VelvetGreen, this argument makes no sense given that there are any number of scientists who also believe in god
Some do, but others cherry-pick the part of the bible that fit with their preferred account of how the world began. That’s compromise.
There is no evidence for variable rates of decay. Yes, there is, I mentioned some isotopes that are known to vary. This is accepted because they are not anything to do with evolution proof. There’s a different rule all of a sudden when it’s to do with evolution. Remember, it could go either way. For example, your world view tells you that there ARE some daughter isotopes at the beginning, or your world view tells you that there aren’t. None of us were there so all numbers calculated after this are based on the first assumptions.
Your quote It is unlikely that a variable rate would affect all the different mechanisms in the same way and to the same extent. is conveniently full of “maybe’s” and “what-ifs”. You get a lot of that with evolution, and people come along blithely and read in there “it IS most definitely”.
Hakluyt, surely you’ve heard the saying “the law is an ass?” There’s usually a grain of truth in these old sayings. Of course, at times it works really well, but other times it doesn’t. That’s one of the main reasons people cite for being against capital punishment; sometimes the innocent get taken down instead.
I am not that impressed with judges at the moment, because as a landlord I have submitted a case recently to withhold tenancy deposit due to around a thousand ponds of damage, but because the independent inventory company failed to document “the tenant’s were responsible” at every problem, the judge threw the case out. They completely refused to accept the “before and after” information just on that one point. They said it could be something the landlord did and it can’t be assumed to have been the tenant, even though I had no access to the property and it was being fully managed by a letting agent. It is quiet shocking actually.
In my line of work I’ve been involved with recruitment and there are strict guidelines to ensure absolute equality. However I have seen many a time, someone “known” and “preferred” get the job when they are least qualified, and have observed personally some people perform terribly at interview but still get the job. The documentation was always written to reflect and omit all the right bits to make the case, but in reality, if someone impartial had been present, it would be an entirely different outcome. It happens all the time. Likewise, sickness records are used to get rid of staff people find don’t fit the bill for whatever reason. The popular, hard workers, are treated differently. In the same way it is quite possible that someone being sacked has a different reason that we all know is a cover story but a judge would accept.
Jassy, What's your theory of why they're scared? I think most people find it hard to swim against the tide, especially when they would be ridiculed. I don’t get what you’re asking in your second part of that question so would you mind giving me that one again?
Headinhands, would a non-believer have to then believe in the story in genesis? I don’t think they would. They’d follow the notion of aliens first; anything other than God. That says a lot really.