Re: What do people believe when it comes to religion and or spirituality?
@Bladestorm, having grown up a Christian I can certainly understand your point of view even though I no longer agree with it in principle.
One thing that bothers me about your argument is the way in which you define the term theory. In your post you said Evolution is "just a theory" which makes me think you do not understand the difference between the scientific definition of a theory and a layman's definition of a theory. In layman's terms a theory is an unproven guess or idea. In scientific terms a theory is a fact based on research, empirical evidence, and is backed up with well reasoned arguments based on said research and evidence. Thus when a scientist uses the term theory such as the Theory of Relativity he or she is not talking about some vague idea but something that is factual and can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
For example, if you believe the sun is at the center of our solar system that is known as the Helios-Centric Theor y. I sincerely doubt one will find many relatively educated people going around that the Helios-Centric Theory is just a theory in the way you mean that Evolution is just a theory. The reason is that after five centuries of research and evidence we know the Helios-Centric Theory to be a fact, and anyone who would argue that the Earth is the center of our solar system is either badly misinformed or poorly educated. Therefore if people were to call Helios-Centric Theory a theory in the layman's sense of the word, meaning some idea or guess, they would sound utterly ridiculous and very uneducated.
I'm saying this to point out that for biologists Evolution is a fact not just a vague idea or guess on their part. Weather you know it or not, agree with it or not, there is ample evidence besides fossil records supporting Evolution. We have DNA as well as extensive lab research which supports Evolution. I get the feeling the people who say Evolution is just a theory probably don't know how much credible evidence there actually is supporting Evolution, and probably would not be so quick to dismiss it if they did know.
That isn't to say Evolution is perfect. It certainly is not. There are issues that still need to be worked out, and no it isn't a 100% answer to the kinds of questions people have because it hasn't progressed that far yet. There are as you mentioned some ideas, hypothesis, on the table that life didn't begin here on our planet but is extraterrestrial in nature having been brought here by an asteroid or similar encounter with a non-terrestrial object. The difference between science and religion is religion claims to know all the answers weather or not they can be backed up with evidence but with science we have to progress without a complete understanding until evidence comes along that supports a given hypothesis. I often think, this is just my opinion, is that a lot of people who embrace religion just are not comfortable with not knowing certain things and want answers to stuff we can and may never know for sure. Thus they grab onto whatever religious explanation seems to answer their questions regardless of if it can be proven or not.
You brought up the subject of faked fossil evidence. Yes, unfortunately there were a few famous, perhaps infamous cases, such as the Piltdown Man hoax that left a number of archeologists and biologists with egg on their face. However, faked fossil evidence is very few and far between, and is nowhere as bad as the Christian community would have people believe. I know some Creationist groups like Answers in Genesis are bad about spreading the roomer that a lot of the fossil evidence is fakes, hoaxes, but those claims are largely unsubstantiated or are based on real cases that had no real impact on present day understanding of Evolution. So if you really want to convince me that Evolution is based purely on faked fossil evidence I'd like some acad emic papers, books, and books written by accredited scientists saying as much.
Lastly, you made the point that only the universities and not scientists are carrying on the Theory of Evidence. Since I don't know what resources you are basing your opinion on it is hard for me to mount a effective counter argument. All I will say I think that your opinion that in twenty years or so that the Theory of Evolution will be dead is wishful thinking based on misinformation. All I can say is that time will tell which of us is right.
@Nocturnus, the problem I have with Christians is they simply think they know what is best for me and try to tell me how to run my life. It isn't so much that I find them judgmental, hypocritical, or foolish but I simply find them a bit nosy. I have literally been sitting down in a restaurant and have had Christians walk up to my table and start asking me if I'm a Christian, if I have been saved, and ask if they can pray for me, etc . Having grown up in a Christian home I know such people think they are doing it out of love, think they are doing it for my own good, but what they are doing is being rude and offensive just by walking up to me and trying to share their beliefs with me when I've abandoned those beliefs long ago and really want nothing more to do with them.
I certainly do not hate Christians or any other religious person. I would simply ask that if that person wants to be my friend, to share my company, to please keep their beliefs to themselves. I really do not like being preached to. Especially, if I am sitting down having a dinner at a restaurant or mingling at a party the last thing I want is for some person to start asking me questions about if I'm saved, if I am a believer in their religion, or if I'd like to know more about their religious faith. I try not to be rude to those people, but they really do get under my skin because they are so blasted persistent to evangelize to everyone and anyone regardless if that evangelism is wanted or not.
What I am saying is I understand how and why you feel compelled to express your faith with others. That in of itself is not a problem if someone expresses an interest in hearing it. The problem comes in someone like me has expressly asked not to be preached to and for whatever reason a religious person keeps coming back, dropping hints, or posting bible verses on their Facebook page, in the hopes I'll take notice of their religious beliefs. That gets under my skin and makes me more than a little upset with Christians because I'd prefer they just leave me alone. So my advice to use if you are going to express your opinion you might want to take into consideration the person's views on the matter before telling him or her what you think. As it can be frustrating and down right annoying to be a non-Christian and have to put up with people trying repeatedly to convert you.
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