PUTTING THE WIN BACK IN DARWIN
In the ongoing debate about our origins between Creationists and the Darwinians like myself, TIKTAALIK cannot be ignored.
Discovered on Ellesmere Island,(Go Canada), the fishapod fossil is a crucial missing link between the creatures that swam in the primordial seas and all of the land-lubbin' verterbrates alive today.
Like you and me.
The discovery of TIKTAALIK's primitive wrist and 5 finger like bones hidden within the fins is a significant piece of evidence.
This transitional species, from fish to tetrapod, should shift the debate back to the future again.
Perhaps? Unfortunately the diehard dogmaholics will probably reject it. Lil'Miss Eve O'Lution, she's so misunderstood.
Creationists must come to grips with the fact that they need a better alibi for their hereabouts. Every culture has a fantastic Creation Myth and it is important to examine each one of them with our allegorical goggles. We should celebrate our universal fascination with the Who,What,Where,When and WHY we are here.
The Creation Myths fundamentally examine the purpose and responsibilities of mankind. The unique burden of having knowledge of good and evil has been a both a blessing and a curse.
Creationists need to choose their battles a little
more carefully. So what if Genesis or any other Creation Myth is metaphorical, that alone doesn't invalidate your version of God or undermine the reality about His or Her existance. That mother of all questions is scientifically impossible to prove or disprove. Besides, that dilly-of-a-pickle belongs to the Philosophers and Theologians and they can have it!
For the vast, bewildered, majority of you comfortably sitting on the fence, this tempest in a teapot must smell a little fishy.
Let's just call it
one small step for TIKTAALIK,
one giant leap for DARWIN.
In the pond of public opinion, TIKTAALIK is putting the WIN back in DARWIN.
It was just in the news tonight that a live fish looking a lot like the one in your post was discovered in Japan but it died a couple of hours later (convenient, i think). Wonder if it's the same thing?
ReplyDeleteI liked the post Donn, thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe question that arose in my mind (sleep-deprived as it is) was, how large is the Creationist group you describe? I imagine it's realitively small but very vocal.
So many people, like myself, who belive in a creator also believe in the science of an evolution in which we are a part of. I can't put myself in a "Creationist" or "Darwinian" box.
We read sacred texts as a truth that is not literal, the truth is in the messages found in the text (as you mention). Every culture has a creation story, each slightly different, each valid.
-H
menchie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading this. I never expect anyone to look at these 'at issue' posts because they are so tedious.
Today there are certain species of fish, like mudskippers, who flit about on land but Tiktaliik expired millions of years ago. The big thing about Tik is that it provides evidence of an 'in progress' adaptation on the road to amphibians.
anonymous H,
There are atleast 70 million Fundamentalists in the USA of which probably 80% believe in a literal translation of Genesis.
The battleground for this debate was most recently highlighted in Kansas where Creationism was placed in the Science Curriculum. Naturally the teachers, professors and scientists living in that great state were appalled and continue to fight this regressive affront to common knowledge from an academic stance...
but the mere fact that it happened at all is alarming.
So the short answer is that there are millions of adherents who espouse Creationism.
Hey Donn, I'm the H.
ReplyDeleteThat's the States, they aren't the centre of The Uni.
I prefer to enjoy the fact that one classroom after another in Canada has stopped ripping those pages out of the science text.
Like I said, in regards to the world's population and individual thinking, it's a small group but very vocal. The religious right needs a muffler and shouldn't pretend to speak for the wider faith communities.
-Heather
Another great post, HE...
ReplyDeleteI think everyone's entitled to their own spiritual beliefs, but I separate spirituality and religion.
Religion is the man-made idea, based on institutions, that I'm right and you're wrong and my answer is the only one.
And that's who the Fundamentalists are and what they espouse.
And they do it forcefully and in your face, which immediately gets me suspicious and actually flies in the face of many of the ideas they purport to represent.
Spirituality is the inner depth of belief and wonder and, I think, a very personal thing. It doesn't require anyone's approval or money or membership in this group or that.
I like what H said. She seems open to a variety of possibilities or to a mix of them all.
Personally, I'm with the scientists on this.
It's the only physical proof and documentation we have that we evolved and were not "created" as the Fundamentalists try to force upon the world, as in Kansas.
Hatter!
ReplyDeleteA The USA IS the centre of the Universe and don't you fergit it
B That group of 70 million is 'hellbent' (hee hee) on creating a Theocracy in their country just like their mortal enemies the Islamofascists do in the Middle East
C You need a Blog because you're good enough, smart enough, and doggonit people like you AND
D so that you can have a funny avatar (or a serious one) accompanying your comments.
wild weekender,
ReplyDeleteSince we discuss this every week I would rather talk about Bowman 2.
Have you tried playing with the WALL in betwixt you and your opponent?
I for one am sick and tired of having to defend my atheistic beliefs to fundamentalist idiots. If someone wants to believe in an invisible sky fairy, and it makes him or her a happy ducky, then fine. Just don't involve me, my family, our schools, or government.
ReplyDeleteWell... GrandForks might be the centre of our shopping universe. I'll give you that.
ReplyDelete(I heart Target).
-Heather
BTW, you made me look up "avatar". I did not intend to learn anything new this week. Thanks a lot.
ReplyDelete-H
H.E. my question is...
ReplyDeleteCan Creationist pray to their Creator to create a world where Creationism is true?
oh, oh, oh
ReplyDeleteone more...
why doesn't my avatar show up in comments on your page?
ok, that is it for now...
The fundies are a small, vocal group and very dangerous. It's the small groups that often end up controlling society at large, even if it's for a short period of time. As HE pointed out, there is very little difference between the Fundies and the radical Islamists; both want to control every aspect of our lives.
ReplyDeleteHeather, HE often makes us learn new things. He is evil, as evidenced by the pictures in yesterdays blog. EVIL!!!!!!!
tidalgrrrl,
ReplyDeleteMercy sakes alive we got us a bona fide thoroughly modern Milly! I get so jealous of your chutzpah TG..part of me wants to pounce like a Tiger too but I always feel sorry for the poor, little, rabbit because it is tied to a stake.
You're awesome.
Hatter,
Grand Forks is certainly the Centre of the US National Defense Force defending the once longest undefended border in the world from us scary Canadian Shoppers..aside from the incredibly myopic decision to force us to have PASSPORTS to enter the centre of the universe now they have unmanned drones flying overhead to monitor our every move.
kindness,
Yes and they already have. As a matter of fact persons such as myself who have the audacity to challenge their notions are created as enemy agents for you know who and if push comes to shove they can do you know what to me and still get into you know where when they are raptured.
I don't know why your avatar is absent...your link is there..does your form register in the first circle thingamabob 'blogger' whatchamacallit when you are writing your comment...sorry but that is about as technical as I get.
aidan,
Well judging by your what-the-hell-izhetalkinabout answer you obviously have a rudimentary grasp of our topic..hee hee.. your knowledge of the subject matter at a molecular level leaves me speechless but probably makes sense to most of your graduate students at MIT and NASA.
I lurrve having a poindexter like you in my corner so I can say
YEAH, What He Said!
laura e,
There are always ISMs trying to take over our Lives..the most disturbing thing about fundamentalism is that under a theocracy there wouldn't be any FUN and a lot of Mentalism to contend with...with the accent on the MEN.
This all comes back to what I've said in your comments section time and time again.
ReplyDeleteCreationism, is reglion-based. It is given credence by reglion. Creationism is ridiculous. Therefore, I don't think it is wrong of me to believe religion is too.
If creationists want to bury their heads in the sand and ignore mounds of evidence against them, that is fine, but the fact that these crazy SOBs want this shit taught in schools down south scares me.
I totally agree with WW on this! His comment delivered everything I wanted to say.
ReplyDelete:)
Keshi.
All I can say is that sometimes I wonder what WE shall evolve into?
ReplyDeletewith a name like that, it's sure to make an impact for years to come.
ReplyDeleteI am doing my best not to smell fish in the teapot!
ReplyDeletekeshiroo,
ReplyDeleteOh puh-leeze
..Winston Warthog will be impossible to deal with if you keep fawning over him like this...Geez!
awaiting,
1/4 of escapeons will continue to devolve into tedious wankers,
1/4 into charming scamps,
and 1/2 will be a perfect mixture of both
{illyria}
Yes my dear I just refer to it as TikTak..this is not only a testament to my pathetic nmemonic faculties but a sign of how TV commercials have infiltrated my brain
gautami,
C'mon you big chicken...quit being so ladylike and throw a punch.
once again a fascinating instalment... immensely entertaining as always.
ReplyDeleteand interesting as it is- i am a christian and i still believe in what you call creation "myth"!
i look forward to another instalment!
angel,
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not I completely understand how much more comforting it is to have ascertained that there is some sort of plan in place...and many people choose to blend the two in order to have a How, Where, When and most importantly for them a WHO and a WHY..
I just don't have aWHO and a WHY and I don't expect to ever find one..there is cerainly room for a Prime Mover in my Cosmology but I 'choose' to believe that we have yet to discover it/them/her or him.
Had I been born a few centuries earlier I would be tortured for saying so by the people who demanded that I believe what you do...so we are both lucky to have escaped that era. Amen?
Kick Ass DARWIN! Yeh!
ReplyDeleteWhat do mean? Stop being ladylike? How can I stop being myself?
ReplyDelete&%^%$##^**&^^%$
IS THAT BETTER?