From: bruceh@access.isc-br.com (Bruce Hogan)
Newsgroups: k12.ed.science
Subject: Re: Evolution
Date: 8 Jan 93 15:39:25 GMT
Organization: Olivetti North America

In article <35788.2B4C45D0@puddle.fidonet.org>, Dana.Geraths@f603.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Dana Geraths) writes:
> 
> 
>      I feel very strongly about the thought of creation vs. evolution. I 
> am a paleontologist so that says which side I am on. But I have always 
> found it rather facinating how people can acually dismiss the existance 
> of the dinosaurs in favor of a god. Granted, this is not widly thought 
> even among very religious people but there still remain a few with hard 
> core attitudes like that.
>      The current thought on dinosaurs by the minor religious sect is that 
> they were an early mistake by god and he wiped the slate clean before 
> creating us. But, if they were a mistake why have they been the single 
> most successful species ever to walk this planet. Man has been around for 
> approx. 5 million years, but the dinosaurs alone ruled the food chain for 
> 165 million years. I think we have a way to go before we can call 
> ourselves that successful.
> 
> 
Dana - Yes, there are folks who believe dinasaurs and an act of creation by 
       God are mutually exclusive thoughts, but that is because they haven't 
       thought through the available information or don't have it.  I find 
       the same problem (absence of thought process/ignorance of the facts) 
       with some folks who hold to the evolution view of origins.  You can 
       find this phenomenon on both sides of the question.

       But there is no conflict between 'a creation' and the fact of the 
       existence of dinasaurs.  The scientists who maintain that creation is 
       the only reasonable explanation for the evidences of geologic and 
       paleontologic history does not do so by ignoring the fossil record at 
       all.  The bones are there, even the carcases (sp?) are there in some 
       cases.  I believe they were on Noah's Ark, or could have been.  No 
       problem there.  

       Do you see one?

       Also, just a comment about "I am a paleontologist so that says which 
       side I am on".  Nowadays, that doesn't say which side you're on.  All 
       Paleontologists are not evolutionists by any means, but they may all be 
       in the circles you frequent.  Though it is impossible (I think) to be 
       entirely unbiased, it is the coolly objective scrutiny of many 
       paleontologists, who are not associated with any particular religion 
       BTW, that has led them to conclude that the fossil record does not 
       contain the evidence of millions of years of transitional change, or 
       even "spurts" of change, but rather is a record of the sudden appear-
       ance of the different species who were caught in a hydraulic 
       catastrophe that buried them with the normal sifting and sorting that 
       accompanies the falling out of solution and the laying down of layers 
       you would expect from an event like that.

       Anyway, this is to agree with you that there are "a few with hard 
       core attitudes like that" and "I think we have a way to go before we 
       can call ourselves that successful".  Couldn't agree with you more.  
       In fact, the Scriptures couldn't agree with you more.  Claims we need 
       help a.k.a. a Redeemer!