Jim said:

Wrong: Not 99%

So what is the right percentage? 98.5%?

Wrong: Most people today are NOT taught by their parents or at school to believe in God or His creation.

Really? In your opinion, what is the primary source for this belief?

Wrong: Millions of people who do not believe in evolution are NOT ignorant of the so-called science behind this mythology. Multitudes of Scientists reject evolution but remain silent because they will loose their cushy jobs if they come out.

Multitudes? Can you say hyperbole? And after that, can you provide proof for this worldwide conspiracy of silence?

So here is the way to settle this ongoing argument:

Many people, when they can’t provide evidence for their theory, adopt the strategy of falsehood. Such is the case with many of those who have fallen victim to the propaganda of renowned evolutionists.

Strategy of Falsehood? Hmmm. Pot-kettle-black.

If evolutionists want to end the arguments all they have to do is, get their brilliant heads together and assemble a ’simple’ living cell. This should be possible, since they certainly have a very great amount of knowledge about what is inside the ’simple’ cell.

That’s a bit disingenuous isn’t it? You want us to do in a few years what took billions of years to accomplish?

After all, shouldn’t all the combined Intelligence of all the worlds scientist be able the do what chance encounters with random chemicals, without a set of instructions, accomplished about 4 billion years ago,according to the evolutionists, having no intelligence at all available to help them along in their quest to become a living entity. Surely then the evolutionists scientists today should be able to make us a ’simple’ cell.

You didn’t read my first post, did you? Here is a classic, and apparently blatant, indication of the typical ignorance shown by creationists. They always try to conflate the beginning or origin of life, with the Origin of Species (incidentally, Jim, the name of Darwin’s book) when they don’t know what they are talking about. I presume then that you don’t know what you are talking about. Evolution is not the same as abiogenesis, which is what you seem to be referring to, though apparently you are not aware of it.

Look at the title to this post. See the word “evolution” up there? That’s the topic. Please do some reading on the subject before you post religious nonsense.

If it weren’t so pitiful it would be humorous, that intelligent people have swallowed the evolution mythology.

Let me change one word of the above for accuracy.

“If it weren’t so pitiful it would be humorous, that intelligent people have swallowed the creation mythology.”

Beyond doubt, the main reason people believe in evolution is that sources they admire, say it is so.

You could be correct here. Yes, I do believe you are. Score one for Jim.

Of course, those sources would be all of the scientific research published in peer reviewed journals for the past 150 years or so, by prominent experts in the fields of biology, biochemistry, genetics, paleontology, anthropology, geology, and numerous other disciplines and sub-disciplines. I certainly admire those sources. Apparently, you don’t. Instead…

It would pay for these people to do a thorough examination of all the evidence CONTRARY to evolution that is readily available: Try answersingenesis.org. The evolutionists should honestly examine the SUPPOSED evidence ‘FOR’ evolution for THEMSELVES.

…Ahha!. Now we know where your ignorance comes from. Answers in Genesis. The leading light of evolutionary research.

See? I knew you didn’t read the first comment. Here. I’ll save you the time. Simply tell us whether you agree or disagree with this statement:

“My main objection to the Theory of Evolution” is that it conflicts with my religious beliefs”

I’ll even answer it for you.

Jim: I strongly agree.

Build us a cell, from scratch, with the required raw material, that is with NO cell material, just the ‘raw’ stuff, and the argument is over. But if the scientists are unsuccessful, perhaps they should try Mother Earth’s recipe, you know, the one they claim worked the first time about 4 billion years ago, so they say. All they need to do is to gather all the chemicals that we know are essential for life, pour them into a large clay pot and stir vigorously for a few billion years, and Walla, LIFE!

The latter’s already been done. I have a better idea. Why don’t you, along with all the leading intellects from Answers in Genesis, show us how life is created. Seriously. You do it, or better yet, since you’re not a god, get God to do it. He could do it easily, right? He did it 6000 years ago. We could set it up as a little experiment, maybe book the Meadowlands or Wembley Stadium, sell tickets for charity. Wouldn’t that be neat? Right there on the 50 yard line, poof! Life created by God. Maybe David Copperfield could do a few tricks as a warm up act.

Oh, you don’t believe the ‘original’ Mother Earth recipe will work? You are NOT alone, Neither do I, and MILLIONS of others!

Boy, that’s a stupid statement. If we didn’t believe the original, we wouldn’t be here, would we? We know that millions of others don’t believe, but if they get their info at church, or Answers in Genesis, then it’s no wonder.

PS: Please don’t lie about the ‘first life’ problem, scientists are falling all over themselves to make a living cell.

Probably true. Are you familiar with the Miller/Urey experiment? If not, look it up.

Many have admitted publicly that it is a monumental problem.

What’s a monumental problem? Creating life from scratch? Nobody disagree with you, yet here we are. Life. Created from scratch. But again, that’s a different issue than evolution.

And is many years away from happening, if ever.Logical people understand this problem and have rightly concluded that an Intelligent Designer was absolutely necessary. Think of it this way, if all the brilliant scientists on earth can’t do it how on earth can anyone believe that it happened by accident?????

Look, Jim, you respond to a post about evolution with a diatribe about how life began. This is a common misimpression about evolution that creationists have, especially those that get their information from Answers in Genesis, because the people behind that site have a religious agenda, and don’t hide it.

How about you? What’s yours?

Wrong: Not 99%

From Skepdic.com: Despite the fact that 99.99% of the scientific community considers evolution of species from other species to be a fact.

(I thought about searching for all possible links to back up this statistic and then realised: you wouldn’t bother looking at them anyway.)

Wrong: Most people today are NOT taught by their parents or at school to believe in God or His creation.

You can’t deny that children of creationists are taught it! If it’s not taught in schools then so much the better, but not for the want of trying by creationists!

Wrong: Millions of people who do not believe in evolution are NOT ignorant of the so-called science behind this mythology. Multitudes of Scientists reject evolution but remain silent because they will loose their cushy jobs if they come out.

Ah the perfect little conspiracy theory here. So millions of unknown unnamed scientists who profess to believe evolution actually don’t. Nice little story you concocted here.

So here is the way to settle this ongoing argument:

The way to settle the argument is for creationists to join the real world.

Many people, when they can’t provide evidence for their theory, adopt the strategy of falsehood. Such is the case with many of those who have fallen victim to the propaganda of renowned evolutionists.

Rubbish. Address the article and evolution itself, instead of accusing scientists of propaganda. It’s creationists with the history of lying and deceiving about evolution.

If evolutionists want to end the arguments all they have to do is, get their brilliant heads together and assemble a ’simple’ living cell. This should be possible, since they certainly have a very great amount of knowledge about what is inside the ’simple’ cell.

Total and utter nonsense. You don’t know what you’re talking about.

After all, shouldn’t all the combined Intelligence of all the worlds scientist be able the do what chance encounters with random chemicals, without a set of instructions, accomplished about 4 billion years ago,according to the evolutionists, having no intelligence at all available to help them along in their quest to become a living entity. Surely then the evolutionists scientists today should be able to make us a ’simple’ cell.

You don’t know what you’re talking about. You should really have read my article before you bothered commenting on it.

If it weren’t so pitiful it would be humorous, that intelligent people have swallowed the evolution mythology.

You don’t know what you’re talking about. You believe in invisible big friends in the sky that look after you and you can talk to when you feel sad. That’s mythology. I wish I could say I’m sorry that the fact of evolution conflicts with your ancient silly view of the world…but I’m not sorry.

Beyond doubt, the main reason people believe in evolution is that sources they admire, say it is so. It would pay for these people to do a thorough examination of all the evidence CONTRARY to evolution that is readily available: Try answersingenesis.org. The evolutionists should honestly examine the SUPPOSED evidence ‘FOR’ evolution for THEMSELVES.

You are ignoring evolution and my article itself. You are saying nothing of note.

Build us a cell, from scratch, with the required raw material, that is with NO cell material, just the ‘raw’ stuff, and the argument is over. But if the scientists are unsuccessful, perhaps they should try Mother Earth’s recipe, you know, the one they claim worked the first time about 4 billion years ago, so they say. All they need to do is to gather all the chemicals that we know are essential for life, pour them into a large clay pot and stir vigorously for a few billion years, and Walla, LIFE!

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

Oh, you don’t believe the ‘original’ Mother Earth recipe will work? You are NOT alone, Neither do I, and MILLIONS of others!

You don’t know what you’re talking about.

PS: Please don’t lie about the ‘first life’ problem, scientists are falling all over themselves to make a living cell. Many have admitted publicly that it is a monumental problem. And is many years away from happening, if ever. Logical people understand this problem and have rightly concluded that an Intelligent Designer was absolutely necessary. Think of it this way, if all the brilliant scientists on earth can’t do it how on earth can anyone believe that it happened by accident?????

So your solution to the complex scientific problem of creating a living cell, is that your invisible make-believe daddy in the sky clicked his fingers and popped it into existence. Awful. (If you even read my article, you’d know that “accident” doesn’t enter into it.)

I wrote the article above specifically for people like you, who pretend to counter evolution but don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. If you want to be taken seriously then you have to at least know your stuff. Your tirade against evolution is like ranting about gravity. Read my article again, and then learn about evolution.

So here is the way to settle this ongoing argument:

Many people, when they can’t provide evidence for their theory, adopt the strategy of falsehood. Such is the case with many of those who have fallen victim to the propaganda of renowned evolutionists.

If evolutionists want to end the arguments all they have to do is, get their brilliant heads together and assemble a ’simple’ living cell. This should be possible, since they certainly have a very great amount of knowledge about what is inside the ’simple’ cell.

After all, shouldn’t all the combined Intelligence of all the worlds scientist be able the do what chance encounters with random chemicals, without a set of instructions, accomplished about 4 billion years ago,according to the evolutionists, having no intelligence at all available to help them along in their quest to become a living entity. Surely then the evolutionists scientists today should be able to make us a ’simple’ cell.

If it weren’t so pitiful it would be humorous, that intelligent people have swallowed the evolution mythology.

Beyond doubt, the main reason people believe in evolution is that sources they admire, say it is so. It would pay for these people to do a thorough examination of all the evidence CONTRARY to evolution that is readily available: Try answersingenesis.org. The evolutionists should honestly examine the SUPPOSED evidence ‘FOR’ evolution for THEMSELVES.

Build us a cell, from scratch, with the required raw material, that is with NO cell material, just the ‘raw’ stuff, and the argument is over. But if the scientists are unsuccessful, perhaps they should try Mother Earth’s recipe, you know, the one they claim worked the first time about 4 billion years ago, so they say. All they need to do is to gather all the chemicals that we know are essential for life, pour them into a large clay pot and stir vigorously for a few billion years, and Walla, LIFE!

Oh, you don’t believe the ‘original’ Mother Earth recipe will work? You are NOT alone, Neither do I, and MILLIONS of others!

PS: Please don’t lie about the ‘first life’ problem, scientists are falling all over themselves to make a living cell. Many have admitted publicly that it is a monumental problem. And is many years away from happening, if ever. Logical people understand this problem and have rightly concluded that an Intelligent Designer was absolutely necessary. Think of it this way, if all the brilliant scientists on earth can’t do it how on earth can anyone believe that it happened by accident?????

So now we (I mean, they) have Senators, potential Presidential candidates, denying evolution!

I find myself humming “Send in the clowns”

Nicely put. That captures exactly how I feel and I hope theists are honest enough to accept that too.

@ Joe & Tobe:

Most theists I’ve talked with have a crude (or non-existent) knowledge of evolution. But of course, I haven’t met many liberal theists, so you may very well be right, and it’d be nice to think you are!

I agree with Joe, it depends on where you’re talking about. America? Yes, probably. The whole world? No, I don’t think so.

I actually don’t believe this is true. (though maybe it is in the US) I think that the anti-evolution crowd are a very vocal minority of religious people.

Theists, creationists, religious people, call yourself what you will, but when you make arguments against evolution you generally manifest complete ignorance of the subject you are discussing. I don’t say this in a disparaging or condescending manner, but from my viewpoint, and most atheists, you people simply look stupid when you argue against evolution. I have yet to hear a cogent argument that even warrants scrutiny, much less a defense, but one might be out there..

I offer that comment is a spirit of constructive criticism. If you want to have any credibility when discussing science, don’t make claims such as “I’ll believe it after I’ve lived a billion years and seen it with my own eyes” or “it’s just a theory” or ” There’s no way I’m a descendant of monkeys” or “I’ll believe it when I see a fish evolve into a cat” or similar such nonsense. Read up on the science you don’t believe in.

And try a little honesty. You could start with this statement: “My main objection to the Theory of Evolution” is that it conflicts with my religious beliefs”. At that point we know exactly what your motivations are, and we can continue accordingly.