How Evolution Challenges Christian Dogma

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May 082012
 

Mike Aus briefly describes his journey from being a Christian (Protestant) minister to someone who has rejected religions, influenced by evolution through Natural Selection and the works of Richard Dawkins:

His closing words:

I have traded Mount Calvary for Mount Improbable, and life is now a far more interesting journey. And I also now understand why so many evangelical Christians are hostile to evolution. They too, know that evolution impacts everything, and as more and more people come to see the beauty and power of Darwin’s insights, they know that humanity will inevitably leave religion behind. – Mike Aus

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2012

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  5. “Why Evolution Is True” by Jerry Coyne at the AAI 2009
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Not the truth.

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Apr 132012
 

Charles Darwin’s beliefs are not relevant to the fact of evolution which uses the scientific method to gather evidence. So I am not entirely sure what the religious are so keen to claim Darwin. Eric MacDonald explains clearly how Cardinal Pell is misrepresenting what Darwin wrote:

It would seem to me that Pell is deliberate in his attempts to misrepresent Darwin. Pell is not representing reality. But then what do you expect from a person that represents an organisation based on superstition, fairy tales and the cause of much evil and barbarity.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2012

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The end of gods

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Feb 232011
 

Why Evolution is True has an interesting article Eric MacDonald on natural selection, purpose, and the problem of evil. That article goes on to link to MacDonald’s article which describes how evolution, through natural selection, indicates that the concept of a god, or gods, is a human conceit, a folly.

Of particular interest to me are Coyne’s and MacDonald’s concerns over the direction that NCSE seems to be taking. NCSE’s goal are to promote evolution but they’re trying not to offend the religious in the process. I can see NCSE’s point of view as that may be the only way that they can get the message through. Conversely, such an “accommodationist” approach may give a mixed message and falsely colour the insights that evolution behooves us to face. I agree with Coyne and MacDonald and, although I recognise and sympathise with NCSE’s approach, I think that NCSE may cause more harm in the long run. But that’s just my view.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2011

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Idiot educators?

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May 152010
 

A Panda’s Thumb article “Why science literacy is in trouble” discusses how a Canadian Assistant Professor of Science Education (Katarin MacLeod, Assistant Professor in Science Education at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, NS) deliberately(?) misleads by, for example, stating that evolution is only a “theory” for which there is not much evidence otherwise it would be called a “law”. There is much strong scientific evidence for evolution and, in fact, such evidence has become increasing stronger with enhancements made to the original discussions put forward by Charles Darwin. Katarin MacLeod would perhaps apply her silly argument to the “Theory of Relativity” and argue that there isn’t much evidence for Relativity. Only those who are uncomfortable with evolution, such as creationists, make an effort to discredit evolution.

The Panda’s Thumb article “Why science literacy is in trouble” actually links to a Woo Fighters article “There Must Be an Idiom”. This article has a very good YouTube video of an interview with Genie Scott which I’ve included here…it explains what “theory” really means (go to 03:47 minutes):

   

It’s clear…Katarin MacLeod is dead wrong.

Other useful links:

  1. Evolution: Fact and Theory
    http://www.actionbioscience.org/evolution/lenski.html
  2. The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution – Richard Dawkins #1 Bestseller Available Now

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

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I think

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Mar 082009
 

Charles Darwin, born two hundred years ago, published "The Origin of Species" one hundred and fifty years ago.

The first diagram is a redrawn and colourised representation of an extraction from his "Notebook B" page 36 circa 1837 where we see Darwin documenting his ideas on evolution. A scan of Darwin’s notebook is also shown.

Darwin's tree of life

Darwin's Notebook B page 36

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2009

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