This thread is actually based on a false analogy. The theory of Evolution does not attempt to explain how life began, only how one form of life changes into another form over time.
The debate should actually be Creationism vs Abiogenesis. Not Evolution.
Therefore Evolution and Creationism are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as is often assumed by Evolutionists.
That is inaccurate. Many cultures outside Christianity believe in creationism. Many people who are not Christian at all believe that existence was created by a higher power.
Natural Selection can be proven. Evolution has never been observed.
Since the theory of Evolution make so much sense, I am not afraid of what the Creationsists have to say. My argument is not weak.
To be honest, even though I am an atheist, I dislike being around other atheists. They're such know-it-alls. The whole point of science is to question. Evolution is not a religion. There's no reason to defend it like one.
Only a liberal would complain that people have too much freedom of thought.
The theory states that organisms, via mutation, will adapt to their environment over time. Evolution makes no value judgement as to what is superior or inferior...everything is relative to whatever environment the organism exists in.
For example, there is a species of parrot that exists on an Island that has lost the ability to fly. If there were predators on the Island, the Parrot would be an easy target...it is clearly inferior to it's own ancestors by our judgement. But it has evolved into a flightless bird because flight is no longer necessary to exist in it's environment.
Evolution says that organisms change in this way over time. They dont necessarily change into something better or worse...they just adapt to whatever environment they exist in.
If the animal is already well adapted to it's environment, there may be no need to change. Sharks are a good example of this. Evolution is sporadic because it is based on mutations, and mutations are random. There are other variables as well, such as natural catastrophies. The fact that the fossil record is not smooth and even does not necessarily mean evolution is not taking place.
There are fossil records of transitional species and even living examples:
Archaeopteryx - A feathered dinosaur with both dinosaur and bird-like features.
Platypus - A venomous mammal that lays eggs.
The Flying Squirrel - A squirrel with bat-like features.
Heh heh
