Sunday 22 April 2007
Evolution Opponent: Professor Lee Xian Min (15) 309
How reliable is the theory of evolution?
The definition of a theory is a concept that is supported by numerous well-tested facts and has not been disapproved by many attempts. It is the heart of science, making up of laws, observations and ideas. However, in reality, not all theories can be observed. In evolution, one can only see the effects of evolution- us. Science has opened up large dimensions of reason and thus brought us new insights, but in the joy at the extent of its discoveries, it tends to take away from us dimensions of reason that we still need. Its results lead to questions that go beyond its methodical canon and cannot be answered within it. Thus, people turn to religion and other formulated theories to help them explain what cannot be explained by the theory of evolution. In this website, you will learn of some of the many opposing theories in existence: Its evidence and the scientific community’s response to it.
Evolution is very close to our lives- In fact, we are the product of it! Read the following carefully, and hence make your own judgement on what you want to believe in!
Opposing Theories
Creation Science (Young Earth version)
Creation Science (Old earth version)
Theistic view
Intelligent Design Creationism
The definition of a theory is a concept that is supported by numerous well-tested facts and has not been disapproved by many attempts. It is the heart of science, making up of laws, observations and ideas. However, in reality, not all theories can be observed. In evolution, one can only see the effects of evolution- us. Science has opened up large dimensions of reason and thus brought us new insights, but in the joy at the extent of its discoveries, it tends to take away from us dimensions of reason that we still need. Its results lead to questions that go beyond its methodical canon and cannot be answered within it. Thus, people turn to religion and other formulated theories to help them explain what cannot be explained by the theory of evolution. In this website, you will learn of some of the many opposing theories in existence: Its evidence and the scientific community’s response to it.
Evolution is very close to our lives- In fact, we are the product of it! Read the following carefully, and hence make your own judgement on what you want to believe in!
Opposing Theories
Creation Science (Young Earth version)
Creation Science (Old earth version)
Theistic view
Intelligent Design Creationism
Posted by evolutionrocks at 05:17
doneby: XianMin
Creation Science (Young Earth version
This theory states that God created the universe less than 10,000 years ago, in 6 consecutive 24-hour, resting on the seventh day. God created all animals, which were once in existence (for e.g. dinosaurs) and those that are in existence today in the six days alone. Also, many features of the Earth that we see today -- ranging from fossil-laden layers of rock, the mountain ranges, strings of active, dormant and extinct volcanoes, the Grand Canyon, etc. were formed during the great flood of Noah.
This belief is based on the bible, which is understood and interpreted literally the believers. Genesis contains two stories which describe the creation of the world, the rest of the universe, and all of the forms of life, including humans. The first story is found in Genesis 1:1 to 2:3; the second in Genesis 2.4 to 2:25.
The Bible (Genesis 1)
And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky." 21So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." 23And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind." And it was so. God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
These beliefs are held mainly by people who interpret the Bible literally, regard the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures as inspired by God, and inerrant.
Response from the Scientific Community:
These beliefs are held mainly by people who interpret the Bible literally, regard the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures as inspired by God, and inerrant.
Response from the Scientific Community:
Young Earth creationism is regarded as pseudoscience by mainstream scientists and thus, has no major impact on modern science. These beliefs are based on evidence from geology, anthropology, paleontology, nuclear physics, astronomy, cosmology and many other sciences, which show that the Earth and the rest of the universe have been in existence far longer than 10,000 years. In excess of 99% of earth & biological scientists believe in the theory of evolution and date the age of the earth at about 4.5 billion years ago, when the surface crust of the earth formed. Also, observation of nature shows that all living organisms did not appear in Earth at approximately the same time. Simple life appeared first, then evolved into more complex life forms. Yet the idea of Young Earth Creation Science affects science education, almost solely in the United States, where periodic controversies have raged over the aptness of teaching Young Earth creationist doctrine and creation science in public schools.
Posted by evolutionrocks at 05:11
doneby: XianMin
Creation Science (Old Earth version)
Old Earth accepts the existence of an “old earth,” such that an ancient earth is accepted, but not evolution itself. It reads the Genesis not in a total literal manner—It does not believe that God created the earth in six days, but does not read the Bible in a metaphorical manner, like the Theistic Evolutionists do.
Day-Age Theory of Old Earth Creationism: Quote: 2 Peter 3:8: “One day with the Lord is as a thousand years” Some Old Earth Creationists believe that the “days”, as mentioned in the Bible might represent a millennia, or more. They argue that nothing in the text has specified the exact length of a “day”. To strengthen their point, they refer to the quote above to state that a “day” might not mean literally a day, but much longer.
Gap Theory of Old Earth Creationism
Other Old Earth Creationists believe that a “day” mentioned in the bible means literally a day, not any longer or shorter. Long gaps existed in between those days. It interprets the Bible without having to stretch the meanings of the words or develop metaphorical interpretations. This view was popularized by the famous Scofield Reference Bible, first published in 1909 and still in print today.
Response from the Scientific Community:
Scientific explanations cannot be explained by religion. Any explanation in relation to religion is not accepted by the Scientific Community. Science can tolerate being unsure about some things. But science cannot entertain the notion that there are phenomena in the everyday natural world that require supernatural intervention. That requirement would emasculate science. Darwinism responds to this challenge with scientific excommunication — "It's not science."
Old Earth accepts the existence of an “old earth,” such that an ancient earth is accepted, but not evolution itself. It reads the Genesis not in a total literal manner—It does not believe that God created the earth in six days, but does not read the Bible in a metaphorical manner, like the Theistic Evolutionists do.
Day-Age Theory of Old Earth Creationism: Quote: 2 Peter 3:8: “One day with the Lord is as a thousand years” Some Old Earth Creationists believe that the “days”, as mentioned in the Bible might represent a millennia, or more. They argue that nothing in the text has specified the exact length of a “day”. To strengthen their point, they refer to the quote above to state that a “day” might not mean literally a day, but much longer.
Gap Theory of Old Earth Creationism
Other Old Earth Creationists believe that a “day” mentioned in the bible means literally a day, not any longer or shorter. Long gaps existed in between those days. It interprets the Bible without having to stretch the meanings of the words or develop metaphorical interpretations. This view was popularized by the famous Scofield Reference Bible, first published in 1909 and still in print today.
Response from the Scientific Community:
Scientific explanations cannot be explained by religion. Any explanation in relation to religion is not accepted by the Scientific Community. Science can tolerate being unsure about some things. But science cannot entertain the notion that there are phenomena in the everyday natural world that require supernatural intervention. That requirement would emasculate science. Darwinism responds to this challenge with scientific excommunication — "It's not science."
Posted by evolutionrocks at 05:06
doneby: XianMin
Theistic Evolution
Theistic evolution, less commonly known as evolutionary creationism, is a general opinion that the classical teachings of god and the scientific explanation of Evolution need not be contradictory;Theistic evolution is not a theory in the scientific sense, but a particular view about how the science of evolution relates to some religious interpretations. Theistic Evolutionists vary in beliefs about how much God intervenes in the process. The vast majority of Christians have no problem with this concept; it seems to be rejected mostly by another group of Christians who interprets the Bible word for word, in an extremely literal way (Young Earth creationists). Theistic evolution accepts most or all of modern science, but it invokes God for some things outside the realm of science, such as the creation of the human soul. This position is promoted by the Pope and taught at mainline Protestant seminaries. Stating that there is actually no such active subject present as nature or evolution, he claims that that nature has no existence independent of His will.
Intelligent Design
Response from the Scientific Community:
The scientific community is not receptive to the intelligent design theory. Scientists denounce this as a disguised form of creationism, the view that God created the world just as the Bible says. The National Science Teachers Association and others have termed it pseudoscience, and some have termed it junk science. The U.S. National Academy of Sciences has stated that intelligent design "and other claims of supernatural intervention in the origin of life" are not science because they cannot be tested by experiment, do not generate any predictions, and propose no new hypotheses of their own. According to the scientific community, intelligent design is just created to explain the unexplained, which to scientists, does not mean unexplainable.
Posted by evolutionrocks at 04:27
doneby: XianMin
Bibliography
Websites
http://www.gotquestions.org/theistic-evolution.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design
http://atheism.about.com/od/creationismcreationists/p/oldearth.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Earth_creationism
http://www.drurywriting.com/keith/evolution.sanctification.htm
http://www.uncommondescent.com/evolution/pope-defends-theistic-evolution
cbs.marketwatch.com
http://wiki.cotch.net/index.php/Theistic_evolution
Books
A Brief Look at A Brief History of Time (Hawking's) by Hugh Ross
Creation or Evolution—Does It Really Matter What You Believe?
A New Look at the Old Earth: What the Creation Institutes Are Not Telling You About Genesis by Don Stoner (Author)
Websites
http://www.gotquestions.org/theistic-evolution.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design
http://atheism.about.com/od/creationismcreationists/p/oldearth.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Earth_creationism
http://www.drurywriting.com/keith/evolution.sanctification.htm
http://www.uncommondescent.com/evolution/pope-defends-theistic-evolution
cbs.marketwatch.com
http://wiki.cotch.net/index.php/Theistic_evolution
Books
A Brief Look at A Brief History of Time (Hawking's) by Hugh Ross
Creation or Evolution—Does It Really Matter What You Believe?
A New Look at the Old Earth: What the Creation Institutes Are Not Telling You About Genesis by Don Stoner (Author)