Alert!
Okay, here’s the reason why I think the leader of the Republican Party is acting so damn crazy. He’s trying to keep you from noticing that Mike Pence is crazier than he is. And that is scary because Trump’s stint in the White House probably won’t be picked up for a second year.
Pence is a creationist and has suggested that creationism be taught in public schools. Pence claims …
Charles Darwin never thought of evolution as anything other than a theory. He hoped that some day it would be proven by the fossil record but did not live to see that, nor have we.
But no one is pointing out that the textbooks will need to be changed because the old theory of evolution taught for 77 years in the classrooms of America as fact is suddenly replaced by a new theory, or I hasten to add, I am sure we will be told a new fact.
I have a theory, too. My theory is that creationists are people who did not do well at science in school and want the answer to every question on the science test to be, “You know, God.”
Thanks to Bill for the heads up.
Evolution is still considered a “theory” because science and research has yet to prove all cases in all situations. But the evidence is clear in many cases: species evolve.
And then there’s Pence. An exception to the rule if there ever was one.
1Having studied the habitats of many species, I find the habitat of Pence to be alarmingly infested with an inordinate amount of ignorance, HIV and drugs.
2That would be the habitat in Indiana.
Proof is in math.
Science never “proves” anything true. Never. At best, we can say that all the evidence available is consonant with a theory, and none falsifies it.
When new evidence contradicts a theory, one can informally say that the theory was “proved wrong”, or disproved. But there is no “proved true”. When you hear someone saying that “science proves” something, you can pretty much stop listening to that person on the topic of science.
And when someone says “the Bible proves”, you can pretty much stop listening to that person on any topic.
All the evidence from biology, genetics, botany, systematics, palaeontology, and geology is consonant with the modern understanding of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. None contradicts.
3Gee, maybe they’ll prove the theory of evolution right after they prove the theory of gravity. You know, so we won’t have to worry that we’re suddenly going to float away.
In science (of which Pence is ignorant) “theory” doesn’t mean what Pence thinks it means.
“A scientific theory is a well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is acquired through the scientific method and repeatedly tested and confirmed, preferably using a written, pre-defined, protocol of observations and experiments. Scientific theories are the most reliable, rigorous, and comprehensive form of scientific knowledge.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_theory)
Note that creationism doesn’t even come close to qualifying as a scientific theory.
Religious question. I am atheist and I have wondered. If people like Pence were somehow able to prove the existence of God, wouldn’t that eliminate faith? You can’t have faith in a fact.
4Pence is just Trump with no money. And less IQ.
5Poor confused snacilbupeR have no clue what the Theory of Relativity is or what it isn’t. Yet they proceed with their st00pid that it’s a “good thing” to be relatively less bat$hit crazy than the next insane batShit crazy member of their party. Guys, being less insane than Michelle Bachman or Louie Gohmert and so many others of your party does not award you the APA badge of mental health. Forget the crowd around you. When you stand on Bullshit Mountain, you stand alone.
6I’m hoping this never ever happens: “And that is scary because Trump’s stint in the White House probably won’t be picked up for a second year.”
7We have to hope and VOTE so he never has that opportunity!!
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LynnN: For me: “Faith is simply believing something that we don’t actually ‘see’.”
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Personally, I don’t understand “atheism” … to me it’s a belief in nothing!
It’s how one has been raised, what one has come to believe or not believe as they mature … it is whatever a person holds to be true for them. It’s what makes us all different!! :o)
Oh, cheez louise! There are museums all over the world with fossils up the ying yang. Gosh all heck, even the current Pope has a graduate degree in science! But none of that is going to do a damn bit of good if you actually believe that rain makes applesauce!
8I want to scream every time I hear one of these yoyos use theory in the scientific context to mean “guess”. I’ve been known to scream “HYPOTHESIS” at the TV machine. Thank you Lynn and Joel Hanes for some sanity and definitions.
9@ LynnN: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy answered the effect of proving the existence of God:
10The “nor have we.” part is key. Every new fossil found among the hundreds of thousands of species covered fits somewhere in the evolutionary narrative and either fills a gap or starts a new thread that is later filled in with other discoveries. “Nor have we” is just a creationist weasel phrase.
11After 77 years in the classroom, the Theory of Evolution might nee to be updated.
After 2000 or 4000 or 6000 years* of age the Bible still has no need to be updated, because as the Bible itself says in Ecclesiastes, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
*Christians choice
12Let us agree that to believe that the republican party is actually an agent for good, proves that the believer has a compromised ability to think logically. Thus, no republican possesses the ability to understand logical thinking and therefore is incompetent to judge the theory of evolution, climate change nor any other logic-related theory.
13The mere fact that pence is a Republican, let alone that he agreed to run on the Trump ticket, means his mental capacity is severely compromised.
I always thought he picked Pence because he was prettier than Christie or Gingrich. He “looks” normal.
14I am so damn tired of people conflating “theory” and “hypothesis”.
15AliceBeth, I beg to differ, he looks like the cookie cutter of Republicanism. not a hair out of place AND possibly a shave part. Plastic Man.
16All y’all have done a good job already so I hardly need to chime in. Except to note to Marcia in CO who doesn’t understand atheism that there have been thousands of deities in earth’s history, and I just disbelieve in one more of them than you do.
I am reminded of a cartoon about science vs. religion. Science: observe, consider, propose, test and observe some more, conclude, and if contradicting evidence arises, start over. Religion: read the book. End. (And so what if it says that pi = 3 and that the sun orbits the earth.)
17“My theory is that creationists are people who did not do well at science in school and want the answer to every question on the science test to be, ‘You know, God.'”
When I was student-teaching Biology for Non-Science Majors, I actually got that on a test. I had asked the reason why something, and one student wrote, “Because God in His infinite wisdom decided it should be that way.” I don’t know if this was just BS or a sincere belief, but I marked it wrong and noted that I was looking for a certain specific answer.
One time another student wrote, “The difference between A and B is… okay, I don’t know.” I wrote on the test paper, “I am so glad that you didn’t make me read a pile of BS that I am going to give you half credit for this answer. But don’t you or anyone else think that will happen again.”
Somehow throughout three years of student teaching, I managed not to use the rubber stamp of a laughing clown face and the words, “Do you expect me to take this seriously?” Often tempted, though.
18Rhea – thanks for the chuckle.
Personally I’ve always been pleased to have been raised in a Christian church that encourages ‘questioning and discerning’ and understands dinosaurs and Evolution. It always sets my teeth on edge to be conflated with the politically-expedient snacilbupeR version of ‘christianity’.
Lovely discussion of theory and hypothesis, y’all. thanks!
19Since creationists do not believe in evolution, I say that when they get an infection they be given the oldest possible antibiotic still available. Why? Because those sneaky little infections have learned how to evolve and make themselves immune to those antibiotics. That way they can remain true and loyal to their religious beliefs. Science is just another form of leftist propaganda.
20gabberflasted, I did not say he was pretty, just prettier than Christie and Gingrich….but then, most people are.
21He looks like he gets hair done by the same person who does the coiffure for Calista Gingrich…that stuff looks rigid.
The first chapter of a typical high school biology text generally has a section on the scientific method including generating hypotheses, doing experiments and eventually arriving at a scientific theory which should be able to explain a variety of phenomena. My acting hypothesis is that Pence never made it to the end of the first chapter.
22OK, thanks, Rhea.
23Yes, I understand!! However, I believe in one and have for a long, long time! That’s my choice!! I’m also a Democrat who believes in that One … LOL
Oooooh … and they said it couldn’t be done!! Everyone has the right to choose!!
Whereas, I, poor thing, have not learned enough to choose belief.
I have noticed, however, that raw faith, like raw pork, seems to contain some sort of disease that makes your brain melt at inopportune times.
24It takes a very well honed sense of determination to ignore an entire world full of evidence and claim creationism is real. Apparently snacilbupeR excel at that high level of ignorance.
25Debbo, a lot of them are the same people who believe that every word in the Bible is true, ignoring the fact of numerous contradictions within it.
One woman I spoke with (okay, I was bored) insisted that the story of the rich young man who decides against being one of Jesus’ followers when Jesus says he has to give all his money to the poor is NOT in the Bible, of which she had read every word. Apparently she skipped Matthew 19: 21-24, Mark 10:21-25, and Luke 18:22-25. Three chances and she missed them all.
So I’m not surprised that they can completely miss all the evidence of evolution.
26Marcia, I believe in a lot of things. Just not supernatural beings.
27Good for you, LynnN.
28Rhea … I swear you know the Bible much better then most. Certainly better then I do, anyway!
I certainly do NOT try to convince anyone to believe as I do. What we all believe and accept to be our OWN truths is our choice!!
What a boring existence if we all believed the same … it is our diversity that makes life at the Beauty Salon so very exciting to visit every morning!!
I enjoy each and every one of you!!
Okay, okay. The religionists say evolution is not a thing because it hasn’t been “proven”. Fine. Let’s go with that logic. You say God exists. Prove it.
It’s OK. I’ll wait.
29@Rhea:
30The neo-christian ‘Prosperity Gospel’ ignores great swaths of anything Jesus might have said. The Republicanites have ginned themselves up their very own religion.