Charles Darwin- 200 Years of Controversy and Counting

►Reprint Rights◄

Log in to become a member of Gregory Akerman's Fan Club!

Comments on this article:

» left by Susan Thom ^(12,047)
Susan Thom (264 days 4 hours ago.)

hi gregory,

 

i have no answers because i don't know. i haven't studied others' answers. i personally believe God is light energy, and He created us as is, but that's just a feeling i have, not a fact.

 

thanks for sharing your thoughts on this,

 

my best regards,

 

sue

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Akerman ⁽⁷⁹¹⁾
Gregory Akerman (263 days 6 hours ago.)

Thank you for your comments Sue.

 

I'm rather new to the site, but see many "hardcore" Christians here.

 

I'm just trying to point out that it doesn't have to be

evolution vs. Bible.

 

They can coincide in peace together.

 

*Here is a quick edit. I meant no offense when I said "hardcore" Christian. I just meant somebody who is extremely faithful. Extremely faithful Christian is the same as "hardcore" Christian, just different wording. No offense intended.

Respond to this comment

» left by Ben Morrish ^(7,936)
Ben Morrish (263 days 5 hours ago.)

Great article!

 

Evolution/Religion doesn't have to be either or.... the Catholic Church, including the Pope, accepts evolution. So does the Church of England, and many other religious organisations around the world.

 

Evolution is incompatible with a literal reading of Genesis. But if you take the whole Bible literally you're in a bit of a fix because a literal reading presents numerous self-contradictions. It can't all be literally true!

 

If you take the Bible as inspirational and metaphorical, rather than literal, then you can accept evolution and still value the Bible's teachings.

 

Evolution isn't a matter of opinion any more, it is an observed fact. The theory of evolution has been refined over the years as new evidence has come in, but the core ideas have remained basically unchanged, and uncontradicted by new evidence, for 150 years.

 

We don't have to look back to all those "greats" to find apes, we just need to look into a mirror - we are apes ourselves, and so were all of our parents. There's no shame in that, it is just how it is!

 

Despite being apes, we have achieved what no other species on this planet has - wide-ranging art, poetry and music, and we have gained an understanding of the universe beyond the wildest dreams of even a few generations ago.

 

Evolution was discovered by a Christian, and a large proportion (more than half I think) of those who accept it are religious.

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Akerman ⁽⁷⁹¹⁾
Gregory Akerman (263 days 5 hours ago.)

I cannot agree with you more.

 

And as you said, I agree with you, Evolution is now a scientific fact.

Respond to this comment

» left by Ronyae ^(4,519) (262 days 23 hours ago.)

Gregory,

 

That's alot of 'great's, but it's funny...I totally understood them! Thanks for sharign this with us.

Respond to this comment

» left by Cheryl Janecky ⁽¹⁷⁴⁾
Cheryl Janecky (262 days 21 hours ago.)

Great conclusion - much of my writing and work is based on the biases and habits from our genetic ancestors that influence poor decisions and limitations today. Chimps share 98% of our genes - I feel that seeing all life as one big family is liberating - and certainly requires that we treat all life with respect and great kindness. Compassion is the premise of most religions - uniting all of us. All. Nothing left out.

 

Thanks for the challenge to our habits of thinking! Bye, Cheryl

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Akerman ⁽⁷⁹¹⁾
Gregory Akerman (262 days 17 hours ago.)

Thank you for your comments. I appreciate it.

Respond to this comment

» left by (262 days 11 hours ago.)

THANKS, FOR TRYING TO BE FAIR TO ALL READERS, I LEARNED SOMETHING I DID NOT KNOW, BY READING YOUR ARTICLE.

 

KEEP IT UP!...JB

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Akerman ⁽⁷⁹¹⁾
Gregory Akerman (262 days 6 hours ago.)

Thank you for noticing that I was trying my besto to be fair to all sides.

 

And I blushed when you said I taught you something.

 

Thanks!

Respond to this comment

» left by Teresa Ortiz ^(11,020)
Teresa Ortiz (262 days 3 hours ago.)

I appreciate your passion, in this were are very much the same :-)

 

Keep writing.

Respond to this comment

» left by Barbara Clark ⁽⁵⁸¹⁾
Barbara Clark (261 days 23 hours ago.)

Good job of trying to be fair to both sides..and I love your ending: it was great! :-) Warmly, Barbara

Respond to this comment

» left by Shawn Siferd ⁽⁵⁾ (261 days 20 hours ago.)

Ha Ha! If my great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandpa was an ape it would explain a lot in my family. Very interesting article and it is actually something that I have spoken to a lot of people about. I do believe that the track that evolution took in order to become man was probably God's overall plan. Although yes He did create the universe in 7 day I believe he planned it from beginning all the way to its end. So for Him there are no surprises. Great article to get me thinking. Thanks!

Respond to this comment

» left by Val Silver ^(2,736)
Val Silver (261 days 12 hours ago.)

Hi Gregory,

 

Frankly I'm more awed by the fact that life could begin at all, even just one cell, let alone millions of species. Even that is a concept that is difficult to wrap my brain around. I seem to favor the adaptation model. Not sure it appears we evolved in a straight line as some species just seem to appear in the fossil record. Anyway, I suppose we'll really never know the whole of it. Val

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Akerman ⁽⁷⁹¹⁾
Gregory Akerman (261 days 6 hours ago.)

There is so much we don't know, and probably never will. But evolution is occuring at this very moment, so atleast in a few thousand years we will notice human beings being evolved compared to today, eh?

Respond to this comment

» left by Roger Ingbretsen ⁽²³⁹⁾
Roger Ingbretsen (260 days 23 hours ago.)

I believe your right.

Respond to this comment

» left by Anonymous from California (260 days 18 hours ago.)

I think both Creationism and evolution are deeply flawed and does not represent the true origin of humanity.

 

The world has been turned topsy-turvy by both of these theories, and Darwinism has been used as a justification for slavery and an excuse for colonial rule, claiming non-European are less civilised than their European counterparts

Respond to this comment

» left by Ken McCreless ^(1,693)
Ken McCreless (260 days 18 hours ago.)

Ok, Gregory, I'll bite. Are you aware that the various bones of "Lucy" were found a great distance apart? Science changes it's position too many times to keep up. Too many assumptions and how can we know the accuracy of the "dating" equations? I enjoyed the article very much. Great food for discussion.

Respond to this comment

» left by Nancy Daniels ^(1,550)
Nancy Daniels (260 days 12 hours ago.)

Gregory,

 

As a Christian, I don't look at Genesis literally. It does not lessen my belief in Jesus Christ as my savior, however, nor the fact that I believe in every single one of Jesus' miracles -- from his conception to his rising.

 

Thanks for an interesting article. I loved Nat Geo's article on Lucy from years past.

 

Nancy

Respond to this comment

» left by Gary W. Halsey Sr. ^(4,552)
Gary W. Halsey Sr. (260 days 7 hours ago.)

Gregory, you know I like your articles, they are always so thought provoking, but if my ancestor is a great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great granpa, and he was a ape...what a good lookin' ape he must have been!! I also think my great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great uncle was Ally Oop, then again, he must of been really good lookin'!!! hahahahahahha. Your artical was again very thought provoking, and most folks will tell you especially Christians like myself, (Souther Baptist), I will tell you what you were told before by another one of your readers that it does not deter what I believe in, rather I choose to believe in both....!!! I do believe in evolution, only in certain "Proven" extent in animals or fish, even fowl. Most scientist do not believe in God, rather, they believe in evolution. I mean evolution is still going on to this very day, it is nothing new, look how the birds of pray turned into dinosaurs, i.e. the raptor, it was a leathal dinosaur, totally meat eater who's tailbone was facing backwards like that of a bird. That would be a part of evolution. Some catfish used to have legs, some still walk on their fins that used to be legs, to this very day, the albino catfish was one of them, they used to be able to walk on land to get from one pond to the other....amazing stuff. Religion, as I'm sure you know is soley based on "faith of ones beliefs". I like others, have questioned the probably of Moses living to be hundreds of years old, like you say, how long was the year? No one knows, yet they believe because of "faith" in what the Bible says. Then again you could argue the point, how many times was the Holy Bible revised, and what was lost in interpertation? No one knows. So to claim the Holy Bible is dead accurate, would be a misnomer. Again, you got me going!!! hahahahahahaha, oh your good. Loved the thought provoking article...and just for the record, I'm still a Southern Baptist!! hee..hee..hee.....your pal, and friend in pen.....Gary

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Akerman ⁽⁷⁹¹⁾
Gregory Akerman (257 days 20 hours ago.)

Hello Gary, thanks for the comments as always...

I have no problem with my great (and add 20 more greats) grandpa was an ape; we share too many genetic markers sp its gotta be true.

Respond to this comment

» left by Joel Hendon ^(16,285)
Joel Hendon (258 days 14 hours ago.)

Gregory, everything you state so dogmatically is nothing more than supposition. There is not one fossil record showing any advancement between species. Not one. Also, if God can create the earth in 14 billion years, he can also build it in 7 days, with various elements at varying points in their half-lives. He would have had to do that in order for life to be sustained as it now is. Lucy is one more of their fraudulent schemes. They found no hands or feet, so they made her "human" feet and callled her a missing link. You need to read deeper into those who you hold so accurately. I have pages of quotes from hard shelled evolutionists who admit they have no proof that any species ever advanced from another.

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Akerman ⁽⁷⁹¹⁾
Gregory Akerman (257 days 20 hours ago.)

Joel, the point of the article was for people like you (extreme Chritians) to realize that Evolution is compatable with Religion.

Respond to this comment

» left by Joel Hendon (257 days 15 hours ago.)

Macroevolution is anything but compatible with the Bible. Nobody, that I know of, denies evolution within species. Even the Bible gives examples of it. I know that sometimes I come across as being angry. I have a lot of respect for you and I am not in the least, angry. I just need to straighten you out. :o)

 

Peace!

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Akerman ⁽⁷⁹¹⁾
Gregory Akerman (257 days 11 hours ago.)

Well the first thing you have to do in order to believe in Macroevolution is believe the Earth is older than 10,000 years...

 

Once you have a timeframe for Earth's age; which is approx. 4.6 billion years, one can see how macroevolution is possible and certainly happening. If microevolution is happening, than microevolution leads to macroevolution given enough time.

 

For example, if in microevolution, a small thing changes in a creature, than 100 million years later, (10 million generations later) the creature will be completely different.

 

In a way, think about plate techtonics. Every X amount of years all the continents are together and called Pangea, and than X amount of years pass and they get arranged as they are now. But in a good 20,000 years the continents are not going to be live they are today, I mean they will not be like pangea but they wont be like they are today.

Respond to this comment

» left by Ben Morrish ^(7,936)
Ben Morrish (258 days 13 hours ago.)

The fossil record shows changes over time - the life forms you find in older rocks are typically very different to those found in later ones.

 

There are no birds found in the oldest rocks for example. All the most ancient fossils found are of relatively simple creatures compared to those we see later in the fossil record, or living today.

 

Also, the fossil record clearly shows gradual change in lineages over time. This isn't a matter of opinion, it is a matter of fact. For any explanation to be potentially true, it must be able to explain this fact.

 

 

It is possible, though unlikely and unsupported by evidence, that a God created the universe at a point with the various elements at various points in their half lives, and at the same time created all the fossils in their layers etc.

 

 

Such a God would have to be a deliberate deceiver though, as they would have consciously created a universe in such a way as to make it look as if the natural laws by which it operates today had shaped it into its current form over billions of years.

 

 There would be no need for an all-powerful being to do that in order for life to be sustained as it now is. We could survive just fine without a fossil record showing changes in earth's life forms over time for example. There'd be no reason for a God that wasn't a deceiver to create such an elaborate and strongly supported "false history".

 

 

Strictly speakling, all scientists and non-scientists alike would have to admit they have no certain *proof*, of anything, since proof only applies within mathematics and logic.

 

 Observations about the real world are not "proved" but are supported by evidence.

  

Speciation has been observed though, many times, and this has been documented in many peer-reviewed, publically accessible scientific papers.

 

 

If you want to see how wide the scientific consensus on evolution is, I suggest googling for Project Steve. Here's a quote from wikipedia:

 

 

"It was originally created by the National Center for Science Education as a "tongue-in-cheek parody" of creationist attempts to collect a list of scientists who "doubt evolution," such as the Answers in Genesis' list of scientists who accept the biblical account of Creation according to Genesis[1] or the Discovery Institute's A Scientific Dissent From Darwinism. The list pokes fun at such endeavors in a "light-hearted" manner to make it clear that, "We did not wish to mislead the public into thinking that scientific issues are decided by who has the longer list of scientists!"[2]

 

 

However, at the same time the project is a genuine collection of scientists. Despite the list's restriction to only scientists with names like "Steve", which in the United States limits the list to roughly 1 percent of the total population,[3] Project Steve is longer and contains many more eminent scientists than any creationist list. In particular, Project Steve contains many more biologists than the creationist lists, since about 51% of the Steves are biologists.[4]"

 

 

Of course, having a lot of names on a list isn't a powerful argument really - it is merely argument from authority. But evolution remains the only credible scientific explanation of the diversity of extrant life forms, and the change over time shown in the fossil record.

 

The authority, the evidence and the logical probability all overwhelmingly support the theory of evolution being accurate.

 

 

Respond to this comment

» left by Gregory Akerman ⁽⁷⁹¹⁾
Gregory Akerman (257 days 20 hours ago.)

Wow, you should of made this into an article of your own, but sense you didn't, I have to do alot less typing and tell everyone that Ben is correct and everything he said I was going to write (you saved me alot of time Ben).

 

Respond to this comment