Tree of life not real (Introduction)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Wednesday, February 19, 2014, 19:36 (3931 days ago) @ David Turell

David: This discussion must have some starting point decisions: 1) is the Earth really layered and are those layers related to time? 2) Is the Earth truly 4.5 billion years old? 3) Is it true that life can only come from life? 4) Is it possible that all the existent fossils in the layers of the Earth were placed there to fool us? 5) Is it possible that all the currently existing living species on Earth were created at the same time?
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> If the answers follow current knowledge, then speciation occurred, again with the proviso that we don't know how it happens. And the pentadactyl pattern for animals suggests a degree of relationship to a basic original design. I don't think faith is involved here.-1 Possibly, but there are other explanations that have been tested in laboratory experiments that show that other methods are possible that do not require this to be true or for #4 to be true.-2 we can only speculate about. There is too much disagreement between dating techniques and their application, not to mention circular reasoning to say anything for certain.-3 depends on how you define life. I believe in a creator, but my beliefs dictate that he is the source of life and is alive, so life coming from God would not contradict this statement. -4 is silly, and there is no reason to even suspect that, nor would I ever dream of making that type of statement. -5) Possible, but not required. Even a believer of the bible need not accept that statement as true, because the creation account explicitly sets different time periods for the creation of plants, fish, birds, and land animals. The number of actual separate species(as opposed to variations of the same species) is actually quite small.

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.