[asking]

I found a great web page that lists many of the questions people here ask about evolution.

National Academy of Science Evolution FAQs from the National Academy book Science, Evolution, and Creationism.

Science, Evolution, and Creationism

• Aren’t evolution and religion opposing ideas?
  
• Isn’t belief in evolution also a matter of faith?
  
• How can random biological changes lead to more adapted organisms?
  
• Aren’t there many questions that still surround evolution? Don’t many famous scientists reject evolution?
  
• What evidence is there that the universe is billions of years old?
  
• What’s wrong with teaching critical thinking or “controversies” with regard to evolution?
  
• What are common ideas regarding creationism?
  
• Wouldn’t it be “fair” to teach creationism along with evolution?
  
• Does science disprove religion?

Of course, the correct answer to most of these questions is "no," but the NAS website explains why.

The National Academy of Sciences is one of the most authoritative source of mainstream science in the world. Members of the National Academy are considered the best scientists in their fields of study. So these answers represent the official scientific consensus, what biologists agree are the right answers to these questions.

Just Asking

[Fr_Chuck]

Get web site, will take a bit to digest

[templelane]

That is a very good page. Before I came onto these boards I had no idea the problems people had with accepting evolution, and the amount of misinformation that has been spread.

[Curlyben]

This thread goes well here as too: https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/religi...ghlight=design

[Fr_Chuck]

It is what one means by evolution is the issue, I think we all can agree that things do evolve, mutate and change.

Do all agree mankind and all living things came from one early cell that started by chance, of course not, I would say the majority of people ( all people) don't believe that at all

But science has not even came close to any proof, it has ideas, teachings and belief. They have faith in those just as those of Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths have belief in their teachings that God created the world and all that is in it. And no there are those who are not lay people who are people of faith and belief their religious teachings. And to assume that only those who are not educated would believe in religion is far fetched at best.

The fact is, there is no firm evidence to move it from a idea to a fact.

[asking]

That is a very good page. Before I came onto these boards I had no idea the problems people had with accepting evolution, and the amount of misinformation that has been spread.

Me too, Templelane. Until I came here, I didn't realize how much misinformation there was and also the many ways there are to misunderstand evolution. Talking to people here has made me more sympathetic to how hard it is to sort this out if you haven't studied biology. I understand better now how easy it is for a layperson to get the mistaken impression that biologists disagree about whether life evolved (when actually biologists agree unanimously that life evolved). I thought this link might be a good resource for future discussions.
Asking

[asking]

It is what one means by evolution is the issue, I think we all can agree that things do evolve, mutate and change.

Do all agree mankind and all living things came from one early cell that started by chance, of course not, I would say the majority of people ( all people) don't beleive that at all

Hi, Fr. Chuck,
Exactly! The scientific evidence for evolutionary change over millions of years is overwhelming. For example, we know that some fish evolved into amphibians, which evolved into reptiles, which evolved into dinosaurs and birds. That kind of change is all laid out in layers of fossils, just like the pages of a picture book. It's undeniable and all the molecular data tells the same history of life.

BUT the origin of life--how the very first cells formed billions of years ago--is a much tougher problem. I think it's fair to say that the majority of biologists now accept that living cells evolved from non living matter right here on Earth. Compared to the evidence for evolution, the evidence for the origin of life is weaker and more theoretical, but it is still pretty good.