Actually, I should admit you are correct. I really don't feel like getting into a knock-down-drag-out fight over evolution at this stage in my life. I'm still reeling from one I had a month or so ago.<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by 6days:
I could easily say the same for pretty much every anti-creationist webpage I have seen. Where would it get us? Nowhere. You don't seem to have a desire to discuss the actual issues. You just dismiss it offhand rather than give examples. That is OK because you have never claimed to want to discuss the issue.</font>
"What?" you ask. "Surely this is proof you are too SKEERED to defend your position!"
Well, no, it's really not, although I could see how one would think this.
You see, I countered every straw man of evolution with the real theory.
I gave several examples EACH of natural selection and speciation.
I asked repeatedly for a theory that fit the data as well or better than evolutionary theory. I recieved none.
I explained how rocks and fossils are dated.
I explained that the second law of thermodynamics does not apply to evolution.
I explained that EVOLUTION AND ABIOGENESIS ARE NOT THE SAME FREAKING THING several times. (This is a mistake made by the link you gave me, BTW.)
I explained that evolution does not necessitate atheism.
I explained that evolution does not explain how life itself arose.
I did all of this in the face of an opponent who acted smugly, condescendingly, and rudely towards me at every step of the way. Not once did my opponent apologize, admit their mistakes, or acknowledge my (admittedly strained) attempts at politeness.
I did all of this over the course of a few weeks. Meaning this was a protracted debate.
In short, I burned out. I didn't change my opinion on evolution very much (although I did come to understand it better than before), but I frankly got sick of banging my head against a brick wall.
We defenders of evolutionary theory are human beings. We can only tolerate so much rudeness, so much lying, so much arrogance, so much vitriol* before we hit a breaking point. We are like you in that respect; we simply hit a point at which we realize no one will be convinced, no one will change their minds, no one will appreciate the hours of research I put into making scientifically accurate posts.
And we throw in the towel; not because our opinions have changed, but because we realize yours never will. If you wish to call that a victory -- as I'm sure it seems tempting -- fine. Just know that defeating an opponent psychologically is not the same as defeating his or her viewpoint.
I hope you will understand.
*note: I am not saying all Creationists act in this manner, but many of the ones I've dealt with have. Of course defenders of evolutionary theory have been known to employ less-than-polite tactics, but I'm usually not on the receiving end of that...
