Contingent evolution: what pushes it? (Introduction)

by Balance_Maintained , U.S.A., Sunday, November 02, 2014, 20:28 (3674 days ago) @ dhw

DHW: Evolution doesn't claim anything. Evolutionists make claims, and you are right that some evolutionists - probably a very large majority - attribute the vast variety of life to chance, but as I keep pointing out to you, the theory is open to other interpretations, which is why the Church is able to accept it. Even David, who is as scathing about chance as you are, believes in theistic evolution. Perhaps it would be useful for you to hear his scientific reasons for believing in common descent as opposed to separate creation. My objection to your comments on the article about oxygen was that you were sneering at research which merely associated the Cambrian with a possible increase in oxygen. Even theistic evolution would require compatibility between organisms and the environment. You claim that the bible encourages scientific research so long as it doesn't take people away from God. You seem to have dismissed evolution because so many evolutionists misuse it as a buttress for their atheism. That is as unscientific as atheists dismissing all arguments for design because so many ID-ers use it as a buttress for their faith in God.-I haven't dismissed evolution because of how it has been used for atheism. I dismiss it because it isn't very scientific. There is no EVIDENCE of common descent, only speculation of it. There is no EVIDENCE that random chance could create the information needed for the genome to advance, only speculation. Read virtually any article on evolution carefully and you will see lots and lots of terms and phrases that are nothing but speculation presented as fact. That is not science. What Darwin did was speculate, and his speculation appealed to the naturalist at the time. They became intoxicated with the idea that they could explain life, and have been trying to do so for the last 150 years with little more than speculation to back up their claims.

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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.