Do You Believe In Evolution?

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Interpreting things 'literally' is the bane of the Autistic life and certainly of my life

Jesus of course spoke extensively in parables (metaphors) which is one of the highest forms of language along with humor.

The genius of parables is that the they can be understood, in different ways, depending on the profile of the listener.

Much 'Personal Growth', 'Self help', 'PMA' and prosperity/success messages in print or in person, can be found in the Bible:

'Seek and ye shall find', 'Ask and it shall be given', 'Believe', 'That which they most feared has come upon them'

and one of my favorites..............'let the dead to bury the dead'

I don't want to appear confrontational because this is the second post of yours that I adress in succession.

But how exactly is speaking in parables, in any way, one of the highest forms of language? It's just being vague, not really saying anything except whatever the person listening/reading thinks it might mean.

I don't want to alter him at all (well, maybe less cat food eating would be nice, but that's not really important); I simply posted the picture because I automatically thought of him when I read your first post. He is right, and he shouldn't be altered.



She's gorgeous. I'm sorry for your loss.

The last thread on this (or at least a similar topic) went down in flames (like most threads that even REMOTELY related to 'religion')

Wonder how long this one will last before it disintegrates into bile or is locked

...but it's evolving

Question is flawed.

Science is not a matter of public opinion, and it isn't affected by opinion polls. Beliefs have nothing to do with it.

Tell me... what would a circa 1200AD poll tell you about the shape of the Earth. That it's flat of course.

This just proves that feeble minded people exist, and they they've abandoned their own mind and reason and deferred the thinking to mystics at the very least, if not downright scam artists looking for money or power or both.

belief [bɪˈliːf]
n
1. a principle, proposition, idea, etc., accepted as true
2. opinion; conviction
3. religious faith
4. trust or confidence, as in a person or a person's abilities, probity, etc

Evolution therefore, by definition 1, is a belief. The word does not necessary have to mean the other three though.

The scientific method itself rejects the notion of "absolute truth", in favor of what can be empirically shown to be "most probable". And in the case of evolution, a probability of 99.9999999% is no more "true" than a probability of 95.0%, it is just more likely.

To unwaveringly "believe" in evolution (in the sense of definition 1) is unscientific, however much science has shown that it is the most plausible possibility.

I think that's kinda what Dilbert was trying to say, although I could be wrong.

I also think it is overwhelmingly likely that evolution is a real phenomenon, but again, I could be wrong.

Many people accept evolution as not false; thusly, they accept it as true.

That is true, many do, but you clearly misunderstood the point of my post, as well as Dilbert's. Evolution, in the minds of some, exists as "belief", but that is fundamentally incorrect.

Many people accept evolution as false too, and their "belief" in this is every bit as strong as those that support evolution; the difference is that they lack direct evidence.

I would argue til I'm blue in the face that evolution is a real thing, but that would be based on scientific evidence, not belief. The mechanisms of it are currently not well known, and simple "acceptance" would serve only to diminish research into the specifics that we are not clear on.

Yes I do believe in evolution. Transitional fossils like Archaeopteryx and Tiktaalik don't lie.

"Do i believe in evolution?"

micro-evolution: somewhat. everything reproduces according to its kind, but species can undergo adaptation/mutation.

darwinian evolution- no phreaking way, that would violate the fundamental law of everything reproducing according to its kind.
show me an apple tree that has suddenly started growing tomatoes.

even if it happens "over long periods of time" at one point there would have to be a point where a vital change from one species to another happens which is impossible

Belief's evolve over time. Our societies beliefs change as well as our personal beliefs. Evolution is life, hence the only proof of life is change. So, for one not to believe in evolution just means they have no experience with hope, only opinions of such a phenomenon. Once a person's experience outweighs their hope, they will have evolved, hence their is hope.

The theory makes sense to me.

Yeah, because i'm using my braincells.

Yes, because I'm also using my brain cells.