It’s a common question, and it isn’t easy to explain, since much of it is complicated while the simple parts are often counter-intuitive. But here’s a
comic that tries and illustrates the problem.
Here’s the correct explanation, that actually jibes with the evidence.
Here’s the ID/creationist explanation:
Then, of course, in the competition of ideas, the two hash it out and…well, you’ll have to read the whole thing yourself. Sad to say, the ending rings true, too.
What to do? Delusional people tend to be very violent to have around, especially when you disagreed and mock at their beliefs. I’m still hoping humanity will wake up from this mass insanity.
The one problem with the cartoon, as I see it, is that it makes it appear that ‘cells’ formed very quickly. While there may have been something bacteria-like within the first billion years of life on Earth, more complex cells took much longer to develop. If you look at multicellular evolution – the way most of the public think of evolution – then the first multicellular organism appeared on the scene close to three quarters of the way through the timeline. Most of evolution has been about the development of single cellular organisms.
I wonder how much of support for creationism and ID is based on laziness. I am writing my thesis now and it is hard work. I would be tempted, had OK and Sally Kern succeeded in making goddidit, to just slap down goddidit as the my thesis and then write goddiditin6days for my dissertation.
I like
bet god had a good time watching cro-magnon beating the snot out of neaderthal.
@#2 For a cartoon I think it is shown fairly well, expecially if you read it in context. I meet a lot of people that aren’t prepared to listen to reason and some of that will be spent dodging missiles, verbal and otherwise. However, there is hope for everyone. For example one of my Office Managers is an uber-religous catholic spouty-pouty-come-and-get-your-hellfire-here type UK) and is always on the bandwagon. However, his wife has just had a new baby and now he is out of the office one of his staff is on this rather peculiar site http://infidels.org/ Now I know that he was going to church recently so all I can hope for is that he is finally breaking free of years of indoctrination…
On the other hand, look how much work continues to go into researching, for example, Noah’s Ark:
http://scienceblogs.com/evolutionblog/2008/08/report_on_the_sixth_internatio_4.php
Funny people.
#6 MaryM
I have no problem with it as a funny cartoon. I just think that a lot of basic information to the public about abiogenesis falls into creationist traps by making it seem like ‘cells’ appeared very quickly. When creationists or ID proponensists claim that it’s mathematically impossible for a functioning cell of functioning proteins to randomly form at the beginning of abiogenesis they actually have a reasonable (if devious and nefarious) point and we should do our best to create a more accurate evolutionary timeline in the publics minds. We don’t have to make them understand the full details of the RNA world but at least lead them in that general direction.
Perhaps Gertrude Stein had the right answer, unconsciously or not mocking religion:
“There ain’t no answer.
There ain’t going to be any answer.
There never has been an answer.
That’s the answer.”
With insane religion this is the only answer. The morons.
If fish evolved from toes, why are there still toes?
@#8
Yes, things get over or under-simplified, or simply twisted out of true and it does no-one any favours. It is a bit like the timeline of the big bang until the present… if it were all to scale we might miss the interesting stuff that happens near the end of the line so we have to over generalise and skip on stuff just to catch their attention. I absolutely agree that more focus should be placed on the precursors of life – but cute little mammals seem to win for some reason!
Nice artistic touch that the blood oozed out between in he second frame after the crush.
Sure, it brushed over cellular evolution and the complex origin of mlticellular life, but the issue was human origins. You sometimes have to rush over those things.
And genesgalore up in #5. I doubt a cro-magnons could take a neanderthal in a fight. If thee was a whole lof of direct killing, modern humans used their superior language and organization skills to make sure all fights were at least three against one.
#8
The general public still doesn’t understand the fundamentals about evolution. I still get the “Why are there still monkeys?” argument (though I do live in rural Texas).
The comic does show that both creationists and evolutionists use rocks to make their point.
:-D Consider my day saved. :-)
But where did stick figures come from?
It’s funny, I just saw this comic which also uses a rock to make its point against religion :P.
@ Anon – #15 I know where they came from :-)
http://www.39stepsstudio.com/blog/archives/53
Tshirt please :D
Funniest comic Ive seen in a while….
#17 – The S doesnt happen to stand for Simon does it? :D
Ah, but this is a cautionary comic strip. See what happens when the evolutionist laughs and argues? After the creationist “explanation,” there should have been a great big balloon coming out of the evolutionists mouth with the word “RESPECT”. Then the final panel would have the two marching off into the sunset together, holding hands, problem solved.
No arguing. Just sharing.
I would so buy that on a t-shirt.
The real ones, not the sky wizard one :)
Just goes to show, when you speak the truth, and carry a bigger rock.
@ Simon #19 – Nope … You can call me Stacy. :-)
Omit that “and” from my last comment.
The reason why religious adherents tend to be predisposed to violence is because differing religious views can’t be reconciled empirically.
#25
I disagree. If that were true, wouldn’t the Buddhist monks set the communists rather than themselves on fire. The Judea-Christian-Islamic tradition is violent.
#26 By religion I mean belief in the supernatural. It’s impossible to demonstrate empirically that one person’s god is real while somebody else’s god is imaginary. When I was growing up, children would sometimes get into shouting matches on the school playground over whose favorite comic book superhero was stronger. The religious mindset is similar.
Squirrels? We evolved from squirrels? That’s just nuts I tell ya!
;^)
Hey, did you notice the face in that meteor in the last frame, with the little red tears coming out of it? Praize Belaqe!
Wait… so the second one is saying people came from a Dragonball Z character whipping an energy bolt at someone’s head?
http://www.yuanlei.com/dragonball/episodes/db/db-003-004/1-3.jpg
Not buying it, although it is nearly as awesome as Raptor Jesus.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/GunnJack/Jesusandhisdinosaur.jpg
Jesus Loves Baby Dinosaurs
http://raptorhunter.com/image.php?s=54638102fa67cf0cd415094281f2434c&u=223&dateline=1188275372
Squirrels? We evolved from squirrels?
Yes. Yes we did. :-)
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7713172355487295582
#18–“Tshirt please”
Tee shirt custom logo’s can easily be made by using iron on transfer copy paper. One can then iron on to the tee shirt of your choice. However, with copyrighted material, one might ask permission of the artist first.
These type of iron ons can make cool custom tee shirts.
:)
@15 & 17,
So tell me, smarty pants, if stick figures came from sticks, why are sticks still around? Huh? Bet you didn’t think of that, did you?
You godless artsy types are all the same. You will all burn in hell.
But I will pray for you, even though you hate god and his holy sticks.
Hey Holbach – There’s a really good video over at Google video of Robert Price debating a fool. Just search Did Jesus Rise From the Dead. Price gets really wound up for several seconds. Good stuff!
So MTran, I’m bound for hell huh. Which one? The one ruled over by Hades and Persephone? The one ruled by Hela that is ice? Or the one with an eternal lake of fire?
You are full of shit.
Speaking of your worthless gawd…why did he plan a horrible storm for all those folks in the south? Why is he making them suffer? Why doesn’t gawd stop it?
Does being as stupid as you are hurt?
Inquiring minds want to know!
Hey, Patricia,
You asked:”Does being as stupid as you are hurt?”
Uh, you should know, since you are obviously incapable of comprehending even the most obvious satire. So take a pill.
And, you never answered why sticks are still around, even though stick figures have been used since the stone age! Answer that one, if you’re so smart.
That ending’s been done before.
Where do the Nazis come in?
Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7
In an episode of Family Guy, there was something similar shown to comic strip. The creationism view showed every popped out of existence.
MTran – On the contrary I am one of the most ignorant hillbillies that posts here. As I have remarked several times.
Quite simply I did not recognize your post as satire Offers to pray for someone are usually genuine. But I was wrong, and I do beg your pardon. :)
Dammit, I dropped the .
Patricia,
No harm done. I’ve misread plenty of posts myself. But I never realized how easy it is to unintentianally perform a Poe!
So let’s be godless friends.
Here, have an internet Belgian dark chocolate truffle, or an internet beverage of your choice. (Internet snacks have no calories, you know.)
After World War I, quite a bit later after Aske and Embla were created. Why do you ask?
Hey, and talk about unintentional, that’s an awfully ugly “unintent-anal” typo I made. And I couldn’t hit the cancel button in time to stop it.
Ugh!
I’ve got to wonder about the creationist mentality. I was reading an article on the NYTimes website about teaching evolution in Florida, and once again there was a student who said “I didn’t come from an ape”. Now there are a couple of seriously major things wrong with this.
1. As Ken Miller has repeatedly stressed, we are apes! The person who did the taxonomic breakdown of all species was a creationist, and where we fit into the order of animals is in the prime-ape category. So not only were our ancestors apes, all our descendants will be too!
2. The bible story says that we were made out of dirt. I find it funny that people take exception to being an ape yet find comfort in being nothing more than an animated clay golem.
So that’s always fascinated me. Why a creationist will take exception to being descended from an ape or even coming out of a primordial ooze, yet stress how much grandeur there is in being crafted out of dirt. They have it backward!
Obviously sticks evolved from monkeys . . .
which is why monkeys throw sticks, rocks and feces at intruders. they’re trying to create new life!
*Grin*
I love this. I just wish the “evolution” side of it was portrayed as not only sticks, but a tree, the trunk being a lengthy stretch of cells, the branches – all of rest of us on this earth (stubbed down a bit for clarity of course ;) – but humans on the same main branch as the chimps, waving at each other – to make a not-so-subtle point!.
‘Course this observation is probably viewed through mild OCD.
But I too would love a T of this – on at least a Hanes – and not a damned transfer from somebody’s computer printer – I want it to last. (and I’d be willing to pay someone good money for this)
And something else you graphic designers out there might want to look at…. have you ever seen those little kids on the back of cars kneeling and praying to a cross?
Lets do them one better!
How about a telescope (that looks (damn near)) just like that cross we have to look at constantly (in the U.S. at least) on our commutes to work? With a little girl looking thru it (the stars & planets all around) and the little boy looking on? Would that not be simply awesome?? Bet it would get some double-taken glances! (and a not-so-subtle way to send a clear message about science education??)(not to mention what we think of THEIR sticker)
I’m not much of an artist. But I do have Adobe Photoshop full-version tho and get around in it okay, willing to help w/this with someone far more talented. And I’d be far more than willing to spend a few bucks on it. Any takers or suggestions??
Trekkinbob@aol.com (I’m brave, but not that rich)
Aaaahhhhhh. But here we have our sweet revenge. The christian that dropped the rock on the poor innocent atheist is going to hell.
Jebus said – “You have heard that it was said to men of old, ‘You shall not kill, and whoever kills shall be liable to judgement.’ But I say to you that everyone angry with his brother shall be liable to judgement; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council; and whoever says; ‘You fool’ shall be liable to the hell of fire.” Matthew 5:21 – 22
Quiet Desperation @32:
Thanks for posting that. Damn good find!