[Ichneumon]

[And if you think that natural selection is just an "arbitrary human construct", try to outrun a lion sometime.]

The physical capacity for a lion to overtake a human could just as easily be ascribed to intelligent design

You're entirely missing the point. But then I've gotten used to that.

as it could be ascribed to some natural force made up from imaginary whole cloth.

Again, the point you missed: If you think that natural selection is "imaginary", try outrunning a hungry lion sometime.

Natural selection is typically employed as a post facto explanation that could cover anything from a flip of the coin to virtually any reality. It does not belong in the realm of hard, empirical science, but in the realm of philosophical musings upon history.

You clearly haven't a clue -- there have been *vast* numbers of studies which have established both a) the reality of the effect of natural selection on genetic evolution, and b) the fact that many genes in the genomes of humans and other species have been shaped by natural selection.

I'm getting pretty tired of endless waves of people who don't know the first thing about biology making arrogant but false pronouncements about the "lack" of research and evidentiary support for various tenets of evolutionary biology, when in fact that support has been meticulously and voluminously well-established, and the speaker's statement is based not on an actual lack of support, but only on his blissful ignorance of its existence. (I may have to make that into a keyboard hotkey.)

Now go waste someone else's time.

[js1138]

I think you are forgetting that Fester and Elsie are here to discredit religion, and doing a fine job of it.

[Fester Chugabrew]

You faith in "natural selection" as hard, empirical science exceeds my own faith that where there is organized matter performing specific functions, there is evidence of intelligent design. You may confess your faith as loudly and doggedly as you please, yet it is plain that "natural selection" carries no more weight scientifically than Kipling's "Just So Stories."

[freedumb2003]

I hate to ask, but could you post me back the list of links (besides the standard)?

My laptop ws reformatted and I lost all my local bookmarks and I somehow overlooked bookmarking it on FR)

I am back in the game, amigo.

[Elsie]

I'm getting pretty tired of endless waves of people...

You mean we're wearin' you down? ;^)

Or maybe we're out re-producing you E types!

Oh well; E has no direction, no purpose, no meaning....