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If we evolved from monkeys and apes, why are there still monkeys and apes? Or better yet, why aren't there creatures on the earth right now that are in a state of evolution a quarter of the way, half-way, or 3/4ths of the way between an ape and a human? Wouldn't we have some primate like that living somewhere in the world, with which we could communicate and reason on a level not quite human but advanced significantly beyond the other primates? Something that maybe even has a partially developed moral sense? Or did evolution just suddenly stop?

The answer to most of your questions is natural selection.

Something that maybe even has a partially developed moral sense?

You mean moonboy's followers???

Everything evolved from single celled organisms, and yet there are still single celled organisms. Why? Because the ecological niche that supported those organisms is still there. We evolved due to genetic recombination that moved along a little at at a time. Just because one member of a species mutates doesn't mean that all will mutate. Some of the population will stay the same, and provided that niche still remains, the original species will as well. The intermediate steps along the chain from apes to humans either interbred or were outcompeted by modern humans. There are arguments for each case.

I am a scientist working in biochemistry. We mutate small sections of DNA, insert that fragment into a circular piece of DNA called a plasmid, and then insert that plasmid into a variety of cells and observe the results. We often use antibiotic resistance genes to select for bacteria which have taken up the plasmid. These resistance genes themselves illustrate random evolution and how genetic recombination can produce a more competitive organism. Also, I am a Christian and I believe that God created life and mapped out the whole thing.

Wouldn't we have some primate like that living somewhere in the world, with which we could communicate and reason on a level not quite human but advanced significantly beyond the other primates?

There were...but we (our fully human ancestors) ate them.

If we evolved from monkeys and apes, why are there still monkeys and apes? Or better yet, why aren't there creatures on the earth right now that are in a state of evolution a quarter of the way, half-way, or 3/4ths of the way between an ape and a human? Wouldn't we have some primate like that living somewhere in the world, with which we could communicate and reason on a level not quite human but advanced significantly beyond the other primates? Something that maybe even has a partially developed moral sense? Or did evolution just suddenly stop?

And to top it off, what are we evolving into? Can we stop it? Do we want to stop it? Is this the best that evolution can do? If there is life on Mars, would we even recognize what it looks like?

If we evolved from monkeys and apes, why are there still monkeys and apes?

For the same reason that there are still other breeds of dogs despite new breeds being developed -- or more to the point, for the same reason that there are still wolves despite the fact that domestic dogs were bred from them.

Or better yet, why aren't there creatures on the earth right now that are in a state of evolution a quarter of the way, half-way, or 3/4ths of the way between an ape and a human?

Because that's not what evolution requires. Are you sure you actually understand it well enough to ask sensible questions about it? Quick, why is there not a dog "half-way" between a dachshund and a beagle? *Think*, man.

Wouldn't we have some primate like that living somewhere in the world, with which we could communicate and reason on a level not quite human but advanced significantly beyond the other primates? Something that maybe even has a partially developed moral sense?

Not necessarily, no. Evolution is not required to "fill in" between divergent species.

But the little light bulb may go off over your head if you stop to ponder that there *have* been other hominoid species, as shown by the fossil record. That answers your question right there, even though they haven't all survived to modern day. As to why they haven't, ask yourself this: Given man's known ability to be remarkably intolerant and violent towards other *races*, just imagine how well he'd treat another humanlike *species*.

Or did evolution just suddenly stop?

Of course not, why do you ask? (Hint: This question of yours is a non sequitur to your other questions.)

Also 99.9% of mutations are NOT advantageous and in most cases - deadly. You could think of "Siamese twins" as a mutation...but it is not a favorable mutation - so the odds of a conjoined species of man evolving is low. However, if the world were such that siamese twins had a reproductive advantage over "normals".... you could possibly see a race of conjoined people evolve. That's how it works. Soooo simple - yet, so hard for many to believe.
99% of people have no REAL concept of how evolution actually works.

Why are there still creationists, when we have people with brains?