My apologies to whoever posted this earlier - I just got a chance to watch it and can't find the original post.
This video was made in response to a recent beauty pageant and the contestants responses regarding evolution. In response, a group of scientists and science writers gathered a dream team of women who work in science to patiently explain what everyone should already know: that evolution is real and should be taught to students in schools.
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I understand natural selection. This should not be a matter of belief since there is ample evidence for any (yes any) one, to see and touch and understand. This article and video not only fails to prove that evolution is real, it probably will cause those people who don't understand it to be more certain that the theory is wrong. They repeatedly point out that evolution is how people "came to be".
Thems fightin' words, right there. - let's try it a different way.
Evolution explains how and why organisms look and act the way they have in the past as well as today.
Simply saying that evolution is real - even when you are saying it slowly, or seriously or you may be considered attractive is not all that persuasive. A little explanation or illustration might be more informative.
Most people will gladly agree that a modern man is a descendant of his parents, grand parents and great grand parents. Lots of people take pleasure in discovering that some long ago relative was a great warrior, king or other famous person. Most people are also aware that as little as a few hundred years ago most people were shorter than most people are today. I have never (yet) had even one person tell me that this is a result of Gods will.
If scientists would take the "uninformed" gently by the hand and explain that it's just natural that through the process of natural selection, bigger people were better able to beat up littler people. And so their genes got a better chance to carry on (wink wink) that is the simplest explanation of why people on average are taller these days that they used to be.
It's so simple really. Instead of telling people that they are wrong, why not just show them what is right. For example: SHUT UP STUPID. YOUR GOD HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. versus - I really can't speak to your belief in God and would rather keep my personal beliefs to myself, but.... See these bacteria. This antibiotic killed most of those bacteria. These ones over here were genetically just a little bit different and survived. They reproduced and the other ones died and that's why we need to give you a different antibiotic this time, see?
I guess the moral is: If you know more than somebody else it might be better to teach them than to just insult their intelligence. They might just understand things if you give them a chance.
http://jezebel.com/5863067/female-scientists-patiently-explain-that-yes-evolution-is-real
An even better reply if you think about it a bit.
ReplyDeletesteal ¨.¨
ReplyDeleteI love this video.
ReplyDeleteI have not come across many scientists who say, "Your God had nothing to do with it." Rather, they just show that we can explain it without God. There is a clear difference between, "There is no need for the supernatural in this explanation" and "Therefore the supernatural was not involved."
Eugenie Scott, for example (one of the ladies speaking during this video) is a well known skeptic and scientist, and a religious woman. The two are not mutually exclusive.
I must be missing something -
ReplyDeleteIf someone says I believe something and you tell them that what they believe is wrong that seems different that saying that you don't share their belief.
One is outright confrontational and the other just expresses a different viewpoint. Both approaches might bring the person to the light of reason but the first one is likely to just make the person stop listening.
I think it's sick that so many people out there honestly think the majority of the population are going to burn in hell for eternity, just because the world was cleverly made to look like it all happened on its own. Reminds me of the Bill Hicks sketch about the dinosaurs; when you get to the pearly gates you'll be asked if you believe in dinosaurs, and if you say yes, you'll be told it was only a test and sent to Hell! As the man falls into the pit he cries out, "It seemed so plausible....!"
ReplyDeleteDarryl Barnes Can you prove to me here today that my God had nothing to do with evolution. I look forward to this evidence. Otherwise - feel free to express your opinion - just please don't expect me to believe your opinion based only on a lack of evidence.
ReplyDeleteIn other words - what does somebodys faith have to do with your trying to get them to understand a scientific concept. Just because they get the two confused doesn't mean you have to. Educate them - or understand why they feel threatened by you.
It takes great patience - they need to take baby steps at first. Or - and sometimes I do this instead - you can leave them to their misunderstandings if they will just agree to respect your rights too...
ReplyDeleteIf they won't agree, then by all means, don't let me "get in the way"