November 25, 2015 | by Robin Andrews
Controversy over evolution has been a mainstay of American public life throughout much of the 20th century.
The new survey shows 51 percent of young American adults accept evolution in its entirity.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey.
65% of adults surveyed believe humans have
evolved over time, as well has other creatures.
Some have said of Creationism
...nothing short of an anti-scientific superstition...
However, there is a persistent distrust in scientists,
which has led the public to eschew the theory of evolution, with adults choosing to believe religious scripture over scientific fact. However, a
recent Pew Research Center survey shows that most of the younger generation of Americans accept evolution as fact, perhaps marking a change in this
trend.
Creationists commonly argue that life is so complex it requires a Creator. Evolutionists have the same right to argue that life began from a spark of
unknown origin. Some have proposed it is possible that the Lord may have existed for so long even He has lost track of His own beginning. Opponents of
evolution say we live in a 'silent universe,' since all the scanning of the electromagnetic spectrum has resulted in zero return signals (SETI).
The lack of chatter from outer space does not disprove evolution, but it does cast doubt on the idea that evolution is a nature process
There
may be life on other planets that has not yet mastered electronic communications. There are a number of reasons why an intelligent, space-faring
civilization would not make first contact with Earth.
Here's a few figures and statistics from the Pew Research Center:
-36% of women say humans have existed in their present form since the beginning of time, compared to men 26%
-Women are more likely than men to say that evolution was guided by a supreme being
-Younger adults are more likely than older adults to say that evolution has occurred
-Those under age 30 are especially likely to say that evolution is due to natural processes (51% of all those ages 18-29 say this)
-22% of adults ages 65 and older say that evolution has occurred due to natural processes
-25% of seniors say that evolution was guided by a supreme being and 37% say that humans and other living things have existed in their present form
since the beginning
-African Americans are less likely than are whites to say that evolution has taken place. I find this statistic interesting. I easily understand the
differences in opinion between ages, that's apparent to me, however, the differences between races I do not readily understand. I wonder if this
figure coincides with similar differences between blacks and whites in regards to those who are religious versus those who are agnostic? I probably
shouldn't ASSume, but I'm going to be presumptuous here.
-75% of all college graduates, 81% of those with a postgraduate degree, believe that humans have evolved over time. By comparison, 56% of those with a
high school diploma believe evolution has occurred
-76% of those with more science knowledge say that humans have evolved, compared to 54% with less science knowledge...
I'm curious to know how this
was determined. How did they arrive at these numbers? What dictates More or Less science knowledge?
The article continues to cite differences in statistics among religious groups and political party groups.
I have personally been on journey of spirituality my entire life. I have spent much of my life justifying religion and science. As a child I attended
two Catholic schools, however, always possessed a strong interest in science, specifically the beginnings of the universe, Earth, evolution, and
Darwinism. While I was attending Catholic school, my father converted to Methodist. In my younger years I was a staunch creationist, only later, say
in junior high, that I started doubting my religious beliefs. Before turning to science, I was agnostic, not having strong beliefs in either
creationism or evolution. Later, as my interest in science developed, confusion developed in my personal beliefs, unable to negotiate religion in my
new-found scientific discoveries. Throw in dinosaur fossils and I was all messed up!
As an adult, after learning so much about science, learning about evolution, and taking several anthropology classes, I was even more confused about
my personal beliefs. Recently, withing the last year or so, I've been on a personal and spiritual journey. I have finally arrived at a personal
conclusion regarding my own faith. Like many other people, I have chosen a spiritual journey rather than a religious journey, which I believe, has
allowed me to mesh what I've learned about science and physics into what my religious beliefs are.
Personally, what used to cross my eyes previously
was the question, "Where did it all begin?" Who created God? What started the Big Bang? These
were questions that used to boggle my mind! However, in the Here and Now, spiritually speaking, I don't need these questions answered. Or I should
say, I've answered these questions myself. I've found peace between my spiritual and scientific beliefs. Whether it was divine intervention of the
Lord, or the Universe and cosmos bringing together a specific set of organic and inorganic ingredients, I do not really care, what I do care about, is
that
something greater than me is the reason I exist today.
I suppose my personal beliefs, while not wholly defined, can be helped along the way by the following quotes...
"A wise man has the power to reason away what a fool believes he sees." Don't swallow what you've been 'fed' our entire lives. Question
everything around us. We know that what we learn in the classroom is not always the truth, or 100% truth.
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy
Ghost" (Tit. 3:5).
"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that he is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek
Him" (Heb. 11:6). As is the belief that we arrived where we are as a result of the cosmos, either directed or undirected, by a knowing hand
greater than myself.
The following is too much of an
absolute, and I don't succumb to absolutes. Our place in this world and the cosmos is much more than
that....With faith being given out freely to all who seek truth, Christians have no need to be in the business of mixing science with religion. With
prayer, we have the ability to supernaturally win over even the most stubborn evolutionists.
One piece of evidence will not sway the debate. The question of our place in the universe is much more than that. It is said, "It may take an unknown
amount of time and prayer, but for diligent seekers God always provides answers." The same can be said of the universe, the cosmos, and all we've
learned about, and have to learn, about science and physics, and the known and unknown world and space around us.
God has set up a very clever system for revealing himself to mortal man: He discloses the truth to people who humble themselves and hides it from
those who are proud. As does the Universe!edit on 11.26.2015 by Kandinsky because: fixed italics