The Scientist
Level 3 Valued Member
Jeffrey,
I never claimed that I can prove the non-existence of any of the thousands of gods that humans have imagined, and biological evolution doesn't require that no gods exist to be true. There is simply no evidence supporting the existence of any gods, so I live my life as though they don't exist - much like tooth fairies and easter bunnies.
This statement I just don't get: "Saying that the world evolved is as much a religious statement as saying it was created."
Are you not aware of the enormous body of evidence supporting biological evolution and detailing its process? Molecular genetics (the field in which I earned my doctorate) has made very fine details of this process clear. Since there is an enormous amount of evidence, no faith is required. Creationism on the other hand has no evidence to speak of and has no hypothesis to test. This leaves it in the realm of faith and superstition.
As for your lack of embarrassment, I am not surprised. Those who locked up Galileo for demonstrating that the earth revolved around the sun were not embarrassed at the time, but would be now. The religious groups who fiercely held onto their claim that diseases were divine judgement and not caused by microbes were also not embarrassed at the time (not that long ago), but would be now. The priests who told Ben Franklin that he was going to hell for trying to subvert god's divine judgment with the lightning rod showed no embarrassment, but they seem awfully silly now. Some day history will judge you as being as laughably wrong and ignorant, just like every other case of religion being stubborn and stupid, and then having to play catchup with science a few decades or centuries later.
I realize that this has nothing to do with strength and does not belong here. I am just too tired of having to work with my students to erase years of them begin brainwashed by this nonsense. I also know that you will not change, but I just can't help but try.
I never claimed that I can prove the non-existence of any of the thousands of gods that humans have imagined, and biological evolution doesn't require that no gods exist to be true. There is simply no evidence supporting the existence of any gods, so I live my life as though they don't exist - much like tooth fairies and easter bunnies.
This statement I just don't get: "Saying that the world evolved is as much a religious statement as saying it was created."
Are you not aware of the enormous body of evidence supporting biological evolution and detailing its process? Molecular genetics (the field in which I earned my doctorate) has made very fine details of this process clear. Since there is an enormous amount of evidence, no faith is required. Creationism on the other hand has no evidence to speak of and has no hypothesis to test. This leaves it in the realm of faith and superstition.
As for your lack of embarrassment, I am not surprised. Those who locked up Galileo for demonstrating that the earth revolved around the sun were not embarrassed at the time, but would be now. The religious groups who fiercely held onto their claim that diseases were divine judgement and not caused by microbes were also not embarrassed at the time (not that long ago), but would be now. The priests who told Ben Franklin that he was going to hell for trying to subvert god's divine judgment with the lightning rod showed no embarrassment, but they seem awfully silly now. Some day history will judge you as being as laughably wrong and ignorant, just like every other case of religion being stubborn and stupid, and then having to play catchup with science a few decades or centuries later.
I realize that this has nothing to do with strength and does not belong here. I am just too tired of having to work with my students to erase years of them begin brainwashed by this nonsense. I also know that you will not change, but I just can't help but try.