Poll: Controversial Topics

[JuTheTo]

Recently I've seen rather large things that shouldn't be debated at all when one side is clearly more well backed up by it's theories and the facts supporting them than the other side, my example would be evolution vs. intelligent design. but instead of going in depth here, I would like to see other people's arguments for the 2 sides and any other "controversial issues" in society today. (Also I want to see how many people support which of the aforementioned Theories is the correct one (link to the definition(s) of theory namely the first 2 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/theory ))

 

[Phlakes]

I won't say there is no god, but you can't just take the ludicrous amounts of evidence supporting evolution and call it all coincidence. There's having an opinion and then there's being completely unreasonable.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I think everyone should just calm the fuck down about the arguments and have a sandwich. You're achieving nothing but making an ass of yourself, your constant quoting isn't going to change anyone's opinion, so drop the complaints and let's go play some putt-putt.

My thoughts on the belief go as follows: I don't care what you believe in, and you shouldn't care what I believe in.

 

[JuTheTo]

I won't say there is no god, but you can't just take the ludicrous amounts of evidence supporting evolution and call it all coincidence. There's having an opinion and then there's being completely unreasonable.

That would imply evolution is completely random, which it is not, having only recently learned evolution, it was my understanding that a species evolved to suit it's environment, e.g. the finches on whatever island Darwin went to different finches in different areas had different beaks to be able to eat the kind of food in said area, so survival of the fittest.

Also, although i myself am atheist, this argument does not say (however much others want it to) that a deity is not real, only that it is not necessary to explain how the species of animals we see today did not require, note REQUIRE a deity to have gotten to said point

 

[Phlakes]

I won't say there is no god, but you can't just take the ludicrous amounts of evidence supporting evolution and call it all coincidence. There's having an opinion and then there's being completely unreasonable.

That would imply evolution is completely random

Uh... What?

I don't see how you got that. Like... not at all.

And anyway, this-

I think everyone should just calm the fuck down about the arguments and have a sandwich.

-is even more true.

 

[JuTheTo]

I think everyone should just calm the fuck down about the arguments and have a sandwich. You're achieving nothing but making an ass of yourself, your constant quoting isn't going to change anyone's opinion, so drop the complaints and let's go play some putt-putt.

My thoughts on the belief go as follows: I don't care what you believe in, and you shouldn't care what I believe in.

In some cases we should care what others believe in because if for example, a naive child who does not currently know which of the religions it should follow if any is forced into a religion by parents or society they will have a harder time accepting other beliefs and sometimes proven or heavily supported facts. I think in a recent american poll, 50% of the population did not believe in evolution, when it has even been seen when lizards moved to a new area adapted within decades, shows how A strong belief can even stop logical thought.

Simply doing nothing will further allow, Lies, to become more accepted then fact.

Also what have we quoted so far?

 

[JuTheTo]

Coincidence implies the changes from evolution were random happeniing on the off chance.

I won't say there is no god, but you can't just take the ludicrous amounts of evidence supporting evolution and call it all coincidence. There's having an opinion and then there's being completely unreasonable.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

A strong belief can even stop logical thought.

And biased thoughts can stop realistic thoughts...

 

[JuTheTo]

Yes I'm incredibly biased for evolution but I've spent time looking at the other sides arguments so while I am biased I know most of the arguments on the opposing side, and I am (or hope I am) keeping realistic thoughts in my mind and turning a blind eye to the very real problems in the world is while not damaging, it is not helping either.

 

[evilneko]

The topic of "evolution vs. creationism" is only controversial among laymen.

Among scientists, there is none. Evolution is the very foundation upon which modern biology is built. As one put it, "Nothing in biology makes sense except in light of evolution."

Nevertheless this thread will probably grow to monstrous proportion... much like the other one which is still on the front page...

/sigh. Here we go again.

 

[Neverhoodian]

I see no reason why the two beliefs should be mutually exclusive. Speaking as a Christian, I believe that God created life via evolution. The Bible was meant to teach a series of rules and morals to follow, and anyone that regards it as a completely factual science book has missed the point entirely:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Kdc0LLSW8&feature=related
(Youtube won't let me embed)

 

[BabyRaptor]

Creationism (IE Intelligent Design) is not a theory.

1)It is taught from religious texts, and is expected by those who teach it to be taken as irrefutable, infallible Word of God.

2)It's not testable, which is one of the main requirements of a theory. There is no possible to test whether or not a sentient deity-being can an entire planet's worth of life, as we have no sentient deity-beings to bribe into being test subjects.

And anyway, religious beliefs of any sort have no place in public education. None. teach your religion at home or in your chosen place of worship. Everyone in this country has the right to believe how they will...Teaching religious beliefs as facts violates that right and threatens our already pathetic public education system even more.

 

[Horizontalvertigo]

Personally, I don't see why Creationism and Evolution have to be mutually exclusive, there is more than enough evidence to say that evolution is fact, but why does that mean that a god couldn't have played a hand in shaping the world still? Not a god that is a puppet master and a dictator, but a god who is an artist and a shaper. If someone can believe that a god created the entire world but can't believe that god set evolution in motion and manipulated it to his will, then they don't necessarily believe in that god inasmuch as they believe in their scriptures. On the flip side, if someone can know, with a 100% certainly, that evolution is fact and all that entails, how can they disprove a guiding hand amongst the random events that define a species? It's just an idea, no more, no less.

 

[Casual Shinji]

First I think we need to clear up the misunderstanding that just because someone is Christian they believe in Intelligent Design. They don't. This is almost completely exclusive to America. When you ask a random European Christian or Jew whether they believe in evolution, the majority of the answers will be a resounding "Yes".

The problem with Creationism/Intelligent Design is that it turns religious believes into scientific fact, which goes agianst everything religion is about.

 

[SckizoBoy]

That would imply evolution is completely random, which it is not, having only recently learned evolution, it was my understanding that a species evolved to suit it's environment, e.g. the finches on whatever island Darwin went to different finches in different areas had different beaks to be able to eat the kind of food in said area, so survival of the fittest.

Also, although i myself am atheist, this argument does not say (however much others want it to) that a deity is not real, only that it is not necessary to explain how the species of animals we see today did not require, note REQUIRE a deity to have gotten to said point

I don't know enough about evolution to make an informed opinion, but while it is indeed not a random occurrence, how is it that evidence for failed mutation does not exist? Failing that, how does individual adaptation (even if across several generations) equate to mutation across an entire population?

I liken it to protein folding: under normal physical conditions, it takes a very long time for anything to happen, but we know it doesn't, and we're still trying to figure out why...

 

[smithy_2045]

Evolution occurring does not have any influence on the existence or lack thereof of god.

 

[Vault101]

its not "evolution vs creationism"

its can you fit your belifs around evolution? or simply stick your fingers in your ears and sing as loud as you can?

 

[infohippie]

First I think we need to clear up the misunderstanding that just because someone is Christian they believe in Intelligent Design. They don't. This is almost completely exclusive to America.

Unfortunately this seems to be spreading here in Australia too, as Baptist denominations become more powerful. Not long ago I even saw a sign outside a big church here proclaiming "Creation is true, evolution is a lie". I was horrified.

 

[RedEyesBlackGamer]

I see no reason why the two beliefs should be mutually exclusive. Speaking as a Christian, I believe that God created life via evolution. The Bible was meant to teach a series of rules and morals to follow, and anyone that regards it as a completely factual science book has missed the point entirely:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5Kdc0LLSW8&feature=related
(Youtube won't let me embed)

They are at odds with each other.
You are thinking of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theistic_evolution
Intelligent Design was created with the sole purpose of undermining evolution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design