““EVOLUTION:EVOLUTION:Fact or Fiction?”Fact or Fiction?”

Part 2Part 2

Presented By:Presented By:Randy RugglesRandy Ruggles

““Evolution is Evolution is unprovedunproved and andunprovableunprovable. We believe it only. We believe it onlybecause the alternative is specialbecause the alternative is specialcreation, and that is creation, and that is unthinkableunthinkable.”.”

- - Sir Arthur KeithSir Arthur Keith, evolutionary anthropologist and anatomist, evolutionary anthropologist and anatomist

““Scientists who go about teaching thatScientists who go about teaching thatevolution is a fact of life are great evolution is a fact of life are great con mencon men,,and the story they are telling may be theand the story they are telling may be thegreatest hoax evergreatest hoax ever. In explaining evolution. In explaining evolutionwe do not have we do not have one iota of factone iota of fact . . .” . . .”

- - Theodore N. TahmisianTheodore N. Tahmisian, nuclear physicist,, nuclear physicist, Atomic Energy CommissionAtomic Energy Commission

““Evolution is promoted by its practitionersEvolution is promoted by its practitionersas more than mere science. Evolution isas more than mere science. Evolution ispromulgated as an promulgated as an ideologyideology, a , a secularsecularreligionreligion - a full-fledged - a full-fledged alternative toalternative toChristianityChristianity, with meaning and morality., with meaning and morality.I am an ardent evolutionist and an ex-Christian,I am an ardent evolutionist and an ex-Christian,but I must admit in this one complaint . . .but I must admit in this one complaint . . .the literalists [i.e. creationists] are absolutelythe literalists [i.e. creationists] are absolutelyright. right. Evolution is a religionEvolution is a religion. This was true of. This was true ofevolution in the beginning, and it is true ofevolution in the beginning, and it is true ofevolution still today.”evolution still today.”

- - Michael RuseMichael Ruse, National Post, May 13, 2000, B3., National Post, May 13, 2000, B3.

EVOLUTIONEVOLUTION

““10 Arguments Against10 Arguments Against

Christians Should NOT Use”Christians Should NOT Use”

Argument #1:Argument #1:

““GODGOD put putdinosaur fossilsdinosaur fossilsin the ground toin the ground toTEST our faithTEST our faith.”.”

(or “(or “SATANSATAN put dinosaur fossils put dinosaur fossilsin the ground to in the ground to DESTROY our faithDESTROY our faith.”).”)

Argument #1 Argument #1 (cont.)(cont.)::

1.1. God is not a God is not a deceiverdeceiver2.2. Fossils are real and canFossils are real and canbe easily explained by abe easily explained by aglobal floodglobal flood

““First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffersFirst of all, you must understand that in the last days scofferswill come, scoffing and will come, scoffing and following their own evil desiresfollowing their own evil desires . . . . . .they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word thethey deliberately forget that long ago by God's word theheavens existed and heavens existed and the earth was formedthe earth was formed out of water and out of water andby water. By these waters also by water. By these waters also the world of that time wasthe world of that time wasdeluged and destroyeddeluged and destroyed.”.” 2 Peter 3: 3, 5-62 Peter 3: 3, 5-6

Argument #2:Argument #2:

““Evolution isEvolution isjust a just a THEORYTHEORY!”!”

““In scientific terminology, a theory isIn scientific terminology, a theory is aahypothesis that has been supported byhypothesis that has been supported byso many cases that few scientistsso many cases that few scientistsseriously doubt its validityseriously doubt its validity . . . Thus, a. . . Thus, ascientific theory is similar to what wescientific theory is similar to what wewould call awould call a “law”“law” or aor a “fact”“fact” in commonin commonEnglish usage . . . People who refer toEnglish usage . . . People who refer toevolution asevolution as “just a theory”“just a theory” profoundlyprofoundlymisunderstand what scientists mean bymisunderstand what scientists mean bythat term.”that term.”

- - “Life on Earth”“Life on Earth” by Gerald and Teresa Audesirk by Gerald and Teresa Audesirk

Instead try:Instead try:

““Evolution is Evolution is not a proven factnot a proven fact,,so it should not be so it should not be promotedpromoteddogmaticallydogmatically.” .”

Argument #3:Argument #3:

““If man If man EVOLVEDEVOLVEDfrom apes,from apes,

why are therewhy are therestill still APESAPES?”?”

Evolutionists claim that humans and modern Evolutionists claim that humans and modern apes are descended from a common ancestor apes are descended from a common ancestor whose population split to become two (and whose population split to become two (and more) different lineages. The question is a bit more) different lineages. The question is a bit like asking, like asking, “If Canadians and Americans “If Canadians and Americans are descended from Europeans, why are are descended from Europeans, why are there still Europeans?”there still Europeans?”

Or if you and your cousin are descended from Or if you and your cousin are descended from your Grandmother, why is your Grandmother your Grandmother, why is your Grandmother still around?still around?

Argument #4:Argument #4:

““The world isThe world isTOO COMPLEXTOO COMPLEXto have arisen byto have arisen by

CHANCECHANCE.”.”

What do people most often get wrong whenWhat do people most often get wrong whenthey try to understand evolution?they try to understand evolution?

Richard Dawkins:Richard Dawkins: “It's the idea that it is a theory of “It's the idea that it is a theory ofrandom chance. That single misunderstanding alonerandom chance. That single misunderstanding aloneaccounts for just about everything you will read onaccounts for just about everything you will read onso-called arguments against evolution, things like,so-called arguments against evolution, things like,‘‘I can't believe that something as complicated asI can't believe that something as complicated asan eye could come about by chance.’an eye could come about by chance.’ “ “Well of course it couldn't come about by chance!Well of course it couldn't come about by chance!How could it be possible to be so stupid as to thinkHow could it be possible to be so stupid as to thinkthat anybody could ever suggest that it comes about bythat anybody could ever suggest that it comes about bychance? chance? Natural selection is the very opposite ofNatural selection is the very opposite ofchancechance – that's the whole point!” – that's the whole point!”

Intelligent Design:Intelligent Design:

The theory of intelligent design holdsThe theory of intelligent design holdsthat certain features of the universethat certain features of the universeand of living things are best explainedand of living things are best explainedby an by an intelligent causeintelligent cause, not an, not anundirected process such as naturalundirected process such as naturalselection. selection.

Did Mount Rushmore come about by Did Mount Rushmore come about by natural,natural,undirected forcesundirected forces such as million of years of such as million of years ofwind and rain erosionwind and rain erosion??

DesignedDesigned NotNot Designed Designed

Argument #5:Argument #5:

““There are noThere are noTRANSITIONAL FORMSTRANSITIONAL FORMS

in the fossil record.”in the fossil record.”

Since there are Since there are candidatescandidates, (even though, (even thoughthey are highly dubious at best), it’s betterthey are highly dubious at best), it’s betterto avoid possible comebacks by insteadto avoid possible comebacks by insteadsaying: “While Darwin predicted that thesaying: “While Darwin predicted that thefossil record would show fossil record would show numerousnumeroustransitional fossilstransitional fossils, even 150 years later,, even 150 years later,all we have are a handful of disputableall we have are a handful of disputableexamples.”examples.”

Transitional forms should be the RULE

- not the EXCEPTION!

Argument #6:Argument #6:

““There are noThere are noBENEFICIALBENEFICIALMUTATIONSMUTATIONS.”.”

This is not true, since some mutationsThis is not true, since some mutationsdo confer an advantage in some situations.do confer an advantage in some situations.Instead, we should say:Instead, we should say:

““We have yet to find a mutation thatWe have yet to find a mutation thatINCREASES GENETIC INFORMATIONINCREASES GENETIC INFORMATION,,even in those rare instances whereeven in those rare instances wherethe mutation confers an advantage.”the mutation confers an advantage.”

EgEg. antibiotic resistance to drugs. antibiotic resistance to drugs

Argument #7:Argument #7:

““Darwin Darwin RECANTEDRECANTEDon his deathbed.”on his deathbed.”

Lady Hope storyLady Hope story – likely not true – likely not true

Francis Darwin (son)Francis Darwin (son) – “He could not have become – “He could not have become openly and enthusiastically Christian without the know-openly and enthusiastically Christian without the know-ledge of his family, and ledge of his family, and no such change occurredno such change occurred.”.”

““Lady Hope’s account of my father’s views on religion isLady Hope’s account of my father’s views on religion isquite untruequite untrue. I have publicly accused her of falsehood, . I have publicly accused her of falsehood, but I have not seen any reply.”but I have not seen any reply.”

Henrietta Darwin (daughter)Henrietta Darwin (daughter) - - “I was present at his “I was present at his deathbed. Lady Hope was not present during his last deathbed. Lady Hope was not present during his last illness, or any illness. He illness, or any illness. He never recantednever recanted any of his any of his scientific views, either then or earlier.”scientific views, either then or earlier.”

Ultimately . . .Ultimately . . . SO WHAT?!!SO WHAT?!!

Argument #8:Argument #8:

““Darwin’s quote aboutDarwin’s quote aboutthe absurdity ofthe absurdity of

EYE EVOLUTIONEYE EVOLUTIONproves even he knewproves even he knew

evolution was impossible.”evolution was impossible.”

““To suppose that the eyeTo suppose that the eye. . . could have been formed. . . could have been formedby by NATURAL SELECTIONNATURAL SELECTION, ,

seems, I freely confess,seems, I freely confess,ABSURDABSURD in the highest in the highest

possible degree.”possible degree.”

- Charles Darwin,- Charles Darwin, Origin of Species, 1st Origin of Species, 1st

Ed., p. 186.Ed., p. 186.

Citing his statement at face valueCiting his statement at face valueis subtly out of context. Darwin wasis subtly out of context. Darwin wastalking about its seeming absurditytalking about its seeming absurditybut then went on to explain how it wasbut then went on to explain how it wasquite easy to imagine that the eyequite easy to imagine that the eyecould be builtcould be built step-by-stepstep-by-step..

Argument #9:Argument #9:

““Women haveWomen haveONE MORE RIBONE MORE RIB

than men.”than men.”

Argument #9 Argument #9 (contin.)(contin.)::

1.1. NOTNOT true (all humans have 12 pairs of ribs) true (all humans have 12 pairs of ribs)

2.2. Would Would NOTNOT affect future offspring affect future offspring

3. Rib can 3. Rib can REGENERATEREGENERATE if the if the surrounding membrane is left intactsurrounding membrane is left intact

Argument #10:Argument #10:

““Even Even EINSTEINEINSTEINbelieved in believed in GODGOD.”.”

Argument #10 Argument #10 (contin.)(contin.)::

““I do not believe in aI do not believe in aPERSONAL GODPERSONAL GOD and andI have never denied thisI have never denied thisbut have expressed it clearly.but have expressed it clearly.My position concerning GodMy position concerning Godis that of an is that of an AGNOSTICAGNOSTIC.”.”

- Albert Einstein- Albert Einstein

““In the beginningIn the beginning God created the heavenGod created the heaven and the earth.”and the earth.” - Genesis 1:1- Genesis 1:1 (K.J.V.) (K.J.V.)

““In the In the beginningbeginning (TIME)(TIME)

God created the God created the heavenheaven (SPACE)(SPACE)

and the and the earthearth (MATTER)(MATTER).”.” - Genesis 1:1- Genesis 1:1 (K.J.V.) (K.J.V.)

TIMETIME = =

SPACESPACE = =

MATTERMATTER = =

PastPastPresentPresentFutureFuture

LengthLengthWidthWidthHeightHeight

SolidSolidLiquidLiquidGasGas

Biblical Names and Their MeaningsBiblical Names and Their Meanings

AdamAdam – – ManManSethSeth – – AppointedAppointedEnosEnos – Mortal – MortalCainan Cainan – Sorrow– SorrowMahalaleel Mahalaleel – The Blessed God– The Blessed GodJaredJared – Shall Come Down – Shall Come DownEnochEnoch – Teaching – TeachingMethuselahMethuselah – His Death Shall Bring – His Death Shall BringLamechLamech – The Despairing – The DespairingNoahNoah – Rest, Comfort – Rest, Comfort

““ManMan (is) (is) AppointedAppointedMortal Mortal SorrowSorrow (but) (but)The Blessed GodThe Blessed GodShall Come DownShall Come Down

TeachingTeaching (and) (and)His Death Shall BringHis Death Shall Bring The DespairingThe Despairing RestRest..””