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EvolutionEvolution or Creation?or Creation?

Darwin DayDarwin Day20062006

South Cheshire & North Staffordshire Humanists, info@humanists.org.uk

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Orang-utan storyOrang-utan story

One day a zoo-keeper noticed that the orang-utan was reading two books - the “Bible” and Darwin's “Origin of Species”.

In surprise, he asked the ape, "Why are you reading both those books"?

"Well," said the orang-utan, "I just want to know if I am my brother's keeper, or my keeper's brother."

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1859: Darwin’s “Origin” challenged 1859: Darwin’s “Origin” challenged religious orthodoxyreligious orthodoxy

“But with regard to the material world, we can at least go so far as this – we can perceive that events are brought about not by insulated interpositions of divine power but by the establishment of general laws.” W. WHEWHELL

“Let no man think or maintain that a man can search too far or be too well studied in the book of God’s word, or in the book of God’s works; divinity or philosophy; but rather let men endeavour an endless progress of proficience in both.” BACON

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The Genesis Story (King James Version)• In the beginning God created heaven and earth.• Day 1: And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. • Day 2: And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be

gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

• Day 3: And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass and the fruit tree yield fruit.

• Day 4: And God created great whales, and every living creature.

• Day 5: And God said, Go forth and multiply each living creature after his kind: and it was so.

• Day 6: And God said, Let us make man in our image and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air…

• Day 7: God said, “Give us a break!!”

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The Genesis story implies…The Genesis story implies…

• The creation events took place over six 24-hour days, after which all creating ceased

• Life was created 6,000-8,000 years ago (not enough time for evolution to occur).

– How realistic is this? – Is the scientific story more plausible?

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Scientific story: Scientific story: Big Bang + Evolution = ManBig Bang + Evolution = Man

• UNIVERSE: The Big Bang is the scientific theory that the Universe emerged from an enormously dense and hot state about 13.7 billion years ago.

• SOLAR SYSTEM AND PLANETS: formed 4.5 billion years ago

• LIFE ON EARTH: 3.7 billion yrs basic organic molecules of self-reproducing RNA emerged2 billion years bacteria1.5 billion yrs first multi-cellular algae and plants1.2 billion yrs marked the start of sexual reproduction

– which accelerated evolution300 millions years – reptiles220 million yr – first mammals25 million yrs – monkeys and apes5 million years – humans?

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Darwin’s “Laws of Evolution”…Darwin’s “Laws of Evolution”…1. Reproduction leads to the inheritance of

characteristics 2. Variability in inherited traits (genetic mutation..)3. Populations tend to outstrip the means of

subsistence causing a struggle for life (after Thomas Malthus)

4. Natural selection of varieties and species better fitted to the environment, and the extinction of others.“Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death…the production of higher animals directly follows.” “p. 408 Conclusion of “The Origin”)

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Tree of lifeTree of life

Darwin: “There is grandeur in this view of life having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms (7 to 10) or into one; from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved.”

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Evolution of life from a common Evolution of life from a common ancestor - post 1970 view?ancestor - post 1970 view?

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Progress of evolution…Progress of evolution…

• From simple to more complex organisms• Increasing diversity• Able to exploit a greater range of

environmental “niches”• Through natural and sexual selection –

increasing degrees of refinement • (towards perfection?)

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Evolving towards perfection…Evolving towards perfection…

Perfection

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or (d)evolving to Homochippus?or (d)evolving to Homochippus?

Next stage

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World-view Implications…World-view Implications…

• Creationism: man is special, different from animals; put here for a purpose; God is in control

• Evolution: man is nothing special, just an advanced animal; man is an “accident” of nature; ….man is in control (?)

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Darwin and GodDarwin and God

“ ....Disbelief crept over me at a very slow rate, but was at last complete. The rate was so slow that I felt no distress, and have never since doubted for a single second that my conclusion was correct. I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true....”

Darwin’s Autobiography

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What about a personal God?What about a personal God?

Darwin mentions that he gave some thought to the existence of a personal God at a later period in his life. But the existence of appalling suffering in the world and that we are asked to show faith in an omnipotent and omniscient God...revolts our understanding.

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Objections to DarwinismObjections to Darwinism

The very notion that man descended from the apes is blasphemous!

“On Aug. 11, 1999 the Kansas State Board of Education fired another salvo in the long battle between religion and science by removing evolution from the high school curriculum.”

This decision was subsequently overturned.

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Man and apesMan and apes99% common genes (really??)99% common genes (really??)

I’ll whip their butts if they say I am related to a chimpanzee. Anyone can see that I was made in God’s image!

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Intelligent design…Intelligent design…• Sequence of mutations required is

statistically impossible – “blind watchmaker” analogy

• Producing life from non-life at the molecular level is a tall order

• ID accepts adaptation and evolution of varieties, but not of major plant and animal kingdoms.

• Irreducible complexity – flagellum of bacteria – How can there be intermediate stages?

• CONCLUSION: God is the only reasonable explanation.

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Spectrum of Beliefs…Spectrum of Beliefs…• Creation in six 24-hour days, global flood was real• Creation; six “days” are long periods of time; no

global flood• God exists, but evolution is true• Evolution; no God is necessary

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Humanist scientists…Humanist scientists…Fred Hoyle + Herman Bondi• Found it difficult to accept

the “Big Bang Theory” which implies a point of creation.

• They came up with the “Steady State Theory” of the Universe in 1948.

• Based on premise that the universe has always existed.

• However, observed levels of background radiation in the universe are not consistent with the theory.

Fred Hoyle and the origin of life on earth

• Argued that interstellar dust is composed of biological particles

• And the origin of life on Earth must have involved the importation of viable cells from space

• Also that pathogenic bacteria and viruses arrive from space.

• Bernard Crick believed that earth life came from extra-terrestrials

Herman Bondi“Religion divides us, while it is our human characteristics that bind us to each other”

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Bedtime story: The Atheist in the WoodsBedtime story: The Atheist in the Woods

An atheist was taking a walk in the woods, admiring all that the "accident of evolution" had created. "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself. As he walked by the river he heard a rustling in the bushes. He turned to look and saw a 7-foot grizzly charging towards him. He ran as fast as he could, but the bear was closing.

His heart pumped frantically as he tried to run faster, but he tripped and fell to the ground. The bear was on top of him, raising its paw to strike. At that instant, the Atheist cried out: "Oh my God!....."

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bear story conclusion…bear story conclusion…Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice from the sky said: "You deny my existence for all of these years, teach others I don't exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?" The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be hypocritical of me to ask You to treat me as a Christian now but, perhaps, could you make the BEAR a Christian?" "Very well," said the voice.

The light went out. And the sounds of the forest resumed, then the bear dropped his right paw ...brought both paws together and bowed his head and prayed: "Lord, for what I am about to receive, I am truly thankful !"

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Evolution cartoons…Evolution cartoons…