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I've asked this before, but late in threads. Maybe someone can help me. On one of these threads someone posted a picture of a lizard fossil with a little wing coming out where is front legs should be, thus proving that lizards evolved into birds. Maybe, maybe not. What I want to know is this: is there any explanation through natural selection that describes how mutant liabilities like little wings instead of legs improves survival? Lizards are cool. Birds are cool. Lizard-birds can't run, and they can't fly.

When I asked this question of the original poster of the picture he said "I show you a picture and you don't believe it because you can't imagine how it lived!"

That's not my point. For the sake of argument let's say it is not a hoax, but a real creature that flapped around in the mud and met its demise millions of years ago. The question is, what survival benefit did a useless wing provide? What was so great about this that allowed it and its offspring to flourish to the point where they mastered flight and left their reptilian forebears in the dust?

The one element (random mutation leading to natural selection based on improved survivability) that Darwinists must absolutely insist on seems to be the weakest point in the whole theory.

The question is, what survival benefit did a useless wing provide?

"Useless" wings don't provide any benefit. Then again, how do you know it was useless?

Perhaps if the question were a bit less Perry Masonish, you'd get more takers.

I've asked this before, but late in threads. Maybe someone can help me. On one of these threads someone posted a picture of a lizard fossil with a little wing coming out where is front legs should be, thus proving that lizards evolved into birds. Maybe, maybe not. What I want to know is this: is there any explanation through natural selection that describes how mutant liabilities like little wings instead of legs improves survival? Lizards are cool. Birds are cool. Lizard-birds can't run, and they can't fly.

You might find this essay interesting.

I've asked this before, but late in threads. Maybe someone can help me. On one of these threads someone posted a picture of a lizard fossil with a little wing coming out where is front legs should be, thus proving that lizards evolved into birds. Maybe, maybe not. What I want to know is this: is there any explanation through natural selection that describes how mutant liabilities like little wings instead of legs improves survival?

Yes.

Lizards are cool. Birds are cool. Lizard-birds can't run, and they can't fly.

Sure they can. Why do you presume they couldn't?

The one element (random mutation leading to natural selection based on improved survivability) that Darwinists must absolutely insist on seems to be the weakest point in the whole theory.

It might seem that way at first glance, but it's not. It's an extremely powerful, creative process. Also, "Darwinists" do not "absolutely insist on" it -- even Darwin himself recognized that there were other processes at work which contributed to evolutionary change.