I'm currently taking Biology and we've been covering evolution (Brace thy angus, here we go...). It hasn't been made apparent to me of late, but it always gets me thinking about those few that do not *believe* in evolution. Admittedly, the idea is difficult to grasp, not because it is complicated in root, but because it is such an incredible process. However, having said that, it makes sense - albeit still being an expansive idea.
What gets me is the ability for people to cherry pick information presented by science to their liking. Let's be honest, choosing to believe in electricity or gravity and then choosing to not believe in evolution is so far out of my realm of understanding, I can't even begin to comprehend the reasoning behind that thought process. I realize that most, if not all, of the people who refuse to believe the theory of evolution are religious, and it goes without saying that their level of faith is in many respects tested to a greater degree than it is for non-believers. So, in this respect, I find it overly confusing that religious people wouldn't take the "leap of faith" on a theory like evolution. I mean, my favorite example is turning on a light switch - shall we?
If a person stands in a door way of a dark room, they instinctively start groping the wall for the switch. Why? Because they believe that when they flip the switch it will turn the light on. How does one get to that level of faith in the functionality of electricity that one, without thought, reaches for the light switch, and instinctively *believes* with absolute certainty that the electricity will light the bulb?
Well, two fold, they have experienced it enough times to know that is what happens. Secondly, they have experienced it enough times to know that is what happens, because science has made it a possibility for them to experience it; not only that, science has told them that is what will happen. So, we are willing to trust science from small, subconscious gestures as that one to massive, conscious leaps of faith such as "this plane will carry me across the ocean", or, "this needle they are violating me with is full of a substance that will heal me". We accept these things unconditionally, unwavering - all due to science and its profound influence to convince us that it is capable of doing incredible things, teaching us incredible things. So, what gives?
Essentially, this is the thought process, "I will trust science with all matters of my life that it does with extreme ease, accuracy, and has made my overall quality of life a nigh miracle, but when science tells me (which it has gotten everything else correct) that evolution is how we reached the person we are now, I will refuse this vehemently."
Da fuck?
Makes ZERO sense. And thus, cherry pickers. Enjoy the spoils of science, but the things that do not directly impact your life can suddenly be hotly debated. I'll bet that if the belief in evolution was a necessity to enjoy the many spoils science offers us, there would me a massive influx of "believers".
So, science has earned your trust in every other way, and has shown you, more than *anything* on this planet that it knows a thing or two, and yet some people still can't take that "leap of faith (with evidence, making it less of a leap and more of a little bunny hop)". That boggles my mind - I do not understand.
Now, I'm sure some people will throw out the argument that God is actually using science as a tool of His creation so we should not be giving the credit to science, but to God. Well, here's my reply:
That is not an argument that you want to make. If that is indeed true (let's get hypothetical and assume it is), then if science informs you of evolution, and scientific discoveries are in fact an opening of God's world privileged to us by God, then what's the hesitation? Jump on the evolution train - choo choo, MFers!
Then, of course, there is the Bible. I'm going to make this quick: in school, if you have one book that says one thing with no evidence, and then you have every other book in existence saying another thing with a massive amount of evidence, what have you been taught to believe? (Whispers) "Cherry pickers..."
Finally, I realize that evolution is not something can exactly be replicated in a lab, but smaller elements that encompass it can be observed in daily life. For example, the mutation of bacteria around anti-biotics (adaptation to hostile presence), or sweating when your body is overheated (adaptation to one's surroundings). If this happens enough, adaptation happens in chronic cases (Darwin's research on birds is a perfect example). Animals have changed their physical appearance and ability based on their environment for millions of years, and news flash, we're animals (debatable, I know, but for this argument, it is correct).
Confusion abounds.
Listening to: Vampire Weekend, "A-Punk"
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