Theory Of Evolution Vs Religion

“The theory of evolution, like the theory of gravity, is a scientific fact.” However this scientific fact is one of the most contested issues in science, and a recent study found that, currently, 70% of North Americans do not believe in or choose to ignore the theory of evolution. This is not as astonishing a statistic as one might think, since the topic of evolution has been ignored by many people for centuries, since Darwin published his theories in 1859. One of the primary reasons is religion. Religious institutions often resist scientific theories, which fly in the face of their principles. Evolution runs counter to the origins of the species presented in the bible, for instance. However, religious convictions are not the only reason

It is not unusual for people to dismiss that which they cannot readily see occurring. Another reason the theory of evolution may not be widely accepted is that there are many other contradictory theories to explain the world and how we got here. “How could natural selection create an eye or an eye of a hawk? Why would humans evolve abilities for abstract mathematics or poetry neither of which would aid them in survival under primitive conditions? With all of its dependence on randomness, natural selection sometimes looks incapable of explaining the most exquisite features of the natural world.” And finally, it may be that the picture that Darwin painted, a picture of nature as a “war of all against all” , was too unpalatable for many to accept. It is clear that new methods of explanation and education are needed to reduce the 70% statistic, including using modern day examples to explain evolution, trying to apply a human approach to evolution and finally, trying to simplify the theory of evolution so it is understandable to all. If these education strategies are utilized, it may be that the number of people that believe in evolution will

By changing the teaching of evolution to include modern examples, namely examples of evolution that are occurring at a relative rapid rate, it is possible that acceptance of the principle will increase. One of the key principles of evolution, natural selection, causes organisms to evolve in response to a changing environment. In a rapidly warming world, those within different species that have genes that allow them to survive in the new environment may have more offspring onto which these genes will be passed. An example of one of these species is the blackcap bird, which has been evolving due to changes in its migration patterns. Rather than flying to warmer areas in the winter it is staying put, and as a result this sub-population has evolved genetic differences allowing it to be more successful at reproducing. This type of modern day evolution is not just occurring in birds but also in insects such as bed bugs. Although bed bugs have not been a problem for many years they are now returning with a vengeance and are much more chemically resistant. The “resistant” bed bugs found today are the result of a random mutation and in the last decade, have proven resistant to chemicals, making bed bugs a major problem in the United States. This example may be helpful to assist in