Why do so many Catholics accept evolution as fact?

[SAVINGRACE]

Some of the arguments here reflect several levels of ignorance about evolution. The first mistake is that evolution does not teach that humans descended from monkeys; it states that both have a common ancestor.

The deeper error is that this objection is tantamount to asking, “If children descended from adults, why are there still adults?” New species evolve by splintering off from established ones, when populations of organisms become isolated from the main branch of their family and acquire sufficient differences to remain forever distinct. The parent species may survive indefinitely thereafter, or it may become extinct.

All sciences frequently rely on indirect evidence. Physicists cannot see subatomic particles directly, for instance, so they verify their existence by watching for telltale tracks that the particles leave in cloud chambers. The absence of direct observation does not make physicists’ conclusions less certain.

 

[Techno2000]

Fossil record, geological record, DNA analysis, analyzing shared traits unique to certain groups of living things.

Let’s start with the fossil record, where can I find the fossil record for this.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

This article responds to the false claims of intelligent design and creationists pseudo-science.

scientificamerican.com/article/15-answers-to-creationist/

 

[Techno2000]

Some of the arguments here reflect several levels of ignorance about evolution. The first mistake is that evolution does not teach that humans descended from monkeys; it states that both have a common ancestor.

The deeper error is that this objection is tantamount to asking, “If children descended from adults, why are there still adults?” New species evolve by splintering off from established ones, when populations of organisms become isolated from the main branch of their family and acquire sufficient differences to remain forever distinct. The parent species may survive indefinitely thereafter, or it may become extinct.

All sciences frequently rely on indirect evidence. Physicists cannot see subatomic particles directly, for instance, so they verify their existence by watching for telltale tracks that the particles leave in cloud chambers. The absence of direct observation does not make physicists’ conclusions less certain.

So I can see it’s true many Catholics do accept evolution as fact.

 

[Wesrock]

Let’s start with the fossil record, where can I find the fossil record for this.

There were links/references to recently published papers in the bee and wasp articles posted. The papers were based on new fossil record evidence, which you’re welcome to scrutinize. It would probably be better to focus on a better documented record with more fossils, like horses.

chem.tufts.edu/science/evolution/horseevolution.htm

That contains just a handful of examples over the last 55 million years, just a summary. But horses ancestry fossil record as a whole is one we have relatively a lot of fossils on.

In addition to finding the fossils, we also look at when they are dated, and when the first modern horses appeared. The link above is not necessarily a straight line. Think of it as a narrow tree with the horse on top and a common ancestor in the last. Some of the examples from the fossil record are from branches that diverged partway up the tree.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

So I can see it’s true many Catholics do accept evolution as fact.

Some Catholics accept the biblical creation story. I can’t speak for others. This particular Catholic accepts evolution is a scientific fact with the proviso that the “soul is infused by God upon conception”.

The Church teaches that it’s a non-salvific issue therefore it doesn’t matter what we believe in regards to how we got here.

 

[Techno2000]

Some Catholics accept the biblical creation story. I can’t speak for others. This particular Catholic accepts evolution is a scientific fact with the proviso that the “soul is infused by God upon conception”.

The Church teaches that it’s a non-salvific issue therefore it doesn’t matter what we believe in regards to how we got here.

Can you answer my Question : Can you show any animal today that is in the process of changing into something new ?

 

[Wesrock]

Can you answer my Question : Can you show any animal today that is in the process of changing into something new ?

Going back to the Tufts website which showed a few fossils from the horse’s history, I think I need to point something else. Each of those “steps” existed for hundreds of thousands or millions of years. But you couldn’t have pointed to them and said “they are in the process of changing” anymore than you could have pointed to other animals that existed at that time. That’s now how it works.

 

[rossum]

Can you answer my Question : Can you show any animal today that is in the process of changing into something new ?

You have asked this question many times. You have received answers from many of us giving examples of animals that are in the process of evolving.

You have rejected those answers. Why do you continue to ask the question. You have plenty of answers, and you are now just wasting everyone’s time, your own included.

Short answer: every population is changing as the genetic makeup of that population changes.

rossum

 

[SAVINGRACE]

Can you answer my Question : Can you show any animal today that is in the process of changing into something new ?

Even if I were to provide it, I suspect you would not believe it. The article below may give you some answers.

scientificamerican.com/article/15-answers-to-creationist/

 

[Michael_Mayo]

So I can see it’s true many Catholics do accept evolution as fact.

I accept some form of it as a probability. I certainly do not accept the Genesis account as literal.

 

[edwest2]

Then why is this subject brought up on a regular basis here? It obviously matters.

Ed

 

[edwest2]

How are creation and evolution are mutually exclusive?

The Lord God created evolution and evolved creation. In my book.

And I do not presume to say to the Lord my God, sorry mate, but your great work of evolution is a fairy tale.

Not one thread of evidence discounts the existence of evolution to me.

Your opinion only.

Ed

 

[edwest2]

Your post implies that it could if it wanted to. That if something doesn’t work, then evolution could fix it.

It doesn’t fix anything. It just removes that which doesn’t work. Leaving that which does.

That’s what they first said about “Junk DNA.” Useless stuff. Leftovers. They were 100% wrong.

Ed

 

[SAVINGRACE]

Then why is this subject brought up on a regular basis here? It obviously matters.

Ed

What people are saying is that it doesn’t matter to the Church whether we believe in the biblical story or evolution. It’s a non-salvific issue for Catholics.

The people trying to make it an issue can’t seem to understand that basic concept.

 

[edwest2]

I am a Catholic, who doesn’t really accept evolution. It seems absurd to me to say that a peacock evolved from a herring (or something).

And, even if it was true, it would be on such a large time scale, that the human mind cannot make any real use of it…

What’s more, since it the process of evolution (if it happened) is not really a repeatable experiment, the evidence seems flimsy.

Not that I’m a ‘literal creationist’- it just seems like a pointless question.

You don’t have to be a creationist. But just look at what scientists are telling you and ask if it’s reasonable.

For example, the current candidate for our great, great, great, etc. grandad:

sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170130111008.htm

Ed

 

[Wesrock]

You don’t have to be a creationist. But just look at what scientists are telling you and ask if it’s reasonable.

For example, the current candidate for our great, great, great, etc. grandad:

sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170130111008.htm

Ed

What’s unreasonable about this being our ancestor 540,000,000 years ago? And not just us, but all other vertebrates?

 

[SAVINGRACE]

You don’t have to be a creationist. But just look at what scientists are telling you and ask if it’s reasonable.

For example, the current candidate for our great, great, great, etc. grandad:

sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170130111008.htm

Ed

I don’t have a problem believing that is a distant relative. It has a HUGE mouth like most humans on this planet, we can never tame the tongue.

 

[edwest2]

I am late to this discussion. Nevertheless, I will give my view. Evolution occurs, we can see it happen with weeds and herbicides. If all the farmers in an area start using the same herbicide for a given weed, it is not uncommon that after a few years the herbicide is no linger effective. A very small number of plants are immune to the herbicide initial. But they are the only plants that get to reproduce. After a few years, whatever gene made them immune, is in the whom population.

Now, the question is, to what degree does evolution work in the development of species. Over the years, I have become more and more convinced it answers a lot of questions. The broken vitamin C gene already discussed on this thread is quite convincing.

Nevertheless, there is a huge gap between modern man and any other animal. When considering thus gap, Chesterton’s arguments become more convincing to me than modern biologists. The scientists actually lose credibility when a large part if their answer is to downplay the differences between humans and animals.

So, while I believe evolution answers a lot, the good ole, God infused a human soul into Adam and Eve still seems to work pretty well at the same time.

The creation of novel organs is not like changing out car parts or adding parts to a car. In a biological system, it is far more complicated. Gills don’t change into lungs. They have no “reason” to. And if I were an organism that lived in the water, and somehow, acquired the ability to move on land - what do I eat? What if something eats me? I’d stick to the water.

Ed

 

[edwest2]

Indeed, several popes have noted that though God may have used non-human creatures in the process of creating the human body, God specially and directly created - and continues to specially and directly create - each human soul.

Can you supply a few quotes or Church documents that state that?

Ed