Texas adopts 'compromise' language on evolution
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“The Texas State Board of Education has approved streamlined science standards for grades K-12 in a move that placated both conservative and progressive constituencies concerned with the teaching of evolution in Texas public schools.” BPNews
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Is a new fossil the tail of a feathered dinosaur?
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“The researchers believe no bird would have such a long tail. But other studies, such as one published in EvoDevo in 2014, state that long-tailed birds with up to 23 vertebrae once existed.” WORLD
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Religion drives skepticism about evolution, but not climate change
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“In a recent edition of the journal Environment and Behavior, Rice University sociologist Elaine Howard Ecklund and her colleagues write that while religious views drive Americans’ rejection of evolution, skepticism about climate change is more a function of political views and lack of confidence in the work of scientists.” RNS
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Opening Darwin’s Black Box
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“In his 1996 book, ‘Darwin’s Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution,’ Behe explained how Darwin’s inability to see inside the cell kept him from witnessing mechanisms and processes which could not possibly have been formed through ‘numerous, successive, slight modifications.’”
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Survey: Darwinism is to blame for eroding belief in human dignity
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The survey “asked if ‘Evolution shows that no living thing is more important than any other.’ Forty-three percent agreed, and 45 percent believe that ‘Evolution shows that human beings are not fundamentally different from other animals.’ The highest levels of support for the idea are found among self-identified atheists (69 percent), and 18 to 29 year olds (51 percent).” WORLD
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Twelve of the Most Annoying Arguments Used Against Biblical Creation, Part 2
(Read Part 1.)
4. Arguing that “since scientists do not yet understand a natural phenomenon, God must have done it” is a fallacious “God of the gaps” argument.
Why It Sounds Good
This type of argument actually is a “God of the gaps” argument and sadly, in church history, many have used this approach.
Why It Is Annoying
There are two significant problems. First, creationists, as a whole, rarely argue this way any longer. Rather, creationists have increasingly been arguing for creation from what we do know about the universe. For example, in philosopher William Lane Craig’s1 version of the Kalam Cosmological argument,2 he states:
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Twelve of the Most Annoying Arguments Used Against Biblical Creation, Part 1
(Special thanks to GARBC.org for bringing this article to our attention.)
There are certain tasks I do not enjoy having to do on a regular basis. One that immediately comes to mind is garbage night. Every Tuesday night, the garbage cans and recyclables go out to the curb. Rain or shine, hot or cold, it still must be done. Even though I just did it seven days ago, they sit on the driveway waiting to be taken on their weekly walk. I stress this point in the hopes that you, the reader, will sympathize with me as you read my verse of lament and will join with me in singing the chorus of gripe: “O garbage night, O garbage night, I loathe you deeply, garbage night!”
There are also, in the debate concerning evolution and the age of the earth, certain arguments I grow tired of hearing. When these arguments are given, I confess that I find myself mentally checking out of the conversation because I see that the person is often simply parroting from others what he or she has heard and has not really thought through the issues at hand.
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Happy birthday, culture war!
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“Monday is the 90th anniversary of a day significant both in the rise of America’s culture war and the fall of American journalism.” WORLD
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