Has Evolution Been Proven?

No, it has not been.

Many creationists would be content to end this essay there, but in reality, the situation is not so simple. To argue against the theory of evolution by saying that it "hasn't been proven" is to demonstrate a severe misunderstanding of the nature of science, which this essay will endeavor to correct.
It is true that the theory of evolution has not been proven - if, by that term, one means established beyond any further possibility of doubt or refutation. On the other hand, neither has atomic theory, the theory of relativity, quantum theory, or indeed any other theory in science. The reason for this is that science does not deal in absolute proof, only in the balance of the evidence.
To see why this is and must be true, imagine that we are scientists seeking to explain some feature of the natural world. Based on the evidence available to us, we can construct a hypothesis - an educated guess - which we offer as that explanation. If more evidence turns up that supports our hypothesis, if our hypothesis is testable and falsifiable, and if our hypothesis can be used to make predictions which turn out to be correct - if all these things are true, then our hypothesis graduates to the status of a theory and, in time, becomes accepted scientific wisdom.
But how do we really know the original hypothesis is true? What if it completely misses the mark, but gives the right answers just by coincidence? Or what if it is just an approximation, giving generally correct answers while failing to capture the true reality of what is going on? How can we ever be sure that these things are not the case?
The answer is, of course, that we cannot know this. This is why no scientific theory, including evolution, is ever considered to be proven. The more evidence that accumulates to support a theory, the more our confidence in it grows. Eventually, a point may be reached where the quantity of evidence supporting the theory is so vast, so overwhelming, that further attempts to deny or question it would be futile and unfounded. This is the case with the theory of evolution, as it is the case with the other theories, such as the atomic theory of matter or the theory of plate tectonics, that form the pillars of modern science. But this is not absolute proof. Not even the best-supported, most thoroughly verified theories of science are put on a pedestal and considered infallible, since at any time, some shocking new piece of evidence might turn up that completely contradicts accepted knowledge. We have no way of knowing that this will not happen in the future.
This is not to imply that the theory of evolution is in any way tentative or uncertain. On the contrary, it is extremely robust, backed by over a hundred years of research, experiment and observation. In all that time, not a single piece of evidence that seriously contradicts any part of it has ever turned up. Within the scientific community, evolution is not at all controversial and is no longer questioned; it is considered to be a fact, as simple and indisputable as gravity. While it can never be absolutely proven, it has come as close to attaining this status as it is possible for any scientific theory to be. To attack evolution by labeling it an "unproven theory" misses the point entirely. There is a saying in some scientific circles: "Proof is for mathematics and alcohol."

Posted by: EBON MUSINGS: THE EVOLUTION PAGES

Survey: Americans switch faiths early, often

By ERIC GORSKI, AP
Religion Writer Eric Gorski, Ap Religion Writer

– Mon Apr 27, 12:45 pm ET
The U.S. is a nation of religious drifters, with about half of adults restlessly switching faith affiliation at least once during their lives, a new survey has found.
And the reasons behind all the swapping depend greatly on whether one grows up kneeling at Roman Catholic Mass, praying in a Protestant pew or occupied with nonreligious pursuits, according to a report issued Monday by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
While Catholics are more likely to leave the church because they stopped believing its teachings, many Protestants are driven to trade one Protestant denomination or affiliation for another because of changed life circumstances, the survey found.
The ranks of those unaffiliated with any religion, meanwhile, are growing not so much because of a lack of religious belief but because of disenchantment with religious leaders and institutions.
The report estimates that between 47 percent and 59 percent of U.S. adults have changed affiliation at least once. Most described just gradually drifting away from their childhood faith.
"This shows a sort of religion a la carte and how pervasive it is," said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion. "In some ways, it's an indictment of organized Christianity. It suggests there's a big open door for newcomers, but a wide back door where people are leaving."
The report, "Faith in Flux: Changes in Religious Affiliation in the U.S.," sought to answer questions about widespread religion-changing identified in a 2007 Pew survey of 35,000 Americans.
The new report, based on re-interviews with more than 2,800 people from the original survey, focuses on religious populations that showed a lot of movement: ex-Catholics, ex-Protestants, Protestants who've swapped denominational families within Protestantism and people raised unaffiliated who now belong to a faith.
The 2007 survey estimated that 44 percent of U.S. adults had left their childhood religious affiliation.
But the re-interviews found the extent of religion-swapping is likely much greater. The new survey revealed that one in six Americans who belong to their childhood faith are "reverts" — people who left the faith, only to return later.
Roughly two-thirds of those raised Catholic or Protestant who now claim no religious affiliation say they have changed faiths at least twice. Thirty-two percent of unaffiliated ex-Protestants said they've changed three times or more.
Age is another factor. Most people who left their childhood faith did so before turning 24, and a majority joined their current religion before 36.
"If people want to see a truly free market at work, they really should look at the U.S. religious marketplace," said Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
Sixteen percent of U.S. adults identified as unaffiliated in the 2007 survey; 7 percent of Americans described being raised unaffiliated, suggesting that many Americans end up leaving their religion for none.
About half of those who have become unaffiliated cited a belief that religious people are hypocritical, judgmental or insincere. Large numbers said they think religious organizations focus too much on rules, or that religious leaders are too focused on money and power.
John Green, a University of Akron political scientist and a senior fellow with the Pew Forum, classified most unaffiliated as "dissatisfied consumers." Only 4 percent identify as atheist or agnostic, and one-third say they just haven't found the right religion.
"A lot of the unaffiliated seem to be OK with religion in the abstract," Green said. "It's just the religion they were involved in bothered them or they disagreed with it."
The unaffiliated category is not just a destination. It's also a departure point: a slight majority of those raised unaffiliated eventually join a faith tradition.
Those who do cite several reasons: attraction of religious services and worship (74 percent), feeling unfulfilled spiritually (51 percent) or feeling called by God (55 percent).
The survey found that Catholicism has suffered the greatest net loss in all the religion switching. Nearly six in ten former Catholics who are now unaffiliated say they left Catholicism due to dissatisfaction with Catholic teachings on abortion and homosexuality. About half cited concerns about Catholic teachings on birth control and roughly four in ten named unhappiness with Catholicism's treatment of women.
Converts to evangelicalism were more likely to cite their belief that Catholicism didn't take the Bible literally enough, while mainline Protestants focused more on the treatment of women.
Fewer than three in 10 former Catholics cited the clergy sexual abuse scandal as a factor — a finding that Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl cited as an example of the faith's resilience.
"Catholics can separate the sins and human failings of individuals from the substance of the faith," Wuerl said in a statement.
Wuerl noted a finding that getting teenagers to weekly Mass greatly improves their chances of staying in the fold; the same holds true for Protestant teens attending services.
The survey found that 15 percent of Americans were raised as Protestants but now belong to a different Protestant tradition than their upbringing. Nearly four in 10 cited a move to a new community, while one-third said they married someone from a different background.

What the Founding Father's Said

“Educate our children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society.”

Benjamin Franklin

"Religious institutions that use the government power in support of themselves and force their views on persons of other faiths, or of no faith, undermine all our civil rights."

Thomas Jefferson, 1808 to the Virginia Baptists

"Christianity neither is, nor ever was, a part of the common law."

Thomas Jefferson, Feb 10th 1814

"Congress should not establish a religion, and enforce the legal observation of it by law, nor compel men to worship God in any manner contrary to their conscience."

James Madison

"The religion, then, of every man must be left to the conviction and conscience of every man; and that it is the right of every man…"

James Madison, June 20th 1785

"Is the appointment of Chaplains to the two houses of Congress consistent with the Constitution, and with the pure principle of religious freedom? In strictness the answer on both points must be in the negative."

James Madison

A Reasonable Acceptance Speech

Wow, this is really an honor. Thank you so much to the Academy for giving me this award. I don’t know what to say…I am overwhelmed.

I guess I should first and foremost say ‘thank you’ to my one true supporter…Me. For without Me I wouldn’t have convinced myself to bust my ass every day to get myself into this position. There were times when I felt like taking the day off, but my inner voice kept telling me to push on. So I did… and here I am getting this very prestigious award. Without question, I wouldn’t be standing here if it weren’t for Me. Thank you ‘Me’.

To my Mother, who has always been my number one fan. You kept things real for me and helped me remain humble. I saw by your example how to stay focused on my goals and not to be swayed off course. Thank you for that.

My wife…where is she? There you are! Thank you for your understanding during those long nights and hard days. You shared my vision with me and this award is as much yours as it is mine. I love you!

I would like to thank my personal trainer, my hairstylist, my publicist, my agent, my lawyer, and my extended family for being there for me when I needed you the most. Thank you so much!

Oh! And one last person, whom I could never forget, the one that stood by me and always knew the right thing to do when I didn't...my Dad. Without your countless hours of listening and guiding me, I would likely not be here today. I knew if I ever had a problem, you would be there for me to help sort things out. Hell, you even fixed some things for me that no one else could. I appreciate your vigilance in taking me to my auditions without asking me how long it would take, and for picking up the bill for a lunch when I couldn’t afford it. Now I got the lunch bill…for the rest of my life! ‘Thank you’ for all your sacrifice.

Thank you!

Moderator: Is there anyone else you are missing?

Nope. That pretty much covers everyone.

Moderator: Are you sure?

Ummmm, yeah. That's it.

(Applause)

The Teacher Has Entered The Classroom

KRS One has been a leading voice in the Hip-Hop community for decades. He is known as "The Teacher" to his fans because he writes lyrics that are intelligent and thought provoking...often reminding his fans and critics that you may not like the truth he raps about, but the TRUTH doesn't care how you feel about it. It is what it is. Here are his lyrics from his record "Fourth Quarter":

Yeah, listen to the lyrics
We are the ones prophesized to return
My main concern is for all of you to learn
How to live, yes through the lyrics I give and send my friend
This age is coming to an end
Not the world, but the age is ending
Ending, listen to the astrological message Im sending
Im sending, tell em
Truth is truth, whether or not you like me
We are living now in the age of pisces
When pisces is over, at the year two thousand
When the sun of god, changes his house and
Enters the age of aquarius
The sun of God as man is hilarious (okay)
When you think of jesus, think of the sun
The flaming sun, thats where they stole this concept from
Stop believing and read your Bible logically
The new testament is really old astrology
Jesus is the son of God no lie
But they might be talking about the sun up in the sky
The sun, that hangs on the cross of the zodiac
The zodiac with twelve signs to be exact
Each sign is a house, and you should keep in mind
Each house equals, a period of time
The time, two thousand years and thats a fact
Its called an age or a house in the zodiac
The twelve disciples, are twelve months of reason
The four gospels signify the four seasons
When jesus fed the multitude with two fishes
It signified the age of pisces, not fish or dishes
If you read the Bible astrologically its clearer (no doubt)
The next age will be the age of the water-bearer
Its called the age of aquarius (word)
When logic and truth will take care of us
So in this age, of spiritual dignity
Youll see a rise in femininity
And creativity, meshed with masculinity
You got to get with me, this is your true her-story
Do you wanna go higher...

Worthy of Praise

It’s cold now. Not like before when all I felt was a warm breeze flowing through my body, taking the pain away from my chest and easing my nervous mind. I had welcomed that warm breeze and it stayed with me until I was wholly numb. Now only the cold consumes me. I have a sense that I am moving, but it’s hard to say in what direction; up, down, sideways. I guess it doesn’t matter, but I feel like I need to end up somewhere. My poor wife and children. I can only say I am sorry for leaving them so soon.
The cold has become less angry with me and has relented. I have been in this void for so long I feel like something is wrong. I want to see something, anything. My eyes are tired of the blackness that surrounds me. I have no idea how long I have been in this place; 30 seconds, 30 hours, 30 days? I have lost all track of time and my mind aches for change. I miss my family. I should have taken my pills. I knew I wasn’t well.
A star! A precious star that twinkles red, yellow, blue, white then repeats that pattern over and over again. I see it in the distance. Or is it near me? I feel warmth again, like a tropical breeze on a spring day. A tingling around me. Oh thank you! I must have patience now. Things seem to be in working order after all. I have not been forgotten out here, wherever here is. I will soon be somewhere. If only my children could see this. They would say it was the most beautiful thing in the world. I miss them. I know they will take care of my love. I have nothing to worry about.
My God! There is no describing this place. My weary and eager eyes did not see a star but a place. A brilliant place which looks very familiar to me, but strange in an ancient way; ancient beyond my knowledge. The structures are soaked with intelligence and the inhabitants move with such fluidity it all seems artificial. I have been so consumed with quenching my eye’s thirst that I didn’t notice my body. I can feel myself again. And I feel incredible improvement! My skin is soft and flexible, my joints are strong and pain free. I feel like running a trillion miles and leaping over oceans. I thought I could never feel this way. Oh to hold my family again. I would reach around them and lift them up with both arms. I would never let them go. Never again. I must run and release this new energy before I explode like a firework. I am glorious!
There are others here, trillions of them. I have spoken with some and they have tales that make my mind swim with questions and intrigue. One woman told me that I can seek my relatives out and reunite with them, but I am finding out that this place is immense beyond imagination. And so many souls are screaming out the names of their loved ones that my voice becomes diluted before it even exits my mouth. How can I ever wish to find anyone specific in this horde of hordes? My calls will never be heard. But wait, I see a group approaching me. They are waving and gliding to me. Oh how lovely and fantastic! I see my grandfather, my grandmother. Oh how beautiful they are. I see friends and family all coming. I love them all and I soak up the very essence of them as they greet me with their loving arms.
My grandmother, whom had died well before I had the chance to know her, told me all about her experiences on Earth and here, in Heaven. She informed me that they had been watching me my whole life and they were very proud of all my accomplishments. I had grown up to be a very good man and I should be proud of the men my sons have become. I am overjoyed with being able to hear these things and to share my feelings with the people I had only dreamed about. This place is wonderful.
The cold consumes me again. I have been snatched up into the “sky”; into a place that is colorless and uncomfortable. Tis a shame as I had just begun learning of my granddad’s top 1000 favorite things to do on a Sunday. In the gray clouds, a faint figure, outlined only by what appears to be sparkles of dew is edging towards me. My young eyes follow the figure as it glides to the left and then to the right of me; as if it is sizing me up. I want to say something, but I feel it might be out of place so I remain quiet. “Albert James Kingman” it bellowed in a voice made of brass. “Yes?” I choked out. “You are being judged on your Earthly life.” I was surprised to hear this. “Really?” I remarked. “I…I thought perhaps this had already been done. You see I have been here for some time now and figured it was a foregone conclusion...” “You are good man, Albert. You have been loyal to your friends, a great husband and father, an intellectual of immense respect and leader of profound importance to men and children alike. You have lived a full, moral and fruitful life. For this you receive my praise.” “Thank you, sir. Your Majesty.” “I have been watching you ever since you took your first breath. I have been greatly pleased with your contributions to your fellow man. You have shown restraint in times of violence. You have promoted peace when it was easy to ignore it. You thrived in times of turmoil. I am proud of you and what you were able to accomplish in your short time on Earth.” “Oh thank you sir. Thank you.” He stopped pacing and came up to me, only inches away from my face. I could see the grey clouds move behind him, moving into his translucent body and filling him up. He looked solid now and I could see his features. Although his face was missing eyes, I could sense them looking through me. “I love you with all my heart Albert, but because you did not believe in me on Earth, I must send you away from here.” “Excuse me?” “I am sorry my child, but you are not worthy of staying here with me.” “No. I don’t understand. You just told me that I was a good man. I did live a full and moral life. I never stole, coveted or killed anyone. You can’t be serious?” “You contain the qualities of everything I look for in a person, but you lacked faith in me. For this you will be punished forever in the bowels of Hell.” “Wait! Wait! I don’t understand. Are you saying that despite me living an honorable life on Earth, worthy of your praise, I am being banished to… because I simply didn’t believe in you?” The figure turned and left me behind. I stood there watching him and hoping that this was all a dream. I looked at my young strong body and couldn’t fathom why I would need something so strong and new only to be cast into an abyss filled with hellfire and choking smoke. “I don’t understand! Why are you punishing me for being good? Why are you taking me away from all the love of my family and friends when all I did was use the rational thought you gave me?” The gray clouds around me began to dissipate and the surface beneath my feet began to give way. Through the thin veil of mist remaining beneath me, I could see red and orange lights, dancing with the sounds of screams and pain. I could see men, women and children drenched in fire, clawing at each other as if they were trying to remove the very skin on their bones. But their bodies were not perishing. They were sustained only to be burnt over and over again. I looked down at my own strong and youthful hands and understood why I had been given this gift. It was so I could endure the pain and agony forever. The loving god whom I called ‘Majesty’ moments ago had condemned me to infinite torture. And I was a good man worthy of God’s praise.

Can We Really Blame Them?

Consider for a moment the story of Adam and Eve. Adam, created out of nothing, was given life and was free to roam the garden at his own leisure. Certainly, since everything was new to him, he would have been curious about his surroundings. He may have even experimented. For instance, if he was lucky enough to catch a butterfly, he might have torn it apart to see how it worked. Of course he would have quickly realized that putting a butterfly back together was a lot more difficult than tearing it apart. Who knows how many times he tried?! But Adam wouldn’t have known any better. You see, life was new to him. He couldn’t have understood it, nor could he have given it any value because he knew nothing about its workings. Of course one has to wonder what he thought when the butterfly miraculously kept wandering about without its head and wings-you know, because there was no death in the world…at least not yet. To him it may have even been comical! His concept of right and wrong, good and evil would have been absent in his thinking- for how could he know what was good and what was bad without being told? Even if he was told, who's to say the teller didn't have it wrong? Everything he did was then not an action of good, bad, moral or immoral…they were just actions without any preconceived notions.

Then you have Eve. Eve would have been just as curious and just as ignorant as her male predecessor, I think. She was made to serve Adam, but what did that mean to her? She had never seen anyone serve another. Perhaps she could have been ‘programmed’ like a robot to know what servitude was (by God). But Christians always cringe when they think about God making anyone like a robot. I guess we will never know for sure, but I think we can say that she also had no idea about what good and evil was, what moral or immoral was, or what life and death was.

So what do we make of the apple? The temptation? The “original sin”? Can we blame Adam or Eve for their curiosity? Even as God threatened them to “not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die”, they couldn’t have possibly comprehended what ‘death’ truly was, could they? I mean, the word itself, in any language, would have been confusing and at the same time intriguing. They might have thought death was a form of pleasure; another thing to explore and experience. I imagine at this time, before the apple was eaten, they had seen everything worth seeing in the garden. A new adventure would have been welcomed and would have spurred them both on to discover what ‘death’ was. Logically, I don’t blame them.

So Eve comes across a talking snake, a new and fascinating creature, as she had only seen the ones that walked around (yes they had legs at this time) and licked the air and said nothing at all. The walking (and talking) snake told Eve that if she ate the fruit, they would know good and evil. And they would not die. Eve knew not what a lie was, or a temptation, or a consequence. She ate of the fruit because everything she did was an action, neither good nor bad. Once the fruit was consumed, Adam and Eve saw for themselves the difference between right and wrong. I can see Adam now…the euphoric smile on his face, slowly turning to straight faced stunned disbelief as knowledge settled into his virgin brain: “Wow Eve. That was not a good idea. I wish I knew we were doing something ‘bad’ before we ate the damned apple!”

So, can we really blame Eve or Adam for eating the forbidden fruit? I think not. What did God expect to happen when he put two curious creatures, who knew nothing of right and wrong-good and evil, into a beautiful garden that had at its center a tree bearing forbidden fruit? Oh come on…you know you would have done it too.