About 2 years back, whilst kicking back during winter holidays, I was in a friends room talking about things that carry no weight. While we were exchanging ideas of high academic significance (Read: What’s the latest porn to watch and which model has the best bonkers), we got all stirred up over the theory of evolution. To be honest, it wasn’t completely off-topic either for the winter examinations prior to the holiday had a small scope dealing with this. So anyhow, while my friend and I were relating how the exams went for us, comes a loud groan from the background, with this guy claiming ‘I do not believe in the theory of evolution’.
An intelligent person, would have obviously chuckled quietly and let him drown in his ignorance; alas, I had to tell him that he’s an idiot subtly so much so that it turned into a heated debate. To be fair, the other fellow is quite an intelligent chap, it’s just, well you know how it goes with these fundamentalist. Needless to say he was a former-buddhist converted into Christianity. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Christianity, and they can be good people, but sometimes, they tend to have their heads up their arses.
So back to the debate;
The issue at hand was, Theory of Evolution vs Intelligent Design (Creationism, or Idiocy)
There is no need for me to reiterate the concept of natural selection, for I give my readers (or the lack thereof) the benefit of the doubt that they possess enough intelligence to wiki it in the event of not knowing anything about it. So lets talk about the contradicting topic, Intelligent Design. This topic suggests that we, in fact do not share common ancestors with other species , but in actuality, Birds are designed with beaks and feathers, fishes are born with scales, etc. This design is placed by an intelligent agent (Read: God).
What, the, fuck?
And here I was, trying to reason out with someone who actually thinks the world is 4,000 years old (he even quoted Noah’s ark at some point). that in fact, the world is millions of years old with abundant flora and fauna, that have long gone extinct. Oh no, there was no convincing this guy, I’ll give him as much as sticking to your principles, but it was getting borderline ridiculous. Since when could you argue whatever that are in religious textures in a scientific argument?
In the event that the world was indeed 4,000 years old, how in the name of Fuck, will you explain the extinction of dinosaurs? None of that God made them and destroyed them shit. In the event that he did so, he would have had to done it in 7 days, which according to genesis, would imply God did diddly-squat, about dinosaurs. I suppose they could argue all fossils found are fabricated and made by the Jesus-hating Jews, or something along those lines.
One of his fundamental arguments was; If evolution was real, how come you don’t see it nowadays?
It boggles the mind that someone of this caliber is trying to study medicine; a field strongly based on scientific notions. Hell, even traditional medicine has some science involved, albeit of less exposure to the public. Anyways, does he completely fail to realize that evolution is nothing but simple changes in what is essentially the core of any living organism, -DNA- ? Splits occur when DNA gets altered in any way, read: Mutation, Deletion, Translocation, Inversions, Duplications, etc. The effects may be benign, may be malignant or occasionally helpful. Human DNA is considered stable, and is less susceptible to mutation because of an innate repair mechanism that occurs when chromosome is broken down, and mixed, before sending it down via sperm or the ovum. Furthermore, beyond this mechanism, mutation still occur, where people are born with improper chromosomes. Down’s, Fragile X, Patau, Cat eye, etc. This would be the malignant changes, most benign changes can’t be visual, and have little to no effect on Man’s physiology.
But what about the fruitful changes, HypoG?
Geez, I don’t know, maybe some people being born with sickle cell anemia to counter onset of Malaria (P. falciparum)?
Sure Sickle cell brings about it’s whole set of problems, but, it does indeed counter Malaria, and it is prevalent in zones of frequent Malaria infection. Nobody said evolution was perfect, but it happens, f00.
I do not imply that it is bad to practice religion, in fact it is good with helping us set limits to moral standards and such that we should abide by. It gives a set of principles one ought to follow to be blessed by God. However, to go to the extent of chucking out stupid statements and ideologies in what one thinks might be true is in fact, nothing but an insult to the very God one worships. Instead, stop trying to be a fundie, and take all the good your religion has to offer, absorb it and practice it. If you can refute something, do it scientifically, and empirically. Do not show me a book, in which it says dinosaurs are a myth and expect me to believe it. Prove it.
In the case above, it is rather sad that this brilliant chap is so enshrouded by his new-found religion that he would disagree with the very scientifically proved theory. For crying out loud, you’re trying to be a doctor, and to completely refuse (not refute) a scientific notion like this is rather hypocritical when the field you choose to venture into is something that strongly asserts itself with science.
Darvin 1 : Stupid Creationism Spewing Bastards 0
-HypoG
P.S. The author would like to take this opportunity to state that he is in fact, NOT an Atheist. The author would also like to reassert that the purpose of this article was not to demean God or other Metaphysical Entities that MAY control this universe, but to explain to people that, Indeed, people sometimes take religion too literally to the event of making themselves sound like idiots. Cheerios.
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