RE: Why the religious will never admit you won the argument (and why they don't care)
June 23, 2016 at 6:26 pm
(This post was last modified: June 23, 2016 at 6:34 pm by SteveII.)
(June 23, 2016 at 4:33 pm)Veritas_Vincit Wrote:(June 23, 2016 at 3:23 pm)SteveII Wrote: Did my point go over your head or are you just ignoring it because you have no answer? See bold above. I'll try again:
1. You admit to gaps in our knowledge/understanding of evolution (in the all-encompassing sense of the word)
2. Gaps in knowledge = facts not known = not full understanding of how the complete theory works.
3. If you still believe evolution (in the all-encompassing sense of the word) is true, it is a belief because you have bridged the gaps with something other than knowledge. You even used the word "consensus" which means a common belief. You don't need consensus for facts. For example, decent with modification is a fact. Natural selection is a fact. Don't need consensus, don't need them to sign a statement, don't need to take a poll.
Perhaps you think the gaps (irreducible complexity, biological networks, "tree of life" doesn't appear to be a tree, fossil record/intermediate forms, convergent genetic evolution, junk DNA perhaps not junk after all, natural selection not enough for traits with a low selection coefficient, etc.) are trivial. Then it would be you that would need to do some reading.
Again, back to the puzzle analogy just because there are a couple of pieces missing doesn't mean that the rest of the puzzle is completely wrong - HOWEVER what gaps are you talking about? When I say gaps I mean that there are probably lots of species that we haven't yet found fossils for, which you would expect considering how rare the circumstances required for fossils to form are - arguably it's amazing we have any at all. But these gaps do not call the theory into question, at all! It's not like there are fossils of Rabbits in Triassic period rock!
When I say I believe evolution I mean that I believe that I believe the facts as reported by scientists and their interpretations as currently being the best explanation for complex life on Earth. I believe the science is true because it has been DEMONSTRATED to be true.
And for the fourth time you have dodged my point, so since I've addressed yours, let's see if you have an answer:
How does the validity of Evolution matter in any way to your Christian world view? What evidence do you have to back up your idea that God did it?
Wow. I am not talking about a missing bunny rabbit fossil. Here are some of the gaps in knowledge within the general theory of evolution (which I listed in multiple posts):
1. irreducible complexity,
2. biological networks,
3. "tree of life" tossed out. Now perhaps a "web" or "network"
4. fossil record/intermediate forms,
5. convergent genetic evolution,
6. junk DNA perhaps not junk after all,
7. natural selection not enough for traits with a low selection coefficient
Notice the bold above. I believe the facts too. I believe the demonstrated science to be true as well. However, you go beyond this and believe the entire theory from end to end in spite of the gaps in knowledge. So you don't "know" the entire theory is true. No one does. You simply share a belief with most scientist that the entire theory is true.
Regarding your question, the validity of evolution does not impact Christianity all that much. Your second question: that God did what exactly? Create life? I do believe that. How? I don't know, I was not there.