We are not at the top of evolution. We might be the most intelligent life form on earth, but that means little. We are the most intelligent, but others are the strongest, others again are the largest, others again the fastest, others again the best organized, others again the fastest growing and most flexible, ....

Its a misconception to believe that we are the top of the evolution or something like this. We are not even the most successful species. I am pretty sure there are certain bacteria species who are more successful than we are. Also for example ants dont have to fear comparision with humans in terms of success.

All that counts in evolution is being the fittest on a long term basis. (You do not only need to be specialized, you also need to be flexible when the surrounding is changing in order to survive). Intelligence as such is in this regard only of worth as far as it can secure the needed fitness. Intelligence does not have to be a guarantee for being fit per se.


But back to your point, our common ancestor with apes does not exist anymore because he evolved. In the tropic woods to the modern apes, in the prairies to the early humans which spread over the rest of the world from there. Life means always change. It would be flawed to believe that the wales that exist today would be the same as those swimming mammals of perhaps 100.000 years ago. Species evolve because also the environment changes, and what was once the fittest can be doomed after some time if it remains static.

PS:
You seem to highly underestimate the intelligence of certain animals. Just for example elephants, if you mistreat an elephant and then leave for 10 years, he will remember you when you return and probably take revenge on you. They are very social beings and if a family member dies they can mourn very long over this loss.

Very interesting article, thanks Caltex.

They were replaced. One of the tenets of evolution is that no species is ever in existence at the same time as a species from which it evolved. They were replaced by us, as well as by more modern primates which evolved from them too.

Evolution requires assumptions, just as creationism does. The idea of evolution is that we've found fossils of entirely different species that look alike and change in some order, so we assume that the earlier species became the latter. In Creationism (or ID) we find that all around us the world is telling us that it had been designed. Evolutionists such as Hawkins have recognized this, but have said that the earth is trying to fool us.

Either way, my reccommendation is for both sides to just keep on going being arrogant, foolish, and belittle each other. As you were.

Actually I think biologist are not only assuming this, but with the methods of molecular biology could prove genetically that the one fossil is a later form of the former one in many cases. That goes far beyond simple assumptions.

So setting evolution on the same stage (or anywhere near) creationism lacks any legitimation.

[quote=Troianii;155021]Evolution requires assumptions, just as creationism does. The idea of evolution is that we've found fossils of entirely different species that look alike and change in some order, so we assume that the earlier species became the latter. In Creationism (or ID) we find that all around us the world is telling us that it had been designed. Evolutionists such as Hawkins have recognized this, but have said that the earth is trying to fool us. [quote]

Evolution is far more complicated than that. It has been under the scrutiny of the Scientific Method for years, and biology (as Slartibartfas mentioned) and many other scientific doctrines all lead to this theory. Gravity is as much a theory as evolution, but it isn't very well disputed, is it? Creationism, on the other hand, seems to ignore most of this evidence and rely on what an old book says.

__________________
Capitalism has always been a failure for the lower classes. It is now beginning to fail for the middle classes. - Howard Zinn

^^ Its interesting to mention that gravity at that is even a less certain theory than evolution. The basic mechanisms of gravity still lie in the dark of quantum mechanics. (Maybe the new Large Hadron Collider at CERN will find out some break through on this, maybe)

On the other side, evolution is still not even remotely fully understood in all its mechanisms on molecular basis, but a large row of mechanisms have already been found and confirmed.

Assumptions are made by human beings. Evolution does not even require human beings, much less assumptions. The theory of evolution is based on much more than fossil record, especially now that so much more is known about molecular biology, gene mapping, etc. Darwin didn't know about any of that stuff, but by strange coincidence, it all meshes rather well with his theory.
Who is Hawkins? No modern biologist would say that the earth is trying to fool us, as it is not possessed of any kind of intent or caring about anything - although advocates of ID might say such a thing...

Asking why God made Hell is like asking why do we have prisons. God made Hell because He is holy and must punish sin. If you have sinned just once, you deserve to go to Hell. But its through His grace and the shedding of the precious blood of His son Jesus Christ that we might be saved. But God does not want anyone to go to Hell. He loves all His creation, hence why He came to Earth as a man (Jesus Christ) and died on the cross and suffered all the sins of all mankind. He was literally suffering in Hell for 3 days after dying. Then was risen to life by God by whom He now stands right beside. All you have to do is believe in Him and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS which are found in the Bible which is the word of God. Every word is the truth.

"THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE" ( Romans 3:10 )

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" ( Romans 3:23 )

"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us." ( 1 John 1:8 )

"If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us." ( 1 John 1:10 )

"Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent,
because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." ( Acts 17:30-31 )

"And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." ( Revelation 20:15 )

"Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."" ( John 3:3 )

"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." ( Matthew 10:28 )

"You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?" ( Matthew 23:33 )

"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire" ( Mark 9:43 )

"But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!" ( Luke 12:5 )

"You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." ( John 8:44 )

Please just surrender to God, it feels so good. Sinners don't get peace and true believers do. Read the Bible to very end. Only those are truly saved and crave the truth will understand the words of the Bible.
There is no prayer one has to say as repentance is about changing your ways and serving and loving the Lord with all your heart. But if it makes you comfortable, heres a prayer

"My Lord and my God, have mercy upon my soul, a sinner.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God.

I believe that He died on the cross and shed His precious blood for the forgiveness of all my sins.

I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit and that He sits on the right hand of God at this moment, hearing my confession of sin and this prayer.

I open up the door of my heart and I invite You into my heart, Lord Jesus.

Wash all of my filthy sins away in the precious blood that You shed in my place on the cross at Calvary.

You will not turn me away, Lord Jesus, You will forgive my sins and save my soul.

I know because Your Word, the Bible says so.

Your Word says that You will turn no one away, and that includes me.

Therefore, I know that You have heard me, and I know that You have answered me, and I know that I am saved.

And I thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving my soul, and I will show my thankfulness by doing as You command and sin no more. "


And just remember after getting saved.
(Hebrews 6:4-6)
4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.
Stay with the Lord or it'll be worse for you than if you weren't with him to begin with. Now if you fall from the Lord you will have no excuse.

__________________
"Good intentions are a noble thing, but you have to look at the end result to see if those intentions are well placed."
-- LessGovMrPrez

"I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have."
-- Thomas Jefferson

Sorry, but what you say is that people who live a really good selfless life, do tons of good selfless stuff, help a nearly uncountable number of other people during their lifes, don't harm anyone but refuse to believe in the Christian god or any god at all.... go straight to hell.

How this fits together with infinite merciness is an oxymoron in my eyes.