Charles Darwin

 

 

 

"In essence, the modern theory of evolution is easy to grasp. It can be summarized

in a single (albeit slightly long) sentence: Life on earth evolved gradually beginning

with one primitive species- perhaps a self-replicating molecule- that lived more than

3.5 billion years ago; it then branched out over time, throwing off many new and

diverse species; and the mechanism for the most (but not all) of evolutionary change

is natural selection.

When you break that statement down, you find that it really consists of six components:

evolution, gradualism, speciation, common ancestry, natural selection, and nonselective

mechanisms of evolutionary change."

Jerry Coyne

 

 

 

 

 

 Charles Darwin was born on February 12, 1809,

just like Abraham Lincoln.

 

 

The Voyage of the H.M.S Beagle was

published in 1839. Darwin was on

the ship voyage from 1831-1836.

 

 

The Origin of Species was published in 1859.

 

 

The Descent of Man (1871)

 

 

 

 

"Science and Christ have nothing to do with each other. I do not

believe that any revelation has ever been made."

Charles Darwin

 

 

 

 

 

"Darwin continually emphasized the difference between his two

great and separate accomplishments: establishing the fact of evolution, and

proposing a theory- natural selection- to explain the mechanisms of evolution."

Stephen Jay Gould

 

 

 

typical creationist propaganda cartoon

It's quite ironic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

funny cartoon

Most creationists, besides being ignorant and

delusional, also have no sense of humor.

 

 

It's not too difficult.

 

 

http://youtu.be/ptV9sNezEvk  The Genius Of Charles Darwin - Part 1 - Life, Darwin & Everything

http://youtu.be/shkWhBVfe3o  The Genius Of Charles Darwin - Part 2 - The Fifth Ape

http://youtu.be/cARUZyBJtdY  The Genius Of Charles Darwin - Part 3 - God Strikes Back



http://youtu.be/yIMReUsxTt4  Steven Pinker - The Genius of Charles Darwin: The Uncut Interviews

http://youtu.be/5lfTPTFN94o  Daniel Dennett - The Genius of Charles Darwin: The Uncut Interviews

http://youtu.be/GYYNY2oKVWU  Peter Singer - The Genius of Darwin: The Uncut Interviews

http://youtu.be/3E25jgPgmzk  Craig Venter - The Genius of Charles Darwin: The Uncut Interviews



http://youtu.be/EHlQgetztBw  Charles Darwin vs. Adam & Eve

http://youtu.be/AYBRbCLI4zU  What Darwin Never Knew

 

 

"Darwin looked beyond the obvious, suggesting- and supporting with copious

evidence- two ideas that forever dispelled the idea of deliberate design. Those

ideas were evolution and natural selection. He was not the first to think of evolution-

several before him, including his own grandfather Erasmus Darwin, floated the idea

that life had evolved. But Darwin was the first to use data from nature to convince

people that evolution was true, and his idea of natural selection was truly novel. It

testifies to his genius that the concept of natural theology, accepted by most

educated Westerners before 1859, was vanquished within only a few years by a

single five-hundred-page book. On the Origin of Species turned the mysteries

of life's diversity from mythology into genuine science."

Jerry Coyne

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want to discover more about how evolution works, the

best advice I can give is to go visit a real natural history museum, or

talk to an actual scientist (or competent science teacher), or read

a book written by an evolutionary biologist. They will not try to "convert"

you, simply show you the facts, the overwhelming evidence.

 

 

 

 

Great webpage: 101 Reasons why evolution is true

http://ideonexus.com/2012/02/12/101-reasons-why-evolution-is-true/

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you "debate" evolution with Christians they will probably respond like this:

 

 

The Bible record is clear. Christ and the apostles were not confused! They understood the importance of the Creation event. Christ also understood that it would become blurred today.

But we are left with a record—the Holy Bible. It allows you to understand the validity of the Old Testament, the truth of Creation, and the implications that this brings.

You are left with a simple choice. And, as we have seen, neither option is compatible with the other: Will you believe the God, and Creator, of the universe, or will you believe the ideas, theories and opinions of men?

 the real truth

 

(truth in quotation marks)

 

 

 

 

But do they really understand the scientific definition of a theory?

Evolution is not an opinion. The Bible is full of fairy tales written by

men nearly 1,900 years ago. Beware of anybody that tells you that

they know the word of god. That is called insanity. The writing of Paul

and Gospels of Matthew, Mark, John and Luke (all mere men,

all wrote by plagiarism and none wrote first-hand accounts)

are incompatible with each other, and were written well after Jesus's

supposed death. No historians at the time of Jesus wrote about him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creationist often bring up (Jean-Bapiste) Lamarck, saying

that he thought of evolution first. Is this some way

to minimize Darwin's accomplishments? Their

findings are not the same however. If fact, Darwin

is correct, and Lamarck is not. Lamarck believed

 in inheritance of acquired characteristics (from parents),

but Darwin stated the main mechanism for evolution as

 Natural Selection.

 

 

Darwin Medal

 

 

 

Alfred Wallace, a contemporary of Darwin,

had similar ideas as Darwin, but Darwin

published first. Wallace was wrong

about sexual selection and the

evolution of humans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.jesusandmo.net

 

 

 

 

Darwin's deathbed conversion, NOT!

 

Darwin’s Deathbed Conversion—a Legend?

Arguments Christians Shouldn’t Use

by Dr. Tommy Mitchell, AiG–U.S.  March 31, 2009

 

It has been widely held among many sincere and well-meaning Christians that Charles Darwin on his deathbed not only renounced evolution, but also accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. The tale of this deathbed conversion has been passed down over the years as fact. This “event” has even been used as “evidence” that evolution is false. The overzealous have, at times, boldly proclaimed, “See—even Darwin knew that this theory was not true!”

Early Reports

What is the basis for this story? As often as it is repeated, there must be credible evidence that these events actually took place, right? Surely, the tale would not have continued though the years if it were a lie? Sadly, when evidence is sought, there is little to support this story.
Charles Darwin died in April 1882 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Within days of his death, reports of a conversion experience began to circulate. The first report supposedly came in a sermon preached in South Wales by a gentleman identified as “Mr. Huntingdon.” Some weeks later there surfaced a report about a letter sent to John Eadie, a divinity professor in Glasgow, in which Darwin indicated, “He can with confidence look to Calvary.” Curiously, when examined, Darwin’s existing correspondence (which totals over 14,000 letters) contains no communication between these two men.

Lady Hope

The most often cited evidence for the alleged conversion of Darwin comes from a woman known as Lady Hope. She was born Elizabeth Reid Cotton in December 1842 and was the daughter of General Sir Arthur Cotton. She and her father were active evangelists in Kent, very near Charles Darwin’s home. In 1877, she married Admiral Sir James Hope and thus became Lady Hope, a title she continued to use even after remarrying subsequent to Sir James’s death a few years later.
While traveling in America in 1915 she attended a conference in East Northfield, Massachusetts. While there she apparently told the story of a visit she had with Darwin before the scientist’s death. She recounted this tale during a devotional service and was later persuaded to write an account of this visit, which was then published in the Watchman-Examiner, a national Baptist magazine, on August 19, 1915.
Here, Lady Hope claimed to have visited Darwin on an autumn afternoon. She noted that Darwin had been bedridden for several months before his death, and at the time of her visit she found him sitting up in bed. Lady Hope indicated that Darwin was at the time reading the Bible, which she claimed he was always studying. When asked what he was reading he replied, “Hebrews . . . the Royal Book.” Darwin also supposedly commented, “I was a young man with unformed ideas.”
Lady Hope further claimed that before her departure she was asked by Darwin to return and speak to his servants in his summerhouse. When asked about the subject on which she should speak, Darwin was said to have replied “Christ Jesus!”

What Really Happened?

Unfortunately, when the full text of the report is examined, there are many inconsistencies that make the story untenable. While it is possible that Lady Hope did visit Darwin’s home in late 1881, this was almost seven months before his death.⁵ He was certainly not bedridden for six months before his death. Further, there was nothing to indicate that he was always studying the Bible.
On the Down House property, there was a small summerhouse, but it was too small to accommodate 30 people. There is nothing in his writings to indicate that Darwin ever asked anyone to speak about “Christ Jesus.”
Further, it is fascinating what Lady Hope’s story does not say. It does not say that Darwin renounced evolution. It merely says that Darwin speculated over the outcome of his ideas. He never backed away from evolution. Nor does the Lady Hope story say that Darwin actually became a Christian. The story, even if true, merely claims the Darwin was reading the Bible and made a statement about Christ. Nowhere is there a claim of a saving relationship with the Savior.
As soon as this story became public, the denials from Darwin’s family began (as they did after every supposed “conversion story” became known). In a letter to James Howe, Darwin’s son Francis wrote in 1915: “He [Darwin] could not have become openly and enthusiastically Christian without the knowledge of his family, and no such change occurred.”
In a letter dated May 28, 1918, Francis again writes: “Lady Hope’s account of my father’s views on religion is quite untrue. I have publicly accused her of falsehood, but I have not seen any reply.”
Darwin’s daughter Henrietta wrote in 1922: “I was present at his deathbed. Lady Hope was not present during his last illness, or any illness. . . . He never recanted any of his scientific views, either then or earlier.”

Conclusion

Beyond these denials, if the tale were true, why did Darwin’s wife Emma not rejoice in this? She was always troubled by what she perceived as the godless nature of his views. If he indeed repented, why did she not make this known? Also, if the story were credible, why did Lady Hope wait 33 years before relating it, and even then, relating it in a country across the ocean?
Given the weight of evidence, it must be concluded that Lady Hope’s story is unsupportable, even if she did actually visit Darwin. He never became a Christian, and he never renounced evolution. As much as we would like to believe that he died with a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, it is much more likely that he didn’t. It is unfortunate that the story continues to be promoted by many sincere people who use this in an effort to discredit evolution when many other great arguments exist, including the greatest: the Bible.

www.answersingenesis.org

(hard to believe the article is there)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gregor Mendel, the father of modern genetics, was

a contemporary of Darwin. It is doubtful that they

knew of each other's work.

 

 

 

Malthus' book on population helped Darwin

to create the idea of  natural selection.

 

 

 

 

 

Hey creationists...

 

 

 

In a recent survey done by Time magazine, the top 100 most influential

scientists of all-time were ranked. Charles Darwin was number four

behind Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr.

 

 

1	Isaac Newton	the Newtonian Revolution
2	Albert Einstein	Twentieth-Century Science
3	Neils Bohr	the Atom
4	Charles Darwin	Evolution
5	Louis Pasteur	the Germ Theory of Disease
6	Sigmund Freud	Psychology of the Unconscious
7	Galileo Galilei	the New Science
8	Antoine Laurent Lavoisier	the Revolution in Chemistry
9	Johannes Kepler	Motion of the Planets
10	Nicolaus Copernicus	the Heliocentric Universe