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Original poster

Hands up who believes in creationism/doesn't believe in evolution?

204 replies

MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 29/03/2010 18:57

I know a lot of Christians who believe in evolution, so I kind of had this rather naive idea that people who didn't believe in it were very few and far between. But I just discovered someone I've known a long time, and respect a great deal, doesn't believe in evolution.

So who else doesn't? How common is it?

OP posts:
OldLadyKnowsNothing · 29/03/2010 18:59

My sister and her husband are Creationists.

brassband · 29/03/2010 19:03

I believe that evolution is teh mechanism by which intelligently design comes into being.To say a human being evolved from an amoeba purely by survival of the fittest just doesn't seem believable to me

PfftTheMagicDragon · 29/03/2010 19:06

I've never met anyone who is a creationist. Saying that, it's not really something I bring up in conversation with new aquaintances. Maybe I should, sort out the wheat from the ....strange

LowLevelWhinging · 29/03/2010 19:08

Doesn't seem believable?????????

Original poster
MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 29/03/2010 19:10

OldLady - are they offended if you ever mention evolution? I was impressed by my friend that, although I talk a lot about how we've evolved in her presence (because of what we do when we're together...not going into more detail!), she's never mentioned it and is not in the slightest offended by it, just quietly completely disbelieves it!

Brassband - I'm not sure I understand you? Do you mean you think that believing in creationism is different from not believing in evolution? Or that there are different 'levels' of evolution to be believed in?

Pfft -

OP posts:
Original poster
MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 29/03/2010 19:11

What doesn't seem believable, LLW?

I'm not trying to cause a row, just a grown up discussion!

OP posts:
RubberDuck · 29/03/2010 19:11

"Hands up who believes in creationism" - so we can point and laugh?

boogeek · 29/03/2010 19:12

I think LLW was expressing her surprise at "To say a human being evolved from an amoeba purely by survival of the fittest just doesn't seem believable to me". While, presumably, a large omnipotent being floating about in white robes and whatnot, quietly creating Eve from Adam's rib, does.

coldtits · 29/03/2010 19:13

But what about carbon dating and dinosaur remains? Is it ALL supposed to be a hoax?

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 29/03/2010 19:13

I haven't had that conversation with them for a long time, Mrs Wobble - our brother is a geneticist so I left it to him.

They believe that dinosuars etc were planted by Satan to lead us astray, but they don't chunter on about it.

posieparker · 29/03/2010 19:17

I met a woman who thought that her 'loving God' had a sense of humour and that's why dinosaurs were found, I don't know if she believes they existed or just a false trails left by Goddie Izzard.

kif · 29/03/2010 19:20

I think 'believe' is the operative word.

It's a theory postulating an incredibly complicated process. Evidence is hard to come by, and can often be viewed in different ways.

It's not something that I've studied in detail - but both positions have some sticky points.

What I do believe, though, is that it is deeply ignorant to 'point and laugh' at someone for questioning the prevailing system of beliefs.

If you were born at another time, you'd be persecuting Galileo for saying that the earth went around the sun.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 29/03/2010 19:23

But there is no evidence for Creationism.

KurriKurri · 29/03/2010 19:23

Evolution does have some evidence to support it though Kif. I mean its not just a flight of pure fancy. Whereas Creationism is.

BeeConcernedHiveMind · 29/03/2010 19:24

It shouldn't be about belief but about what is fact. Saying that you don't believe in evolution is like saying you don't believe in the battle of Hastings or other historical events that we know for a fact have happened.

Creationists may as well believe in Santa Claus.

Hullygully · 29/03/2010 19:25

I believe in fairies, does that count?

PeedOffWithNits · 29/03/2010 19:27

as a student on teachng practice I met a science teacher who actualy refused to teach anything against his very fundamentalist christian beliefs. so no big bang theory and no evolution.

I am also a christian and see no conflict at all in believing God created the universe, and made us for a loving relationship with him, and that part of the process was evolution. i guess you could sum it up as evolution by divine purpose or something

have never ever in all my days heard anyone who believes the dino remains etc were planted by the great deceiver, satan. Cripes!

indie37 · 29/03/2010 19:28

My five year old is a passionate believer. I sent her to a faith school. It's coming back to bite me.

Original poster
MrsWobbleTheWaitress · 29/03/2010 19:28

Um...I hope no one thinks I was going to 'point and laugh'!

I'm interested in whether there are more people than I really thought who believed in creationism. I know that evolution is a theory (albeit, with a fairly substantial amount of evidence), but I have been aware of creationism. I just thought it was a really tiny minority who believed in it and have been surprised to find my friend being so adamant that it is accurate! I didn't think to 'point and laugh' at her, just as I don't 'point and laugh' at anyone who believes different things to me!

OP posts:
CornflowerB · 29/03/2010 19:36

I once went to a lecture on bacterial evolution with a colleague, who was a lab technician who was also studying for a BSc. We both worked in a genetics lab. After the lecture she turned to me and said 'that was very interesting, you'd almost believe it wouldn't you?' I am still

onagar · 29/03/2010 19:36

Well as an atheist I often argue about religion on here, but I've had religious people say to me "no one believes in creationism any more" which clearly isn't correct. I expect it must be a tiny minority if other Christians think creationists don't exist.

EccentricaGallumbits · 29/03/2010 19:39

Me. Don't understand the evolution long necked giraffe plankton to sentient being bollocks. can't see it somehow. makes much more sense to believe in creation by something for something.

ThisCharmingFlan · 29/03/2010 19:40

Ex DP was a creationist. I only found out about his beliefs after a year of dating

I pointed him in the direction of Bill Hicks. He didn't see the funny side.

He did look a little 'under-evolved' now I come to think of it..

TheFallenMadonna · 29/03/2010 19:41

A science (physics) teacher in my school is a creationist. He teaches the specification though, which includes evidence for the Big Bang theory for example.

Mousey84 · 29/03/2010 19:43

I have been attending a course about Christianity and this was an issue I struggled with. The very kind and patient people in my group (all Christian) gave different opinions on this, and a lot is based around the flaws of science.

However, in general they believe that God created plants/animals/people etc who have evolved within their species to adapt to changes in the environment. How else could you explain different skin colours etc.. None believe that we evolved from apes or some sea creatures used to live on land.

Im not sure where I stand yet. Both creationism and evolution completely blow my mind.