evolution

venting

Just wanted to encourage people still in the org. to study the theory of evolution in a non jehovahs witness setting. I used to think the evolution book was great. Then came the creation book. But when I placed the creation book with my educated uncle, He told me in very nice way study evolution outside jehovahs witnesses. I was blown away what I learned. I thought I understood evolution. I didn't know jack! The" theory" of evolution could be thought of this way. Lets say there is a car accident. Two cars collide. Police get to the crash. After they help the injured, they study what happened. Messure the lenth of skid marks, the damage to the cars ect.. Now they have a theory. It might not be excactly the way it happened, but close. They know there was an accident. Just like scientists know evolution happened. It is a on going theory. The new dvd near the end says something like.. What happends when we come across other teachings in school like evolution? I think it was the mother who said something like.. who do you think knows more about how things got here, a scientist or all mighty God. What a stupid thing to say. I was embarrassed for them whem I heard that. There, I got it off my chest! venting

cofty

I too was shocked by how little I actually knew about it .

I have been reading about evolution for the past 10 years now and have only scratched the surface of what is known.

It is devastating to JW doctrine.

Apognophos

Even before I knew about certain lines of evidence for evolution such as ERVs, I was beginning to see about a decade ago that the arguments for creation and against evolution in the Society's literature left a lot to be desired. It didn't take a lot of education about evolution to see that the Society was using shallow arguments and not representing evolution fairly.

For instance, the old saw about finding a house in the woods and knowing that it couldn't have been formed by trees accidentally crashing together -- or a washing machine forming from a tornado sweeping through a junkyard -- it seemed like a pretty poor analogy to the way that living things work, as they grow and adapt and pass on genes to subsequent generations. The most embarrassing arguments are the useless appeals to common sense: "Look how complex this thing is! Ergo, intelligent design!" Of course I learned a lot more about evolution years later when I was willing to finally give up on trying to maintain my belief in the religion. It was only then that I realized that evolution was more than just plausible.

In hindsight, it takes a lot of arrogance for an uneducated person to act like they know better than scientists who've devoted their lives to this work. The only excuse Witnesses have for not believing scientists is the belief that they are misled by their desire not to believe in God (or afraid to admit their belief in God), and so they are basically conspiring to support a theory, any theory, that removes the need to admit that God did it.

The only antidote for this conspiracy theory is to actually screw up one's courage and read about the theory. Does it make sense? Does it explain various aspects of life better than the Bible does? Does the Society's treatment of evolution seem accurate and unbiased in hindsight? If someone is unwilling to read the details of evolution theory, then they are showing that they are not committed to intellectual honesty and don't have the right to be dogmatic about their beliefs in creationism.

venting

In the book, "Is there a Creator who cares about you? on page 9 it says... We invite all who have an open mind to consider this subject. The book " Belief in God and Intellectual Honesty" notes that one who possesses intellectual Honesty" is characterized by a " readiness to scrutinize what one believes to be true and to pay sufficient attention to other evidence available". I believe what the book "Belief in God and Intellectual Honesty" says. But does this advice only apply to non jehovahs wittneses? Aparrently. Why would Jehovahs wittneses scrutinize what they believe when they get there stuff from allmighty god? If they would follow their own advice and study evolution outside the box, they would be surprised how much they would learn. Venting.

Phizzy

Cofty said, regarding Evolution, " It is devastating to JW doctrine." Very very true, and the JW who does not wish to learn as much as Cofty, Cantleave and others who have taken the trouble to learn, simply needs to take a look at some aspects of it.

For example, JW.org (as I refer to the WT now), takes no issue with the truth that DNA analysis gives proof of our evolution as humans, they just assume that any changes we see in modern man to that of earlier man must have taken place in the last 6,000 years or so.

DNA analysis shows that many modern humans carry the same DNA as carried by Neanderthals, and Denisovans too, but without doubt Neanderthals ceased to exist at the latest 30,000 years ago.

How does that fit in with Adam being "Perfect" ? a lot of Neandrthal DNA carried/passed on health problems.

Magnum

Apognophos: it takes a lot of arrogance for an uneducated person to act like they know better than scientists who've devoted their lives to this work

Amen. The majority of JWs have such arrogance. They are totally clueless. They don't know DNA from Arm & Hammer baking soda, but they boldy proclaim the foolishness of evolution and stupid scientists. You ought to hear my JW mother "reason". It boils my blood.

cantleave

I fully concur with the sentiments of this thread

LisaRose

I was just reading about the comparison between hooves on horses and cattle and human toes. Originally they all had five digits, in cows and horses only two digits are used, the rest of the digits (dew-claws) moved around to the back and are non functioning or just disappeared. The digits that remained had thicker nails that eventually evolved into hooves. This was an adaptation to living on grassland, the hooves were much better for running on that harder surface.

In dogs and cats, four digits remained, one moved up and to the back and is non functional.

If God created the animals as they are, why did he give them dew-claws?

cantleave

A self promotional bump of the common ancestry thread for anyone interested.....

Vidiot

cofty - "It is devastating to JW doctrine."

Which is, of course, why the WTS can never accept it.

evolution

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