolution doesn't instruct anyone to do anything. Neither does the theory of gravity.

Evolution has given us wonderful bodies (if you believe in evolution), so why don't we take better care of them when they cry out for care? I believe, as did David, that I was "fearfully and wonderfully made", and I do my best to take care of my health. I think the evolution believer relies too much on modern medicine for their health maintenance and too little on common sense.