When I sit with religious people and discuss evolution, some of them say this line that makes me wonder where did this stupid line start and when will it end.
“IT IS JUST A THEORY.”
When someone says that I ask, “what else do you want it to be? A hypothesis or some plain ol’ fiction?”
The problem is not that they believe or choose not to believe in evolution, it is they do not know how to use the word.
What is a theory?
Dictionary.com says it is, "a coherent group of tested general propositions, commonly regarded as correct, that can be used as principles of explanation and prediction for a class of phenomena."
Google Dictionary says it is, "a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained."
Both definitions complement each other.
When I find myself faced with such a silly statement I ask the person, “did you do science in high school?”
“If you did, what did you teacher say a theory is and what did he say a hypothesis is?”
The aim is not to tell them what a theory is – to guide against ridiculous arguments. The aim is to let them use their understanding of science to better recall what it means.
A theory is an idea, used to explain certain tested and trusted facts.
Does this mean, there can be more than one theory to a set of fact based principles?
Yes.
And like most things fade when we discover new and better understanding of the world, so do what was once accepted as a general principle. Which will then result in a more refined better theory.
What does this mean?
Science is humble to accept new findings about things and repent of their previous knowledge, while religion refuses to face reform and instead divide into sects. One sect accepting the knowledge and another saying the devil is at play.
When I get faced with a stubborn, ignorant and silly religious person who says, “I do not believe in this theory of yours.” (ignorant because he doesn’t understand and has refused to learn.)
I reply, “Whether you choose not to believe in the theory behind gravity, doesn’t mean gravity will stop acting on you and you will float away.”
“So, your believing or not believing in evolution does not mean, evolution never happened.”
“While your book says have faith, believe with no evidence. I choose to believe with evidence, which is available to you if you go online, search and study.”
Lastly, you should not believe everything you read. You need to seek knowledge from trusted sources.
No one man can know it all and no one book can have all the knowledge there is to know.
pictures from pexels.com
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