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God or evolution ?

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by Milanos, Oct 10, 2007.

?

God or evolution ?

  1. God

    49 vote(s)
    22.1%
  2. Both

    66 vote(s)
    29.7%
  3. Evolution

    108 vote(s)
    48.6%
  1. Milanos

    Milanos Level IV

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    What do you believe in ? God, or evolution ?

    I believe in evolution, because it makes sense to me. I just can't believe that someone is watching over us.

    This isn't a thread about if you believe in God by the way, just if you believe in God or evolution.
     
  2. junkant

    junkant Level III

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    Ok here is my opinion in short.
    I believe in evolution and I believe in God.
    People need God to keep them in order.
    If there was no God I think we would have so many psychos running around.

    That's just me and my short version.
     
  3. punkeydew

    punkeydew Level IV

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    Seriously... If you have ever studied evolution.... it makes WAY too much sense... all the pieces fit...


    definitally evolution.
     
  4. lazypando

    lazypando Level IV

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    evolution...

    I'm a atheist so I believe in science :)
     
  5. Commy

    Commy Moderator
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    Do you mean creationism/intelligent design vs evolution? If so, i'm for evolution
     
  6. noncheatercheater

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    Evolution.

    If it was God's doing then why are there so many mistakes?
     
  7. blake0_0

    blake0_0 Newbie

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    i believe solely in God...not so much evolution....my friend did a paper on this exact debate and found so many things that can't be explained by science.
     
  8. Commy

    Commy Moderator
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    Would you care to copy the paper onto this thread? I'd be interested to see what it says in it.
    Evolution does exist, but whether humans are the result of evolution or creation is what I'm not fully decided about, but I do lean towards evolution.
    You should see some documentaries on the Galapagos Islands. They have some fascinating creatures that support the theory of evolution. An example of that would be the finches of the islands. There are about 14 different species that have evolved from different selection pressures, with species having differing beak sizes and body sizes. Two biologists, Peter and Rosemary Grant spend half a year on the island since 1973, tagging and researching these finches with results that support evolution.
    On a certain year, there was a drought on one of the islands. Due to lack of water, many of the plants died. The hardier plants produced hard nuts, which were tough to open. Many of the finches that were unable to open the nuts were not able to survive, while the finches with bigger beaks were able to crack open the nuts, and survive, passing on that trait to their offspring. Peter and Rosemary found an increase in beak sizes on that island after the drought, which isn't surprising.
     
  9. blake0_0

    blake0_0 Newbie

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    let me rephrase that...I don't disagree with evolution, but my faith plays a main roll in that.

    I will try to get into contact with my friend to see if he kept the paper saved.
     
  10. pidgeonlanding2

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    I agree with microevolution, I just dont believe in macroevolution... I dont believe that I came from a single cell organism...

    I believe in god and parts of evolution



    commyaji-what you say works well with microevolution, that a species will sometimes evolve to deal with a situation... producing another similar to it. In that case another sparrow. But what I dont agree with is a Dog being produced by a cat... o_0
     
  11. Commy

    Commy Moderator
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    I also don't agree that a dog evolved from a cat. Dogs were not produced by cats. They may have had the same ancestor, but your example would be like saying that we evolved from apes. We had the same ancestor, but no, we didn't evolve from apes. As for microevolution, there is some evidence for that. Namely, the mitochondria and chloroplast in cells. Unlike the other organelles of a cell, mitochondria and chloroplast both have their own DNA, similar to a bacteria's DNA. The theory is that one prokaryote (simple usually unicellular organism) was engulfed by another, and formed an endosymbiotic relationship, in where the engulfed prokaryote was able to produce something beneficial for the other cell. In mitochondria's example, it was able to produce ATP, the storage chemical for the body. The mitochondria was not digested, and was able to flourish within the other cell, as there was an abundance of partially digested food it could use. With the chloroplast, it was able to photosynthesise to produce energy. These cells had the benefit of more energy, and were able to reproduce more.
    It's an example that supports evolution, but does not prove it indefinitely.
     
  12. pidgeonlanding2

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    the big problem with evolution is we werent around to prove or disprove it... the best it will ever be is a theory for just that reason. I have no problem with them having it labeled as a theory, but dont like them teaching it in school as though it is fact... :nope:
     
  13. Milanos

    Milanos Level IV

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    Well, you can just see evolution right now. Bacteries do it too. That's why AIDS is so powerful.
     
  14. pidgeonlanding2

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    that is microevolution...of which I have nothing against

    ok I take my statement back and want to rephrase it, we cant prove MACROevolution, we can only theorize as to how it works/worked
     
  15. Commy

    Commy Moderator
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    And as for what you said, I feel the exact same way about intelligent design.
    Try reading this article
    http://www.theonion.com/content/node/39512
    Interesting....although it is a satirical article which is meant to rip into those who believe in intelligent design.
    I personally don't mind people believing these things. however if people are forcing others to believe in the bible and stuff from the bible and saying their religion holds the key to all the answers in the universe...then I'm against it. But you must feel the same way about people forcing others to believe in evolution.
    But basing stuff on things written in a book? I know people will say things like all the theories we are learning are from books written by others just like the bible, but the bible does not refer to the specific thing itself while the science books are focused on the cause. These "Evangelical Scientists" are just finding quotes and using the words and phrases and molding it into an argument.
    I think the religions have finally realised that they will lose in the battle between science so they are creating theories as it is how people in today's society see things. But all in all, the theory is quite simple just the religion itself where it believe things are the way they are because a "greater power" made it that way. I don't dispute that, but I think life is more complex than that.
    By the way. I believe that most if not all the scientific knowledge at the current moment is flawed as it is all theories which fit the evidence, yes, they are all theories, which you did mention. Yes, evolution and the endosymbiotic theory has some flaws. But so does intelligent design...and I don't know if you believe in 'intelligent falling' or not
    One of my theories is that religions were first created to help humans cope with their surroundings as an answer to things that humans could not answer. When technology improved and people developed theories, humans started to believe that they can answer life's mysteries and moved away from religion. While some moved away from religion others stayed with it. Now the battle between the two are still raging. I myself am agnostic.
    I know this might offend some but I am not trying to offend, I'm just voicing my views.
     
  16. goncalo

    goncalo Level IV

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    I'd say both, since God for me is not that guy who's everywhere watching over you and punishing or rewarding you for your actions, but what we don't understand.

    Evolution does make sense in every way, and God is what STILL doesn't make logical sense. If you notice, long long ago since the ancient civilizations, people used to describe what they couldn't explain, such as weather conditions that would be decisive for a good or bad harvest, as a God's action, someone who they believed to be superior.
    Today, people who believe in God pray for money, love, fortune, life, whatever they can't easily achieve. It's still the same as some years ago.
    So: Evolution = Knowledge, God = The Unexplainable
     
  17. soccermadness90

    soccermadness90 Level III

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    Although i believe in evolution, i believe partially in god. But not one in particular.

    well there was an email i read recently that "explains" why there are so many mistakes i just found it interesting.

    Here it is:

    > >>This is one of the best explanations of why God allows pain and suffering
    > >>that I have seen:
    > >>A man went to a barbershop to
    >have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As
    > >>the barber began to work,
    >they began to have a good conversation. They
    > >>talked about so many
    >things and various subjects. When they eventually
    > >>touched on the
    >subject of God, the barber said: "I don't believe that God
    > >>exists."Why do you say that?" asked the customer.
    > >>> >>"Well, you just
    >have to go out in the street to realize that God doesn't
    > >>exist. Tell me, if God exists, would there be so many sick people? Would
    > >>there be abandoned children? If God existed, there would be neither
    > >>suffering nor pain. I can't imagine a loving God who would allow all of
    > >>these things.
    > >>> >>The customer thought for a moment, but didn't respond
    >because he didn't
    > >>want to start an argument. The barber finished his
    >job and the customer
    > >>left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop,
    >he saw a man in the
    > >>street with long, stringy, dirty hair and an
    >untrimmed beard. He looked
    > >>dirty and unkempt.The customer
    >turned back and entered the barber shop again and he said to
    > >>the barber: "You know what? Barbers do not exist."How can you say that?" asked the surprised barber. "I am here, and I am a
    > >>barber. And I just worked on you!"No!" the customer exclaimed. "Barbers don't
    >exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long
    >hair and untrimmed beards, like that man outside. "Ah, but
    >barbers DO exist! That's what happens when people do not come to me."
    > >>> >>"Exactly!" affirmed the customer. "That's the point! God, too, DOES exist!
    > >>That's what happens when people do not go to Him and don't look
    >to Him for help. That's why there's so much pain and suffering in the
    >world."

    Interesting rite. haha :yup:
     
  18. Milanos

    Milanos Level IV

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    I totally agree with that.

    And soccermadness, that still doesn't mean anything to me. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but that means that God only does nice things for people if they admire him ?

    And I think that Evolution makes sense. God has never been proven. Evolution.. Well, you can see that. There are enough things that prove it.
     
  19. noncheatercheater

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    That is interesting.

    I guess that has changed my view slightly.
     
  20. Commy

    Commy Moderator
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    Well....if you really want to get into it...they're two different things. It's still doesn't explain why bad things happen to good people. I think I recall an American school that was subject to gun-wielding students who went on a killing spree. I believe it was Columbine High School. One of the gunman put a gun to a girl's head, and asked, "Did you believe in God?". When she said yes, he pulled the trigger.
    Also, I recall that many Christians were killed by the Romans in the past. Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm just pulling this out of my head.
    It could be said that God gave us a free will. And bad things happening to good people are a consequence of that. It's because of sin that bad things happen to good people.
    Bad things happen to Christians as well. Even when they look to God for help.