How to deal with someone you previously respected not believing in evolution?

[slackerinabox]

Does his belief or disbelief in evolution change the other things you respected about him? Keep in mind that people can be brilliant and still hold absolutely moronic religious beliefs. Some people are able to section off that part of their belief system and not apply the intelligence that serves them so well everywhere else in their lives to it.

I won't disagree with you since you're right... Good point - some brilliant people believe in silly shit..

 

[slackerinabox]

First, if that person is religious, I try the religious route.

Here is what Genesis, Chapter 1 of the bible says (I used the King James version here, I don't think other versions vary by much):
1) The Earth was without form and there was light. Mass and Energy.
2) The Earth solidified and formed water and oceans.
3) Then there was plant life.
4) Then there was aquatic life.
5) Then there was bird life.
6) Then there were mammals.
7) Then there was man.

Now, look at what evolution says: mass and energy, solidifying earth, waters form, plant life develops, then later mammals and man.

If they don't believe in evolution, then they can believe in the bible and thus they believe in the separate steps of evolution in virtually the exact same order. The bible left out things like bacteria and other unicellular organisms that they didn't know existed back then. But, basically science and religion are one and the same when it comes to evolution.

If they don't believe in science or religion, then I say screw it, they won't believe anything you say either.

I agree with you, it's how I can be religious and embrace science, the creation story was based on what they knew at the time (especially the time frame), but you don't have to believe that creationism and evolution are mutually exclusive, just that the time frame originally proposed was based on the science of that time. I just find it odd that people deny evolution based on what we now know.

 

[melek-taus]

i have the same problem with my brother. And he himselfs contradicts himself also.

My brother is a 100% christian. Believes the bible word for word. So evolution theory is fake according to him etc etc etc. You all know how these people think about certain things.

On the other hand hes one of the smartest people i know. Hes a phsysics professor. He graduated here in holland as a physisit and has a docturnal in mathmatics and chemistry and physics. And hes what we call here a doktor different.
All his teachings disagree with his believes. Even when they are realy obvious and he studied for them.

i respect him for who he is. Even knowing how smart he is and on the other hand that he doesnt believe the most obvious things. With these most obvious things i rly feel like being much smarter as him. But its his beliefs what keep him dumb in a way.

But it doesnt make any difference to me. He is allowed to think the way he does. And i wont judge him for the way he thinks or for his believes. I respect him nether the less for the person he is not his beliefs.

 

[OutHouse]

he doesn't accept an obvious scientific truth.

Evolution is a theory not fact.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Evolution is a theory not fact.

It is fact that water droplets appear on the outside of a cold soda can when exposed to warmer air with moisture in it. I have a theory about why that happens. My explanation for "Cold Soda Can Condensation" is a theory, while water appearing on a cold soda can is observable and reproducible fact. Having a theory "about" something doesn't change the fact of that something's occurrence. So it is with evolution.

 

[Kirby]

Evolution is a theory not fact.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory#Pedagogical_definition

 

[totalnoob]

Evolution is a theory not fact.

It's a scientific theory. I suggest you learn what that means before you use it in a pejorative manner. It is backed by just as much (if not more) evidence than the "theory" of gravity.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Evolution is a theory not fact.

Whatever floats your boat monkey boy.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Evolution is a theory not fact.

So is religion.

 

[slackerinabox]

Evolution is a theory not fact.

See- that's the thing .. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I simply find it difficult to respect your intelligence after you said that.

 

[child of wonder]

Evolution is a theory not fact.

*taps sarcasm meter*

Christ, I hope that's sarcasm.

 

[surfsatwerk]

So is religion.

I was under the impression that it was the delusional ravings of an addled mind, serialized for mass consumption?

 

[dainthomas]

Eh,some of them understood it quite well, and even agreed with the actual age of the universe.

Oh yeah and there are articles on both, they do have different meanings.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microevolution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro_evolution

Separate enough that they weren't merged.

It says macroevolution is an extension of microevolution. Someone who believes in the latter (which how can you not unless you believe Jesus created Toy Poodles) but says the former is totally bogus is really stretching logic.

 

[gimmewhitecastles]

Being Christian and not believing in the Old Testament is contradiction as well since Jesus taught out of the Old Testament himself.

 

[Arkitech]

And the Old Testament's full of contradictions and .. incest).

The bible actually does'nt contain any contradictions and while yes there is incest mentioned in the bible it's not condoned.

Which areas in the bible do you feel are contradictions?

 

[slackerinabox]

Being Christian and not believing in the Old Testament is contradiction as well since Jesus taught out of the Old Testament himself.

It's not that I don't "believe" in the old testament, I just view the old testament as stories based on Hebrew law, while the New Testament is more Jesus' history and a how to guide (and more literal, less story).

Though I don't mean to stand up for religion - many ignorant people embrace religion as a way to justify their insanity and dogma, and I don't fall into that camp.

 

[Phoenix86]

Evolution is a theory not fact.

Much like gravity and we all know.... wait, what?

 

[slackerinabox]

The bible actually does'nt contain any contradictions and while yes there is incest mentioned in the bible it's not condoned.

Which areas in the bible do you feel are contradictions?

"An eye for the eye" contradicts with Jesus' notion that you should turn the other cheek.

Also, jesus would hang out with whores, while they were stoned in the old testament. I'm not a theologian, I just find a lot of the hate we see in modern Christianity originates from both the old testament and the words of Saul/Paul, while Jesus was all about love and not judgement.

 

[child of wonder]

It's not that I don't "believe" in the old testament, I just view the old testament as stories based on Hebrew law, while the New Testament is more Jesus' history and a how to guide (and more literal, less story).

Though I don't mean to stand up for religion - many ignorant people embrace religion as a way to justify their insanity and dogma, and I don't fall into that camp.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bible+contradictions

 

[Arkitech]

"An eye for the eye" contradicts with Jesus' notion that you should turn the other cheek.

Also, jesus would hang out with whores, while they were stoned in the old testament. I'm not a theologian, I just find a lot of the hate we see in modern Christianity originates from both the old testament and the words of Saul/Paul, while Jesus was all about love and not judgement.

Well the most important thing to remember about the old testament and Jesus, is that Jesus came to replace the mosaic law. So the commandments and laws that were given to the Israelites did'nt always apply once Jesus arrived.

 

[OutHouse]

The bible actually does'nt contain any contradictions and while yes there is incest mentioned in the bible it's not condoned.

Which areas in the bible do you feel are contradictions?

lol

http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/jim_meritt/bible-contradictions.html

 

[speg]

The truth hurts? Now you know who he really is. People should learn to censor what they put online.

 

[brblx]

i've learned not to try and be nice to people who have retarded political, scientific, and/or religious views. it's not worth it, eventually you always have to tangle with their rampant idiocy, which creeps its way into everything else.

 

[child of wonder]

Well the most important thing to remember about the old testament and Jesus, is that Jesus came to replace the mosaic law. So the commandments and laws that were given to the Israelites did'nt always apply once Jesus arrived.

1) “For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:18-19 RSV) Clearly the Old Testament is to be abided by until the end of human existence itself. None other then Jesus said so.

2) All of the vicious Old Testament laws will be binding forever. "It is easier for Heaven and Earth to pass away than for the smallest part of the letter of the law to become invalid." (Luke 16:17 NAB)

3) Jesus strongly approves of the law and the prophets. He hasn’t the slightest objection to the cruelties of the Old Testament. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest part or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place." (Matthew 5:17 NAB)

3b) "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness..." (2 Timothy 3:16 NAB)

3c) "Know this first of all, that there is no prophecy of scripture that is a matter of personal interpretation, for no prophecy ever came through human will; but rather human beings moved by the holy Spirit spoke under the influence of God." (2 Peter 20-21 NAB)

4) Jesus criticizes the Jews for not killing their disobedient children according to Old Testament law. Mark.7:9-13 "Whoever curses father or mother shall die" (Mark 7:10 NAB)

5) Jesus is criticized by the Pharisees for not washing his hands before eating. He defends himself by attacking them for not killing disobedient children according to the commandment: “He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” (Matthew 15:4-7)

6) Jesus has a punishment even worse than his father concerning adultery: God said the act of adultery was punishable by death. Jesus says looking with lust is the same thing and you should gouge your eye out, better a part, than the whole. The punishment under Jesus is an eternity in Hell. (Matthew 5:27)

7) Peter says that all slaves should “be subject to [their] masters with all fear,” to the bad and cruel as well as the “good and gentle.” This is merely an echo of the same slavery commands in the Old Testament. 1 Peter 2:18

8) “Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law" (John7:19) and “For the law was given by Moses,..." (John 1:17).

9) “...the scripture cannot be broken.” --Jesus Christ, John 10:35

 

[shadow9d9]

The same way you deal with people who believe there is a magic sky wizard playing games on earth. You don't talk to them about religion and you think less of them.