Jim L

One of the questions in the last 24 hours was a Frequently Asked Question here. The question was (rephrased) "Isn't Evolution only a theory, not a fact?" This question has been answered here many times, but theists who believe Evolution contradicts the Bible continue to ask the question and not accept the answer. I don't really expect this to change. I answer the question even though it's like trying to bail out the ocean.

But the reason I am asking this question is that one answerer answered the question with this statement:

"I think evolution is just the best alternative to God at the moment .. they're always playing with it trying to find new ways to make it believable coz new holes pop up in every new issue of scientific american ..."

I won't say who said this or point to the original question. My point is not to shame the individual who said it, since the problem seems to be common among creationists.

(to be continued)

Creationists who argue against Abiogenesis and Evolution argue that they are too improbable. Especially for Abiogenesis (the spontaneous creation from organic molecules of some kind of self-replicating molecule, i.e. the precursor to RNA/DNA) they argue that it simply couldn't happen because it is too improbable for that much complexity to happen spontaneously without guidance.

So why is Abiogenesis more improbable than God? If God exists, isn't God more complex than a short strand of RNA? And to say that this complex God has always existed -- isn't that asserting something even more improbable still?

In particular, many Christians claim that Homosexuality is a sin because of scriptures in Leviticus. See for example this question from today:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aiz5Z...

Here is a short clip from The West Wing in which 'President Bartlett' takes to task a right wing radio talk show host, and uses Old Testament scripture to make his point. I highly recommend it to everyone:

http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gmarchive/2007/04/the_...

I highly recommend this essay to everyone here. It is the best answer I have seen to many questions asked here of atheists about the VA Tech tragedy:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/19/18451/0971

I'd love to hear what Christians and other theists think of the essay.

Many Christians here act bewildered as to why many atheists seem bitter. Surely Christians can appreciate that atheists are looked down upon for reasons that we think are totally undeserving. Christians have a history of being persecuted. Granted, atheists in the U.S. have not had any physical violence inflicted on us, and we still have many freedoms. But we have come close to losing some freedoms that we hold very dear, such as the freedom to conduct science without free of political bias, and to ensure that science is taught correctly in public schools. And this doesn't even include the fact that atheists have lowest chance of being elected to public office of any other group of people.

Finally, I encourage Christians to pay more attention to the variety of statements atheists make here. A lot of what we say is not bitter.

"What is more stupid, a person who worships a God they can't see or a person who is offended by a God they don't believe exists?"

It is you believers who are offended that we don't believe in your God. Are you offended by Zeus? No, of course not. Are you offended when we say that like Zeus, the God of the Hebrew Bible is a myth?

People say there is "evil in the world" and discuss it as if it is a force. Some people believe there is a Devil who is evil personified. Is this kind of belief justifiable?

Please give more than a yes or no answer. Explain why you believe your answer is correct.

The Roman Catholic church said found Galileo guilty of blasphemy for saying the earth revolves around the sun, and not other way around. They have since recanted. Were they right or wrong to recant?