I have some dear, intelligent, friends who believe that the earth was created around 6000 to 10,000 years ago.
This is a belief held in the face of evidences from just about every scientific discipline that the universe is some 13 billion years old and the earth itself some 4.5 billion years.
Now even if you are not a maths wizard, you will realise that there is a modicum of difference between 10,000 years and 4,500,000,000 years -- more zeros if nothing else!
The evidences of oldness spring from geology, cosmology, and so forth.
So why cling to such a belief? Well fundamentally, (and I use the word deliberately), the belief arises from a simple, literal interpretation of the Bible, and the Genesis accounts in particular.
The adage goes " God said it, I believe it, that does it."
It is a faith commitment. Thus the most patent scientific evidences will not budge such a believer. Any such evidences will be viewed as a 'lie of the devil'.
I admire such commitments. Usually, along with a belief in a young earth, goes a belief in a world wide flood, wherein every species (around 2 million have currently been identified by science) of land dwelling life was safely conveyed for forty days on a boat of fairly moderate proportions. Seven of each type of 'clean' animals and two of each type of 'unclean' were escorted through the flood.
To hold one's ground in the face of overwhelming contrary evidences is both admirable and and wonderful to behold!
Now, I consider myself a person of Christian commitment, but, alas, sinner that I am, I have never believed such things as a recent creation or a world wide flood (or indeed the tooth fairy, but let's leave santa out of this for the sake of the kiddies).
The saddest thing about the various institutes that promote so-called "creation science" is the total lack of positive science and research that they publish.
The totality of their publications are simply popularist writings refuting the positive research that emerges on both micro and macro evolution.
So I believe that I have descended from the apes? Well no. The question simply misunderstands evolution. So don't ask it and try and make a monkey out of me!
Evolution rests on a few simple ideas:
Populations grow.
There is variation within populations.
There is competition within populations and among them.
Certain variations hang in there
Variation is to some extent heritable
Natural selection brings evolution. (There are other mechanisms)
Notice there is nothing random or chance about any of these.
3 comments:
I never really thought that the theory of evolution could be explained so concisely and logically. Ultimately though, whatever people choose to believe, there is no denying that the human species is continuously evolving (towards what I don't know or care to know).
As one of the poor deluded characters referred to, I actually agree with everything you outline as a theory of evolution - only I call it adaptation!
I used the words "dear intelligent" not "poor deluded"
:-)
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