Posted on 03/04/2009 7:16:11 PM PST by GodGunsGuts
“Creationists claim there are no transitional fossils, aka missing links. Biologists and paleontologists, among others, know this claim is false,” according to a recent LiveScience article that then describes what it claims are 12 specific transitional form fossils.1 But do these examples really confirm Darwinism?
Charles Darwin raised a lack of transitional fossils as a possible objection to his own theory: “Why, if species have descended from other species by fine gradations, do we not everywhere see innumerable transitional forms?”2 Later in this chapter of his landmark book, he expressed hope that future discoveries would be made of transitional forms, or of creatures that showed some transitional structure—perhaps a half-scale/half-feather.
Although some creationists do say that “there are no transitional fossils,” it would be more accurate to state that there are no undisputed transitional forms. Although the article asserts that the fossil record “is full of them,” the reality is that it does not contain a single universally accepted transitional form. Every transitional fossil candidate has both proponents and doubters even among evolutionary “biologists and paleontologists.”
The first supposed transitional form offered in the report is Sahelanthropus. This 2001 discovery was first hailed as a transitional form in the ape-to-human line, but controversy over its transitional status immediately ensued. Brigitte Senut of the Natural History Museum in Paris was skeptical, saying that its skull features, “especially the [canine teeth],”3 were characteristic of female gorillas, not human-like gorillas. Senut and her colleagues also disputed that Sahelanthropus was even in the ancestry of humans at all: “To represent a valid clade, hominids must share unique defining features, and Sahelanthropus does not appear to have been an obligate biped [creature that walked on two feet].”4 In other words, Sahelanthropus is at best a highly disputed fossil of an extinct ape, having no clear transitional features.
LiveScience also listed a medium-neck-length fossil giraffe named Bohlinia and the “walking manatee” as transitional forms. However, Bohlinia is just variation within what is still clearly the giraffe kind and doesn’t answer the question, “Where did the giraffe kind come from?” Such variations within kinds do not refute the creation concept, but rather are predicted by it.5 And the “walking manatee” walked because it had fully formed, ready-to-walk legs, hips, nerves, and musculature. The article does not mention that this particular fossil is shown elsewhere to be a dead-end species, “transitioning” to nothing, according to evolutionists.6
The LiveScience article, borrowing from geologist Donald Prothero, also claimed that Moeritherium is “the ultimate transitional fossil,” the ancestor of elephants. This was an amphibious mammal, shaped like a hippo, with a mobile, muscular lip fused with its nostril. But it had none of the real characteristics of an elephant—not the trunk, size, tusks, nor the specialized weight-bearing knee joint structure.7
The “classic fossil of Archaeopteryx” is not a transitional form either, but was fully bird. Its “reptile-like” teeth and wing claws are found in some birds today.8 Many reptiles have no teeth, but nobody claims that they evolved from birds. And the discovery of a “frog-amander” has yet to be agreed upon as transitional by evolutionists. John Bolt, a curator at the Field Museum in Chicago, told National Geographic that “it is difficult to say for sure whether this creature was itself a common ancestor of the two modern groups, given that there is only one known specimen of Gerobatrachus, and an incomplete one at that.”9
Other extinct creatures had “shared features,” physical structures that are found in different kinds of living organisms. However, “shared features” are not transitional features, which is what Darwin needed. There is no scientific evidence to refute the idea that shared features were designed into creatures by a Creator who wisely formed them with the equipment to live in various shared habitats.
Fossils do reveal some truth about Darwin’s theory—they reveal that the same inconsistencies he noted between his theory and the fossil data persist, even after 150 years of frantic searches for elusive transitions.10 Not only is there no single, undisputed transition, but real fossils reveal that animals were fully formed from the beginning.
References
Oversimplification is a common propaganda technique.
LOL!!!!!
What, while ignoring your own endless projections, strawmen, intellectual dishonesty, etc., ad infinatum?
LOL!!!!!
Evolution is too complex for the unwashed masses to understand... typical liberal drivel.
*YAWN*
Good luck with that. "Polarization" is a common tactic on these threads, and there's no room for the uncommitted in those arguments.
See 138.
Of course, and I also understand that when they read scripture and come to such conclusions as in order to be a Christian they follow the 10 commandments or “follow Christ” or be really nice to kittens, then they have comprehension problems.
And when they scream ‘GD America’ and then they say “that’s in the Bible”, or exclaim Jesus was a ‘communtiy organizer’, THEN I understand they’re not even bothering to employ such a method, read scripture, understand what they read if they bother reading at all; and their enemy has all but won.
Yeah. I’m with you. Why bother with that reading and learing stuff when there’s tv to watch.
Is this anything like the 60+ million examples of “Christianity” and “lawsuits” that you ignored the other day?
Like I say, I’m with you. If we don’t know everything, we don’t know anything.
Not so much the point as your ilk demanding to keep students from learning alternatives.
But then, we all knew that.
I can argue either side, but I just prefer to watch the sparks, and maybe occasionally play Devil's Advocate.
All I care about is the science. Let’s go with the “theory of evolution” (since the “cult of evolution” sounds ominous and I don’t really know what you mean by it).
Orthodox or Reform Assembly of God?
Evo-cult victims...????
It’s not that hard really...you’re the victim of a cult.
You’ve been programmed. It’s not that hard to see. Take for instance these threads here on FR alone, there’s simply no criticism or dissent of evolution that’s not attacked as an assualt on science or religion assaulting science, etc. etc. etc.
If creationism is taught or even mentioned, we’ll somehow morph into a theocracy, experience an inquistion and scientists will be burned at the stake. Nevermind none of this occured before the godless liberal NEA hijacked our public schools.
If that’s not a God hang-up, I don’t know what one is, I guess.
Uhhh don’t look now confucius but the creatues were a strawman contsruct of one of your fellow liberals!
LOL!
As far as scientific proof of God, do you have any scientific proof that you love your beautiful son?
For that matter, I’d like to see the scientific evidence and proof behind string and membrane theory, not to mention multiverse theory and then there’s the science of studying the effectiveness of prayer, miracles, etc.
Lastly, I’d point out that “proof or evidence of God” isn’t something remotely to be gained by man’s designs or demands through his narrow understanding or tools, but if you genuinely ask God to reveal himself and come into your heart, you’ll get all the proof you’ll ever need, unquestionably, and I’d imagine similarly to the issue of love for your son, it’s not arguable if it’s the kind of love we’re talking about the same love I have for my son.
A parameter I guess would be something along the lines of sacrifice for something greater than yourself, giving your life for a complete stranger for instance. It’s not “natural” to walk into a fire to extract a victim for instance, (and of course not all people do).
But again, I don’t know that there is proof as we understand it per se, but then we don’t have “proof” that all animals came from a common ancestor, but we have alot of conjecture CALLED proof.
secular humanity?
liberalism is a disease.
I apologize for those Christians who believe that insulting non-believers is a good way to bring them to know Christ.
I wish we could meet face-to-face so that I could show you these things, but the strongest evidence for God is how he changes lives for those who will let him. Read about William Wiberforce and see the movie Amazing Grace. God used Wilberforce to end slavery in a large portion of the world. Look at Mother Theresa and the changes she brought to the streets of Calcutta. Look at modern missionaries who serve lepers. Google for past missionaries who served leper colonies, knowing that it was a death sentence.
I can tell you what God has done in my life. He has changed me from a greedy, materialistic teen-ager to a middle-aged man who realizes that the highest calling is to serve God through serving others.
I can introduce you to a very close friend who, 10 years ago, was an illegal alien, a thief, a drug smuggler, and a smuggler of other illegals. He met Jesus and Jesus changed his life.
I can introduce you to a lady who once was an abortion activist and abortion provider. She was foul-mouthed, and addicted to drugs and alcohol. Today she is a loving woman, free of alcohol and drugs, who helps pregnant mothers find alternatives to abortion. She is at peace now. She never had peace before.
I can introduce you to my father. Three years ago, he lay dying in the emergency room with a blood pressure hovering betweeen detectible and undetectible. My wife and I anointed him with oil, prayed to God, and his blood pressure rose 20 points in less than a minute. Half an hour later, everything was normal and he was sitting up and laughing with us. I have witnessed, been a part of, or been the recipient of many miracles. Yes, I know that not everyone who prays for divine intervention receives it. Sometimes God's will is to answer yes, sometimes no, and sometimes not yet.
God is an awesome God who cares for each one of us personally, down to the tiniest details of your life. If you care about something, he cares about it.Please Freepmail me if you want to talk privately.
I think pretty much everbody does. It’s that same old crap over and over again. Accusations of “projection”, name calling, general insults will now ensue.
sans theocracy, inquisition, burnings at the stake, of course.
I guess you think people point out your projections and employing strawmen etc. just for fun?
I think some people entertain their egos by engaging in personal attacks and keeping "enemies lists".
Engaging in personal attacks is a symptom.
It makes some people feel good to demonize others. They can't say "I disagree with you about the Big Bang Theory." Instead, they say "Anyone who believes in the Big Bang Theory is a boot-licker at the Temple of the Cult of Darwin." You see it a lot on these threads from people who are unable to argue based on the merits of ideas, logic, or observable facts.
If you look back a couple of dozen posts, you will me described as a "Christian" and a "scientist" -- quotes included. According to those who say that, I'm not a real scientist and apparently I'm going to hell.
Exactly. Apparently I'm Enemy Number One, and that gives me some satisfacition, though perhaps it shouldn't.
You gotta love it when a wolf tries to play the victim after being caught with a sheep in its mouth. Here is a case-in-point:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2199543/posts?page=130#130
Wow...you got it exactly backwards.
As usual.
Focus, everytime that evolution is challenged, we hear “inquistion” and the like. If there’s demonizing going on, it’s painfully plain to see where it’s coming from, along with the lawsuits, etc.
It’s not that hard to understand, unless of course you’re willfully ignoring it or...
a victim yourself.
Don’t be a victim.
Look around you, give yourself a chance, it’s FR after all!
==I think some people entertain their egos by engaging in personal attacks and keeping “enemies lists”.
Once a person has exposed himself as a liar, you don’t give that person credence by debating them. If you must waste your time on that person at all, you expose them each and every time the rear their ugly head.
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