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There is no proof that we evolved from apes. Period
the Sunday Telegraph ^ | 9/11/05 | Vij Sodera

Posted on 12/15/2005 9:10:41 AM PST by flevit

Simon Schama appears to have little understanding of biology (Opinion, September 4). With an ostrich mindset that tries to ignore reality, pseudo-scientists continue in the vain hope that if they shout loud and long enough they can perpetuate the fairy story and bad science that is evolution.

You don't have to be a religious fundamentalist to question evolution theory - you just have to have an open and enquiring mind and not be afraid of challenging dogma. But you must be able to discern and dodge the effusion of evolutionary landmines that are bluster and non sequiturs.

No one denies the reality of variation and natural selection. For example, chihuahuas and Great Danes can be derived from a wolf by selective breeding. Therefore, a chihuahua is a wolf, in the same way that people of short stature and small brain capacity are fully human beings.

However, there is no evidence (fossil, anatomical, biochemical or genetic) that any creature did give rise, or could have given rise, to a different creature. In addition, by their absence in the fossil record for (supposed) millions of years along with the fact of their existence during the same time period, many animals such as the coelacanth demonstrate the principle that all creatures could have lived contemporaneously in the past.

No evidence supports the notion that birds evolved from dinosaurs, nor that whales evolved from terrestrial quadrupeds, nor that the human knee joint evolved from a fish pelvic fin. And the critically-positioned amino acids at the active sites within enzymes and structural proteins show that the origination of complex proteins by step-wise modifications of supposed ancestral peptides is impossible. In other words, birds have always been birds, whales have always been whales, apes did not evolve into humans, and humans have always been humans.

But you might protest that it has been proved that we evolved from apes. In fact, the answer is a categorical No. Australopithecines, for example, were simply extinct apes that in a few anatomical areas differed from living apes. If some of them walked bipedally to a greater degree than living apes, this does not constitute evidence that apes evolved into humans - it just means that some ancient apes were different from living apes.


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: anotherevotalltale; clowntown; creationisthicks; creationuts; crevolist; drzaiusrules; evilutionuts; evolution; foolsaysthereisnogod; fruitcakes; goddooditamen; idiocy; ignoranceisstrength; ignoranceonparade; moron
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To: rrr51

That is a possible explanation. Perhaps He was practising.

On the other hand, if he was God, He was all knowing and had no need of "practise". At any rate, there is no fossil evidence to indicate this theory.

I believe God created the rules that set the universe in operation, and that from time to time he intervenes to achive His goal. I believe He created us through these rules He set up, and that we were His intended end-product.

I couldn't even begin to guess why God thought it necessary to create such vain and vile creatures as us, but then I'm not God and hence lack the ability to figure that out.


101 posted on 12/15/2005 10:29:43 AM PST by ZULU (Non nobis, non nobis, Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: ZULU
if the Bible specifically stated evolution was a fact, would you believe it then?

Not unless there were other evidence to support it.

Now since we're asking questions here, I wonder if you will tell me how a species evolves to have 23 chromosome pairs in each cell nucleus from some different integral number of pairs over "zillions of years."

ML/NJ

102 posted on 12/15/2005 10:30:35 AM PST by ml/nj
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To: flevit
There's no proof that the author has ever attended, let alone understood a science class. There's actually strong proof to the contrary.

The same applies to a number of freepers.

103 posted on 12/15/2005 10:30:35 AM PST by blowfish
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To: Lewite

There is nothing in the theory of evolution which negates the belief that God created man with His own hands.

The dispute over evolution, in my mind at least, is over the mechanism. And I don't think God thought that was of any theological significance, or He would have elaborated on it in the Torah.


104 posted on 12/15/2005 10:32:36 AM PST by ZULU (Non nobis, non nobis, Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: redrock
Either age for the Universe or this planet does not preclude God.

True....Many however, refuse to accept anything ever happened more than about 6,000 years ago.

105 posted on 12/15/2005 10:32:54 AM PST by add925 (The Left = Xenophobes in Denial)
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To: flevit

Semantics, I'd say. That NG thing could also be interprested as apes evolving from humans since they "may" share the same common ancestor (according to that NG piece). That said, primates and humans sharing the same ancestry (even if that were true) does not mean that man evolved from "apes".

Just my opinion.


106 posted on 12/15/2005 10:33:08 AM PST by L98Fiero
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To: blowfish

great exuse for me to post this link agains, since "yous" never seem to read it...

http://www.onesmallspeck.com/author.html


107 posted on 12/15/2005 10:33:32 AM PST by flevit
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To: Diddle E. Squat
well ok.. not all species of apes have fully evolved yet... but there time is coming.. maybe in 80 thousand years or so.
108 posted on 12/15/2005 10:34:45 AM PST by Element187
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To: add925
True..and many insist (just as rabidly ) that a few fragments of bone prove evolution.
109 posted on 12/15/2005 10:36:24 AM PST by redrock (Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock. --Will Rogers)
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To: untrained skeptic
A sample:

However, there is no evidence (fossil, anatomical, biochemical or genetic) that any creature did give rise, or could have given rise, to a different creature.

here

many animals such as the coelacanth demonstrate the principle that all creatures could have lived contemporaneously in the past.

here

No evidence supports the notion that birds evolved from dinosaurs, nor that whales evolved from terrestrial quadrupeds

See first and related articles.

And the critically-positioned amino acids at the active sites within enzymes and structural proteins show that the origination of complex proteins by step-wise modifications of supposed ancestral peptides is impossible.

here and related articles.

In general, this list covers it all.

110 posted on 12/15/2005 10:38:09 AM PST by antiRepublicrat
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To: ml/nj

During meiosis and mitosis, gentic "errors" can occur.

Chromosomes can split, fuse, and genes can recombine.

Given the long timeframes involved in evolution, its not beyond credibility that the number of chromosomes can increase or reduce or change in other ways.

Down's syndrome in Humans is caused by an extra chromosome.


111 posted on 12/15/2005 10:38:23 AM PST by ZULU (Non nobis, non nobis, Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: flevit
However, there is no evidence (fossil, anatomical, biochemical or genetic) that any creature did give rise, or could have given rise, to a different creature. In addition, by their absence in the fossil record for (supposed) millions of years along with the fact of their existence during the same time period, many animals such as the coelacanth demonstrate the principle that all creatures could have lived contemporaneously in the past.

When I see fossils from lions, tigers, and bears mixed with t-rex, triceratops, and stegasaurus I'll pay attention to this guy.

112 posted on 12/15/2005 10:38:49 AM PST by GreenOgre (mohammed is the false prophet of a false god.)
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To: antiRepublicrat

Excellant references.

Interesting to see what responses it elicits from our friends who are anti-evolutionists.


113 posted on 12/15/2005 10:40:36 AM PST by ZULU (Non nobis, non nobis, Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. God, guts, and guns made America great.)
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To: untrained skeptic; rlmorel; jess35

Sorry, wrong thread for the first one.


114 posted on 12/15/2005 10:40:36 AM PST by antiRepublicrat
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To: flevit
The comments on this thread is the reason i'll never switch to the republican party. too many religious radicals.

so the only other alternative for a conservative is the liberatarian party.

we all know we didnt come from apes... Bush created everything, DUH!
115 posted on 12/15/2005 10:40:41 AM PST by Element187
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To: highlander_UW
I see no value in wondering what may or may not have transpired in some entirely speculative alternative existence.

Ever wonder what this world would be like if we didn't have hypothetical questions?

:)

116 posted on 12/15/2005 10:40:47 AM PST by ShadowAce (Linux -- The Ultimate Windows Service Pack)
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To: svcw

"Silly, I know."

Silly? SILLY?? That ain't silly, that's the funniest damned thing I've heard all day!

R3


117 posted on 12/15/2005 10:41:01 AM PST by RedRightReturn (Even a broken clock is right twice a day...)
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To: redrock
True..and many insist (just as rabidly ) that a few fragments of bone prove evolution.

Here are a few of those fragments.

Herto skulls (Homo sapiens idaltu)

Some new fossils from Herto in Ethiopia, are the oldest known modern human fossils, at 160,000 yrs. The discoverers have assigned them to a new subspecies, Homo sapiens idaltu, and say that they are anatomically and chronologically intermediate between older archaic humans and more recent fully modern humans. Their age and anatomy is cited as strong evidence for the emergence of modern humans from Africa, and against the multiregional theory which argues that modern humans evolved in many places around the world.

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/herto.html

118 posted on 12/15/2005 10:41:19 AM PST by Coyoteman (I love the sound of beta decay in the morning!)
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To: Kelly_2000

Actually, I learned about this "active site" stuff from my Godless Biology teacher. Got and "A" in the class just recently. From what I understand, only one particular amino acid will fit into an active site of a enzyme. There can be no substitution of amino acids. Enzymes are a bunch of proteins that allow a cell to do what they have to do, like divide or consume nutrients. Amino acids fit into the active site of an enzyme like a lock and key. If the active sites have not changed over time(since they can't be substituted by other chemicals) that means that birds have always been birds, whales have always been whales etc. Get it?


119 posted on 12/15/2005 10:41:59 AM PST by brwnsuga (Proud, Black, Conservative!)
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To: ml/nj
Maybe we should wait till the ID and Creationists folks start digging up Giraffe, Lion, and Bear bones that are mixed in with sediments that are 2 Billion years old?

Hint: It ain't gonna happen, cause that's not how things work.

120 posted on 12/15/2005 10:43:41 AM PST by GreenOgre (mohammed is the false prophet of a false god.)
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