Do you accept the theory of evolution?

[Thundercrack85]

I'm not calling anyone stupid, but there's a reason that states where they try to teach creationism and undermine evolution have the lowest educational outcomes for students. Among other things, like lowest literacy rates, and highest teen birth rates. Just an observation.

 

[Speedball]

How have I never ran into you on here, Anita? Our viewpoints are pretty much similar.

 

[SoNicRaDiATioN]

People have got to stop treating the two as equal! Probably a reason why I've never set foot in Texas.

So you'll miss the Texas BBQ belt because of your stance. Shame.

 

[Vulklin]

I believe in an infinite universe.

Everything that exists, has always existed, will always exist, it is never created nor destroyed, simply changes form, forever.

There was no big bang, no creation, no god. These are all religious ideas that belong in the dark ages.

We came through an age of enlightenment hundred of years back, yet sadly most people on the planet got stuck walking through the door.

 

[Anita18]

How have I never ran into you on here, Anita? Our viewpoints are pretty much similar.

Cause I had nothing better to do this week.

So you'll miss the Texas BBQ belt because of your stance. Shame.

I hear Kansas City BBQ >>>> everything.

 

[jmc]

If a 'creator' does exists it's origins are more than likely scientific in nature, an equation that we simply haven't figured out yet and which may take millennia to do so. Everything else is just fantasy stories written by different cultures thousands of years ago to fill in the blanks because of a lack of scientific understanding and logical thinking. Science is a relatively new concept in the grand scheme of things, it was only a couple hundred years ago that Galileo figured out Earth wasn't the center of the universe which cause a ****storm to say the least (although Galileo was an arrogant moron about his findings). It took a long time before people in general accepted those findings but eventually it was, even by the Church who eventually apologized to Galileo for their treatment of him (couple hundred years late but whatever).

 

[Thundercrack85]

I really can't comprehend why people think this universe has a creator. Does it look like it has a creator? It's rather crude. It makes no sense. Everything is arbitrary. Unless the architect was drunk of his ***, it's hard to make a good argument for intelligent design.

I assume people want there to be a creator because they want some meaning. Or perhaps because they simply can't comprehend science, and a one word answer (i.e. God) is the only thing they can really understand.

 

[Speedball]

I really can't comprehend why people think this universe has a creator. Does it look like it has a creator? It's rather crude. It makes no sense. Everything is arbitrary. Unless the architect was drunk of his ***, it's hard to make a good argument for intelligent design.

I assume people want there to be a creator because they want some meaning. Or perhaps because they simply can't comprehend science, and a one word answer (i.e. God) is the only thing they can really understand.

God was too drunk on all that sacramental wine.

 

[Anita18]

I really can't comprehend why people think this universe has a creator. Does it look like it has a creator? It's rather crude. It makes no sense. Everything is arbitrary. Unless the architect was drunk of his ***, it's hard to make a good argument for intelligent design.

I assume people want there to be a creator because they want some meaning. Or perhaps because they simply can't comprehend science, and a one word answer (i.e. God) is the only thing they can really understand.

It's the worst design ever. I study DNA repair. You'd think when a DNA strand breaks, it'd be pretty easy to deduce how the cells fixes it, right?

NO. There are like, 100s of proteins involved with 100s of other possible variables and the more I know about it, the more I throw my hands up in the air and consider the whole thing a ginormous clusterf***.

It's more like "ambitious engineer," than anything.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well, to be fair, he did make it in six days. Plus shipping and handling.

 

[Anita18]

Well, to be fair, he did make it in six days. Plus shipping and handling.

 

[jmc]

I really can't comprehend why people think this universe has a creator. Does it look like it has a creator? It's rather crude. It makes no sense. Everything is arbitrary. Unless the architect was drunk of his ***, it's hard to make a good argument for intelligent design.

I assume people want there to be a creator because they want some meaning. Or perhaps because they simply can't comprehend science, and a one word answer (i.e. God) is the only thing they can really understand.

It is a cop out, but it comes about due to their upbringing. The human mind is very susceptible to fanciful thinking which stems from the times when we were grazing the lands in Africa and constantly wary of predators. Was that noise over there in the grass a lion or just the wind blowing the grass? It's a defence mechanism, and a useful one, but once we looked carefully and saw that it was just the wind we went about grazing knowing the threat wasn't real. Religious and supernatural teachings play havoc with this internal logic, when you're taught 'this+this=that' suddenly any evidence to the contrary is harder to accept. All evidence may show that it is indeed the wind blowing in the grass, but for some they will always be convinced the lion is there regardless.

 

[chaseter]

With that logic...there is a chance that it could be a lion. It might not be but you acknowledge that there is a chance.

 

[jmc]

With that logic...there is a chance that it could be a lion. It might not be but you acknowledge that there is a chance.

Like I said though once the evidence is laid out in front of you it becomes fairly obvious there is no lion. Again fanciful thinking is there as part of our bodies defense mechanism.

 

[childeroland]

Unless it's Aslan and he just disappeared.

 

[chaseter]

Like I said though once the evidence is laid out in front of you it becomes fairly obvious there is no lion. Again fanciful thinking is there as part of our bodies defense mechanism.

So you admit that it is possible, just not probable?

 

[jmc]

So you admit that it is possible, just not probable?

If possible you mean that something created the universe then yes something probably did, but whatever created the known universe is 100% scientific in nature, that I have no doubt about with the scientific books I've read, it's not in the form of some all mighty being looking down on us behind some pearly gates with some grand plan and passing judgement on us, those are fantasy stories in the same realms as Lord of the Rings. Having read some books on how our brains work it turns out we are very susceptible to believing extraordinary things based on that internal defensive mechanism I mentioned earlier, religion and superstition screws with that big time because it affects the same area of the brain. Like that early version of ourselves in Africa we're all capable of logically coming to the correct conclusion if we look at the evidence, but some people just can't, not always through ignorance, it's just the logical side of their brains have been messed with through years of being taught fantasy stories masquerading as real events. The universe is a cosmic CSI, just a matter of putting the pieces together to work out what happened, and we're getting there slowly.

 

[Thundercrack85]

While I understand that people want to assume that they can comprehend the entire universe, is that even realistic?

We're a pack of apes, living a small planet, in a single star system, in an unremarkable galaxy. We've only just mastered primitive space travel. Can we really understand how the entire universe works, and its origins?

The answer, hell no.

Intelligence is appreciating how dumb you are.

 

[jmc]

Truth is we'll never know the full answers to the universe. But science will evolve.

 

[Ash J. Williams]

On the subject of why God doesn't reveal himself, I'll say this:

First, if he did there'd be no free will. It's similar to walking into a bank when the full SWAT Team is standing with weapons aimed and trying to pull a stick-up. You know you have no chance, so you wouldn't even try.

Second, most atheists present God with a challenge out of arrogance. "Show me some tricks and I'll believe in you". God doesn't need anyone's belief. And if you were the all-powerful creator of the universe, would you humble yourself to some insignificant weasel demanding you placate them?

On the other hand, if you go before God with humility and an open heart and mind, he will reveal himself to you. Maybe not in the way you'd like, but he will. It's certainly been the case in my life.

I'd like to add that if God were to reveal Himself, there'd be no point in having faith in Him and/or His existence.

 

[Lighthouse]

Some people need a refresher.
Russell's Teapot

 

[Thundercrack85]

I'd probably be less critical of religion, if they didn't rely so heavily on ancient texts. You know, as if a bunch of people living in the Bronze Age had a better understanding of the universe than we do today.

 

[8wid]

 

[DBryan]

I'd like to add that if God were to reveal Himself, there'd be no point in having faith in Him and/or His existence.

Then why have faith in him at all? Faith isn't a virtue. You don't use that type of reasoning for any other aspect of your life.

When people insert faith when there is NO evidence, that is not a pathway to truth.

Matt Dillahunty explains this perfectly, from 7:15.

[YT]DAuFJKQh83Y[/YT]

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

I voted "yes" because there is overwhelming evidence to show that the Earth is much more than 6000 years old and that life as we know it, has evolved from less complex or indeed totally different forms to its present state. With many extinctions along the way.

Nothing indicates the presence of a guiding hand or intelligent design.

I think that some people have a need to believe in some sort of supreme being(s) in order to make sense of the world and to feel more significant.

I say, look at the evidence and don't hide behind a smokescreen of faith.

But I am not saying there is not a God, there might well be. What I am saying is that I do not believe in Heaven, Earth and all life being created in six days or Adam and Eve.