Evolution: World science academies fight back against creationists

PhysOrg.com ^ | 21 June 2006 | Staff

[PatrickHenry]

In a veiled attack on creationism, the world's foremost academies of science on Wednesday called on parents and teachers to provide children with the facts about evolution and the origins of life on Earth.

A declaration signed by 67 national academies of science blasted the scriptural teaching of biology as a potential distortion of young minds.

"In various parts of the world, within science courses taught in certain public systems of education, scientific evidence, data and testable theories about the origins and evolution of life on Earth are being concealed, denied or confused with theories not testable by science," the declaration said.

"We urge decision-makers, teachers and parents to educate all children about the methods and discoveries of science and to foster an understanding of the science of nature.

"Knowledge of the natural world in which they live empowers people to meet human needs and protect the planet."

Citing "evidence-based facts" derived from observation, experiment and neutral assessment, the declaration points to findings that the Universe is between 11 and 15 billion years old, and the Earth was formed about 4.5 billion years ago.

Life on Earth appeared at least 2.5 billion years ago as a result of physical and chemical processes, and evolved into the species that live today.

"Commonalities in the structure of the genetic code of all organisms living today, including humans, clearly indicate their common primordial origin," it said.

Signatories of the declaration include the US National Academy of Sciences, Britain's Royal Society, the French Academy of Sciences and their counterparts in Canada, China, Germany, Iran, Israel and Japan and elsewhere.

The statement does not name any names or religions, nor does it explain why it fears the teaching of evolution or the scientific explanation for the origins of planetary life are being sidelined.

It comes, however, in the context of mounting concern among biologists about the perceived influence of creationism in the United States.

Evangelical Christians there are campaigning hard for schools to teach creationism or downgrade evolution to the status of one of a competing group of theories about the origins of life on Earth.

According to the website Christian Post (www.christianpost.com), an opinion poll conducted in May by Gallop found that 46 percent of Americans believe that God created humans in their present form within the last 10,000 years or so.

Scientists say hominids emerged around six million years ago and one of their offshoots developed into anatomically modern man, Homo sapiens, about 200,000 years ago, although the timings of both events are fiercely debated.

Nearly every religion offers an explanation as to how life began on Earth.

Fundamentalist Christians insist on a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis in the Bible, in which God made the world in seven days, culminating in the creation of the first two humans, Adam and Eve.

A variation of this is called "intelligent design" which acknowledges evolution but claims that genetic mutations are guided by God's hand rather than by Charles Darwin's process of natural selection.

US President George W. Bush said last August that he believed in this concept and that he supported its teaching in American schools.

The academies' statement says that science does not seek to offer judgements of value or morality, and acknowledges limitations in current knowledge.

"Science is open-ended and subject to correction and expansion as new theoretical and empirical understanding emerges," it adds.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Who exactly decides what is and isn't a scientific theory? Macroevolution should only be a hypothesis, not a theory. The scientific method cannot be applied to it (nor can it to Creationism).

[DungeonMaster]

Dumpster Baby: The whole concept of provability prevents me from being able to blindly accept celestial magic and the Poof Theory about how the whole universe got here 6000 years ago.

Dungeon Master: So do you accept the Big Bang theory?

Dumpster Baby: bla bla bla yes bla bla bla.

I rest my case.

[DungeonMaster]

Who exactly decides what is and isn't a scientific theory?

The holy church of the scientific community.

Macroevolution should only be a hypothesis, not a theory. The scientific method cannot be applied to it (nor can it to Creationism).

The holy church of the scientific community says that spending billions of dollars to prove something passes the test of being "scientific method".

[stormer]

"Don't ask me what I think of you.
I might not give the answer that you want me to..."

LOL

As long as you weren't bummin' my load.

[after dark]

These "scientists" are leftists. Notice how worried they are about the environment. They are hoping to exploit Darwin's theory to destroy fundamentalist Christian schools and fundamentalist Christian churches. They are blatantly misusing science. Any real conservative, whither you believe Darwin's theory or not, should be able to see through this nonsense. These people are not trying to spread scientific knowledge. They are trying to destroy one of the last bastions of traditional western values. These "scientists" are evil people who have been educated beyond their abilities.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Don't be absurd. Science (and Western Civilization, etc.) can progress with or without macroevolutionary dogma.

It can't. As soon as we agree that facts and evidence don't matter, then there is no science. Not a good situation for a technological society.

When your computer crashes, do you want someone to come and read Bible verses to it, then if it isn't fixed, to leave with a recommendation that you be excommunicated for being a non-believer?

Also, creationists can end the evolution debate any time they want. Produce a billion year old human fossil. Or any billion year old fossil mammal. They've been at this for 150 years and haven't succeeded yet.

[Obadiah]

Argument Ad baculum.

My respected FR friend, how I wish you knew the kindness and gentleness of the Creator.

[MineralMan]

"As long as you weren't bummin' my load.
"

Oh, Well.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Cellular life is extremely complex. That chemicals would randomly combine to form a single cell lifeform, is highly improbable. Also, the hypothesis of the Big Bang calls for the universe to have expanded faster than c. Currently, that flys in the face of general relativity, MineralMan wall .

[stormer]

See js? It's really argument ad nauseum.

[RadioAstronomer]

Also, the hypothesis of the Big Bang calls for the universe to have expanded faster than c.

You might want to start here:

http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/cosmolog.htm

[js1138]

One would never guess from observing those who claim to serve.

[RadioAstronomer]

These "scientists" are leftists

Do you actually know a scientist?

[DoctorMichael]

......Christianity (and Creationism).....

No WAY!! I'm talkin' about REAL Creationism/IDism!!!!!!!!!!!!!...............

http://www.rael.org/rael_content/rael_summary.php

The Designers have been here!

I read it on the Internet therefore it must be true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Bible says so too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..........

Lets all get together and get this into our Godless Public School System as a viable alternative to what the Godless Evilutionists profess!!!!!!!!

Who's with me?

		LANGUAGE NATIONAL WEBSITES
Wednesday, 29 March 2006 14:54 Videos The Message Downloads
HUMAN SCIENTISTS FROM ANOTHER PLANET CREATED ALL LIFE ON EARTH USING DNA. Traces of this epic masterpiece of creation can be found in all religious writings and traditions. It is to them that Moses, Jesus, Buddha and Mohammed referred. It is now time to welcome them. WHAT HAPPENED? On the 13th of December 1973, French journalist Rael was contacted by a visitor from another planet, and asked to establish an Embassy to welcome these people back to Earth. The extra-terrestrial human being was a little over four feet tall, had long dark hair, almond shaped eyes, olive skin, and exuded harmony and humor. Rael recently described him by saying quite simply, "If he were to walk down a street in Japan, he would not even be noticed." In other words, they look like us, and we look like them. In fact, we were created "in their image" as explained in the Bible. He told Rael that: "We were the ones who designed all life on earth" "You mistook us for gods" "We were at the origin of your main religions" "Now that you are mature enough to understand this,we would like to enter official contact through an embassy" THE MESSAGES The messages dictated to Rael explain that life on Earth is not the result of random evolution, nor the work of a supernatural 'God'. It is a deliberate creation, using DNA, by a scientifically advanced people who made human beings literally "in their image" -- what one can call "scientific creationism." References to these scientists and their work, as well as to their symbol of infinity, can be found in the ancient texts of many cultures. For example, in Genesis, the Biblical account of Creation, the word "Elohim" has been mistranslated as the singular word "God", but it is actually a plural word which means "those who came from the sky", and the singular is "Eloha" (also known as "Allah"). Indigenous cultures all over the world remember these "gods" who came from the sky, including natives of Africa (Dogon, Twa, etc.), America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. Leaving our humanity to progress by itself, the Elohim nevertheless maintained contact with us via prophets including Buddha, Moses, Mohammed, etc., all specially chosen and educated by them. The role of the prophets was to progressively educate humanity through the Messages they taught, each adapted to the culture and level of understanding at the time. They were also to leave traces of the Elohim so that we would be able to recognize them as our Creators and fellow human beings when we had advanced enough scientifically to understand them. Jesus, whose father was an Eloha, was given the task of spreading these messages throughout the world in preparation for this crucial time in which we are now privileged to live: the predicted Age Of Revelation. And most important of all, read the book, "Intelligent Design - Message from the Designers" the book which will revolutionize your thinking, transform your life and which is already changing the world. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE E-BOOK!	Free Downloads Click on an image to download the free e-book! (requires Acrobat Reader 5 or higher) Click on an image to download the free e-book! (requires Acrobat Reader 5 or higher) Click on an image to download the free e-book! (requires Acrobat Reader 5 or higher) Click on an image to download the free e-book! (requires Acrobat Reader 5 or higher) Click on an image to download the free e-book! (requires Acrobat Reader 5 or higher)	Main Menu Home Events FAQ Testimonials   Africa   Americas   Asia   Europe   Oceania   Middle East Contact Us Shop Links Welcome Username: Password: [ Signup ] [ Forgot password? ] [  ] Live Chat Support OFFLINE

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[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Evolutions have also made some absurd comments on this thread so far.

[after dark]

Why are defending this tripe?Since when was it scientific to attack religions which are not affiliated with?

[stormer]

"Who's with me?"

I am! (If you'll tell me where I can get one of those rigs and how I can make my hair do that.)

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Science can go on with or without an agreed upon model of how the Universe, the Earth, and life formed.

[ml1954]

If you are asking me to cite chapter and verse then my reply is that the whole Bible points out the folly of evolution and I would ask if you have taken the time to read the Bible? However, Genesis chapter one and two is a good starting point. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27 might also be considered.

It doesn't say anything about evolution there.

One cannot come to eternal salvation apart from having a personal relationship with the Creator in this life. Those are word not of condemnation, but are words of hope!

You seem to assume that being pro-evolution means that someone cannot have 'a personal relationship with the Creator in this life'. Who told you that? A great many devout religious leaders have said otherwise.

[Obadiah]

One would never guess from observing those who claim to serve.

Guilty as charged.