How we got here?

[ryanzilla244]

How did we come about existing, this is a huge debate that always sparks up some interesting conversation.

The two theorys that people could follow are:

Evolution - The idea that we evolved over millions of years from single cell organisms into what we are today.

OR

Creationism - The idea that we were created with intelligent design, and that a higher being i.e GOD created us and the world around us.

What do you think?, and remember to vote :)

[leonzill]

I read the title and thought it meant how these forums got to be. <_<;;



I'm unsure personally. I haven't the faintest clue if it was some greater being or if it was evolution.

[hereward]

Life is everywhere. Who or what made the first living organism is an impossible question. I voted evolution but it's not an easy answer.

Hereward

[shadycharacter]

I'm with hereward, you never really know until you die, and even then, might just stop existing completely...who knows? but yea, the title made me think of how the forums started lol

[Tars]

We evolved over millions of years, is the way i see it.
Poof!, and here we are, seems a little sudden for me.

[Zybraxia]

There are many respected writings and VAST evidence supporting the theory of evolution. Darwins' works and derivates are the foremost of these, and in recent times Richard Dawkins.

The only 'evidence' in favour of creationism is: "It says so in the Bible" (or similar).

Life and evolution arise because of DNA, so the real question is 'where did DNA come from?'. We don't know, but it's reasonable to suggest that it may have arisen as a result of more simple chemical 'replicators'.

[cf]

i beleve we were bacteria from outer space as meterors have all the breeding blocks of life metiors evan brought the water to are planet so why not us in bacteria form then we evolved in to the most detructive species ever to walk the earth this is a subject a lot of the world sciaceist are looking into

[Boa]

i can't believe anyone still believes in creationism. i'm more inclined to believe science and as CF says, the most likely possibility is we came from bacteria on a meteor or comet.

[rich5lee]

Life happened by a combination of both.

I think it was started by Creationism:
Creationism - The idea that we were created with intelligent design, and that a higher being i.e GOD created us and the world around us.

Then Evolution took over for further changes:
Evolution - The idea that we evolved over millions of years from single cell organisms into what we are today.

And then, here we are today, still evolving in to who knows what...

Then came Katz...

[Zybraxia]

Who created the intelligent designer?

[ryanzilla244]

Life is everywhere. Who or what made the first living organism is an impossible question. I voted evolution but it's not an easy answer.

Hereward

Once again I agree with this man.

[NewRad]

Wheres the option for God?

[Cøbra]

What is your definition of God ? I'm not playing around, it's a genuine question. :)

[Zybraxia]

In my opinion 'God' is dangerous political concept that allows some people to control others.

[~SARA~]

I too agree with Hereward

[Gismo]

What is your definition of God ? I'm not playing around, it's a genuine question. :)

Wheres the option for God?
yeah its something I would like to know as well, I'm catholic I've had all the usual stuff pumped into my head by different teachers & priests all throughout my school life, and to this day have still not had anyone explain this to me so maybe you can let me know

[Cøbra]

Here's my definition of God:
God is the creator of the Universe and Life within it.The statement is very precise, and does not offend nor condone religion.
God does not necessarily have to be defined through religion, and "God" is the supreme being in every religion, in whatever shape or form, who is believed to be our creator.
.
I guess you could apply "Newton's laws of motion" here:
To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.In other words, nothing happens out of the blue. Every action is triggered by something.

Thus, the Universe didn't just "appear" out of nowhere, something or someone introduced it into existence.
.
The term for this "something" or "someone" is God..
This is why I dislike the term "Atheism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism)".

An atheist is...One who disbelieves or denies the existence of God or gods.Since something or someone obviously created the Universe, "God" has (had) to exist (at some point in time).
"God" is just a generic name given to this something or someone.

I hope I've enlightened and provoked thoughts amongst y'all.

Thanks. :D

[Terminator]

We evolved over millions of years, is the way i see it.
Poof!, and here we are, seems a little sudden for me.

Ya its all a matter concerning natural selection which has conceive what the modern man is today:D !!


http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/3341/sea0369lah1.jpg

[dyear20]

this is a very controversial subject id like to believe theres a god that made this all and that theres 'life after death'

[~SARA~]

well said Cobra;)

[rhodan]

evolution of cours or can u read in the bible about dinos i don't think so

[Angels_Cry]

I choos the *poof* one cause written in Bible we did not evolved
(I dont want to be mokey)

[Zybraxia]

OK, well really I took the hard line athiest stance here to see if any religious crazies would come out. ... and thankfully they didn't. I've seen this vote before on another site and the pro-God argument won by a sizeable margin after a large number of new users signed up just to vote and were never heard from again.

My real position is that although science helps us to understand a geat deal it can never explain everything. For example what exactly is 'conciousness'.

Science does have limits, but this does not prove that there IS a God.

Whatever of the existance or not of God, it does remain true though that religion has been the basis of some of the most insane and brutal historical events.

[Draven]

There's quite a few different theories that people believe in or don't believe in.

[ryanzilla244]

This is where I stand, I really find it hard to believe in a God, there is no evidence of a God, and religion cant explain Dinosaurs, atoms, molecules, or even how the grass is green, its just there and thats the way it is. Good thing about being human is that we can ask questions, and think for our selfs, rather than just accepting the grass is green etc.

I am one for evolution, if you want to research evolution you can, there are thousands of books, films, and learning materials out there to check out, if you want to research creationism you will not have as many sources to check out and absolutely no evidence to take a gander at, and if anything peoples ignorance would just annoy you along the way.

There would be no theory of creationism today if parents and teachers stopped pumping their kids heads with this (Lets face it) bull shit, now I cant say for definite that there is no God etc, no one can, although it does make sense to throw out little absurdities such as religion and start to become a world that can think as individuals, rather than a flock to a Shepherd.

I am not stuck in my ways, although for me to believe in creationism I would personally need 'God' to step down from which ever cloud he resides, and explain to me how he created us and the world, and I would need him to tell me in detail how he made blood cells and capillaries. And account for the 65 million year gap between Dinosaurs and human existence. That would be just swell.

Charles Darwin's theory had alot of work behind it, and lots of research, and I respect that, on the other hand I do not respect the religious view that, one minute nothing, and seven days later here we are.

And I wont go into the fact that there is no archaeological evidence that there was a great flood for 40 days and nights etc, and no evidence of the sea getting parted. But anyway, that just continues to show me that creationism is just like the parting of the red sea, a fable, a bed time story or something to laugh at.

It comes down to, I believe we as humans evolved over millions of years, there is alot of evidence to back that theory up.

However, I do not believe that we appeared 4000 years ago within a week, it takes longer to drive from one side of the US to the other.
In fact if you read the bible, you will have a few chuckles, I think mostly because in the year 2008 soon to be 2009 people still believe it and are still bound by dogmatic restraints.

Anyway........ To summarise, I voted Evolution and will continue to do so.

[Cøbra]

Think of religion as a precursor to democracy.

All living beings are greedy (by nature). Without some sort of governance and rules, we'd run riot and it'd be an "every man for himself" scenario -- stealing, cheating, raping, etc. would be commonplace and acceptable. This'd ultimately lead to self-destruction.

The opposite of this is to co-exist; accommodate the people around you: Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself.

How did humans manage to co-exist before democracy?

Democracy works because potential wrongdoers fear of being persecuted and incarcerated (by the Law). If wrongdoers have nothing to fear, it'd lead to anarchy.

The answer to the above question is religion.

Religion was what kept us civilized, and religious humans are still a majority today, no matter what the degree of faith.

Prior to the advent of science and "scientific evidence", it was the various religions that kept us from doing wrong, for fear of being punished (by God). It was these deep-rooted fears instilled by religions that has allowed us to co-exist.

Just think of religions as a manipulative form of governance.

Democracy is the new religion, barring superstitions.

[Stoner]

Personally i aint assed since we are all here and thats what matters!! but having said that though the evolution theory is the best supported one i think imho.

[Stoner]

Yes and religion is the BIGGEST SOLE cause of war throughout history. By what you say they rule through fear and manipulation (which they do) and this is another reason why i have no time for religion (plus my mother tried to force it upon when i were a kid)

However, I also know religion does work for others and that is their choice I have no right to critesise their beliefs nor they mine.

Peace :)

[hereward]

I don't think belief in a scientific explanation for our existence neccesarily excludes the role of a higher intelligence. A large part of the planets population have very specific views on this and their religious views remain largely unchanged. Science in the meantime has progressed and some schools of thought believe that our evolution has had additional inputs. This view in turn is split. Some believe in bacteria carried on meteorites and others that we were engineered. Whatever the truth one view needs to repect another. Something that doesn't always happen. If there is a god I wouldn't presume to know who or what he is but I do believe the debate needs to be open and based on firm scientific fact.

Hereward

[Cøbra]

What's the difference between higher intelligence and God ?

[ryanzilla244]

15 letters :P

Nothing, I assumed they were the same.

[hereward]

What's the difference between higher intelligence and God ?

I chose my words carefully. I could have said god instead of higher intelligence but that would have excluded the chances of a coexisting scientific explanation. One could conceivably explain the other but I have no idea which came first.

Hereward

[Drama]

I do not want to upset anyone but merely present a question and my personal opinion for everyone to think about :D.

If "God" did not create earth does it also mean that everything else that has been said in the bible is all a big lie?

My personal toughts on the matter, I believe that god does not exist and that religions were made up to "hold people in line" and "mind control" masses of people to be good and bend to the wills of certain persons (at the time they were created).

But always remember that PEOPLE created RELIGION/S they are not something that was born to this world instead they were created by the human mind.

[shadycharacter]

yes, i agree completely. look at everything the "holy" catholic church did...

[Boa]

I do not want to upset anyone but merely present a question and my personal opinion for everyone to think about :D.

If "God" did not create earth does it also mean that everything else that has been said in the bible is all a big lie?

My personal toughts on the matter, I believe that god does not exist and that religions were made up to "hold people in line" and "mind control" masses of people to be good and bend to the wills of certain persons (at the time they were created).

But always remember that PEOPLE created RELIGION/S they are not something that was born to this world instead they were created by the human mind.

my thoughts exactly m8 :)

[MakinItHappen]

i beleve we were bacteria from outer space as meterors have all the breeding blocks of life metiors evan brought the water to are planet so why not us in bacteria form then we evolved in to the most detructive species ever to walk the earth this is a subject a lot of the world sciaceist are looking into

Interesting belief.

[thehitcher]

Of course there is something above us, and sometimes you feel it. I'm catholic, and so believe in GOD, but I have my problem, without upset somebody, to believe the stuff in the bible. So what I want to say is, that there was no *puff*, but we evolved.B-)

[overdrive343]

Funny how no one has thought of the way that it happened in the game "Prey"

For those who havent played it, aliens seeded our world with bacteria, like seeding a farm, bacteria evolved and evolved. Then the aliens came back for the 'harvest'

--Not saying that i believe this, but it could be how the we before we got here (bacteria we evolved from)

[ryanzilla244]

I think CF said something like that.

[Zybraxia]

Yeah he did, and this idea (panspermia) has been around since Ancient Greek times in one form or another. There is a lot about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panspermia

As for the difference between a 'higher intelligence' and 'God', I think it's that 'God' is supposed to be beyond even the laws of physics, whereas a higher intellegence could not be.