Below is a part of an internet discussion that I had lately after I watched a lecture given by an anticreation activist at a Skeptics conference in California. Then I posted a comment that went like this: What are evolutionists afraid of that they try so hard to get rid of G-d? Here's what I got.
[Guy 1 It's the fear of a nurturing a society ignorant of science. Creationism may be an easy way to explain
life, but that does not make it fact and does nothing to advance our medical
and technological institutions. You can have your believe in God. Just don't
falsely say it's a good substitute for scientific knowledge and don't teach
religion as fact in public schools.
Guy 2 What is the Master Cabinetmaker afraid of, that he tries to push out those who teach complete b*t
about woodworking?
V.F. I'm sure he does right. The MC metaphor could
stand for creationists just as well. My point is that both sides have arguments
to lay on the table but I will rather put my trust in the book that is
centuries old than in a 150 year old theory whose author doubted it himself.
Besides, the scientific revolution began years before evolutionism was even
mentioned and being
Christian did not hinder many of the great scientists from making their
discoveries.
Just tell
me, has the country become a better place since you took God out of schools?
Who cares how sweet that lady sounds - look where we
are. If evolution is true there is no future. We are here for a better reason
than to vanish into nothing.
Guy 2 Why would the truth of evolution mean there is no future?
V.F. It would mean no Future for us after we check
out, only eternal nothing - have you thought about it? Try to think about where
the Universe ends to boot - and watch yourself lose your mind. Evolution is silent about the afterlife because it's
materialistic, and materialism can't explain non-material things. That's what
the infamous crisis of science of the 20th century came from (if you do some
digging into the history of science you'll find a lot on that).
Guy 2 Evolution is a demonstrated fact (e.g. Nylon eating
bacteria). Evolution helps us vote against e.g. the over-use of anti bacteria in the food industry.
Evolution is used to classify bacteria in medicine. It has real and practical
use, where as creationism has none. It only stagnates scientific progress
because you already think you have all the answers. If evolution is not taught
properly in schools have disastrous effects in the near future. That is why she
is on the mission.
But the credibility of an Idea should never come from
its age alone. What so solidly roots scientific theories in reality, is that
they are constantly checked and tested against reality. science is a way of asking
universal questions and it will always respond in a way. There is something like objective truth/reality.
And science endeavours to find out just how that reality looks like. Also, let
me hint to you, that Darwin
did not doubt evolution himself.
V.F. I agree that science is a powerful means of
getting knowledge. I'm working on a PhD research myself. However, science is
not believed a universal tool for explaining everything. Not anymore. Things
like love or compassion still have to be grasped differently. Bottom line: time
will tell. As a Christian I'm not afraid to be
proven wrong because I have nothing to lose but "a bunch of superstitions", as
atheists say. But if atheists are proven wrong they lose heaven.
Guy 2 I think your last sentence is merely a form of Pascal
Wager. Also, compassion and love are almost certainly just an output of our brains, as is consciousness. And the fact that science can not yet explain
everything in every detail does not
mean that it won't be able to explain it in principle. I do not believe in the supernatural, and that leaves only the natural, which science can explain, if
yet incompletely. There is, I am convinced, no reason to believe in the
supernatural And even if he [Darwin] did, that wouldn't change the validity of his theories. science works on the basis of reality
and facts and evidence, not on the authority of some author. modern science is
also well beyond Darwin
and knows what he couldn’t even dream of. Like DNS etc. However, the bottom line
is, that s.o.'s religious views should be granted everyone. But they should be
private and not influence school education. Science demonstrably explains the facts of reality, and so the scientific theories of, e.g. Conception should be taught, and not the
"alternative theories" of storcks etc.]
Meanwhile, I challenge everyone to try to love people in the way that will transform them completely and make the world better. If you think evolution can help you do that, go ahead. But I will go to the One I know can teach me to love, not only to love people but all that is good and hate all that is evil.