If you are religious explain Neanderthals

[Drich]

Here is an 'explanation' I did some time ago.

http://atheistforums.org/thread-14190.html

[Retrolord]

You KNOW I didn't mean evolution has finished nor that humans or other creatures haven't evolved/ aren't evolving. Quite the contrary. I know evolution is still happening in infinitesimally miniscule amounts as I write. What I meant was that humans are the last/ latest creatures of significance. The first to have such a well developed cognitive system. Atleast I gave an answer as to what I ( and other catholics I know) believe. Focus on my 5 answers instead.

To the OP: what do you think of my 5 answers? Agree? Disagree?

To all others: Would I be a "judgemental" Christian if I found your sense of humour weird?

[Whateverist]

The Neaderthal is thought to have existed some 30,000 to 200,000 years ago and to be our closest relatives. What was God's divine plan and purpose for this species? Did god judge them and on what basis?

Nope. They had their own god, silly. Unfortunately for them, ours' kicked their god's ass.

[Retrolord]

Chas- I stand corrected. It was 3.5 billion years ago. I just saw a video where evolution was shown, starting from 650 million years ago. I aaccept. we all make mistakes. But that doesn't contradict anything I wrote.

Also, I'm not calling anyone stupid am I?

[Whateverist]

You KNOW I didn't mean evolution has finished nor that humans or other creatures haven't evolved/ aren't evolving. Quite the contrary. I know evolution is still happening in infinitesimally miniscule amounts as I write.

In other words, at exactly the same rate evolution has always taken place?

What I meant was that humans are the last/ latest creatures of significance.

You're being quite the homonidist there. Every creature has significance to itself, else wise why would they deliberately move away from harm and seek nourishment. They do what we do but in their own way.

The first to have such a well developed cognitive system.

"Well developed"? Oh, you mean for the purpose of getting through life the way humans do? Yeah, we're the best at that.

To all others: Would I be a "judgemental" Christian if I found your sense of humour weird?

No, that bit would make you normal.

[Retrolord]

You KNOW I didn't mean evolution has finished nor that humans or other creatures haven't evolved/ aren't evolving. Quite the contrary. I know evolution is still happening in infinitesimally miniscule amounts as I write.

In other words, at exactly the same rate evolution has always taken place?

What I meant was that humans are the last/ latest creatures of significance.

You're being quite the homonidist there. Every creature has significance to itself, else wise why would they deliberately move away from harm and seek nourishment. They do what we do but in their own way.

The first to have such a well developed cognitive system.

"Well developed"? Oh, you mean for the purpose of getting through life the way humans do? Yeah, we're the best at that.

To all others: Would I be a "judgemental" Christian if I found your sense of humour weird?

No, that bit would make you normal.

Umm okay.

Do you mind my opinion? I don't mean to insult you, but I think you're debating for the sake of debating and we are no longer talking about the OP's original question but rather about who thinks humans are the most Intelligent creatures in Kingdom Animalia.

Soooo . . . I'm going to wait for the OP to come back.
No hard feelings

[Chas]

In other words, at exactly the same rate evolution has always taken place?


You're being quite the homonidist there. Every creature has significance to itself, else wise why would they deliberately move away from harm and seek nourishment. They do what we do but in their own way.



"Well developed"? Oh, you mean for the purpose of getting through life the way humans do? Yeah, we're the best at that.


No, that bit would make you normal.

Umm okay.

Do you mind my opinion? I don't mean to insult you, but I think you're debating for the sake of debating and we are no longer talking about the OP's original question but rather about who thinks humans are the most Intelligent creatures in Kingdom Animalia.

Soooo . . . I'm going to wait for the OP to come back.
No hard feelings

Your response to the OP was full of misinformation and misunderstanding of evolution.
That is what people are commenting on, and the OP will undoubtedly do the same as your response was so at odds with the facts.

[Retrolord]

Well I already admitted about being wrong about the 700 million years thing, what else? Don't misunderstand what I meant to say in the paragraph.

I'd rather we talked about what the OP really wants- answers to 5 questions which I gave and numbered. Any discussion about that?

[Whateverist]

1) What is the purpose of Neanderthals?
-Why does there have to be a purpose? Neanderthals went extinct (or created a hybrid) when they came in contact with Man. That is tragic, but man eventually dominated the Earth and began to wage war, steal, do evil things etc. Maybe their purpose was to create a balance in the food chain? Just a speculation.

Boring.

2)Did God judge them?
- Did they know right from wrong? Were their brains as developed as our ancestors? They developed tools, buried their dead, so they were smart. But seriously who has time to think about right or wrong when you are chasing an animal so you could MAYBE get a bite to eat?

Uninsightful. Modern humans too have had to work hard to eat until very recently in evolutionary terms.

3) Will they be in heaven?
- How the hell am I supposed to know?

Exactly. We would first need to know what 'heaven' is and, if it does, whether any hominids at all get in.

4) Which group would define Adam and Eve
- Homo Sapiens Sapiens. Read my paragraph above. Adam and Eve symbolize the coming of the Human race which we are familiar with.

Raw assertion regarding fictional characters. For all you know, this was a story our kind got from the Neanderthals before they disappeared.

5) How do you explain the Primitive Species
- God created man in his image. I don't know about you, but I'm not calling a Neanderthal, or homo erectus, or habilis, or autralopethicus MEN.

Utter bullshit of course about god. And I don't really care how you choose to refer to early hominids. Not mannish enough for you? Meh.

These are my views. Why? Because I had and still had a love of Science before I cashed it in for Faith.

Fixed that for you.

[FatAndFaithless]

5) How do you explain the Primitive Species
- God created man in his image. I don't know about you, but I'm not calling a Neanderthal, or homo erectus, or habilis, or autralopethicus MEN.

If you aren't going to call them "MEN", I'd wager it's because of a sufficient genetic difference from homo sapiens. Fine, whatever. Now, if in the future the human race evolves to the point where we are non longer genetically homo sapiens, are we still 'created in the image of god'?