Evolution or Intelligent Design? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**juliagulia** · 12-07-2005, 05:43 PM

Someone told me about this a while ago, but I didn't pay much attention till my friend sent me this link telling me that I was probably a Pastafarian...

I found it to be amusing** and wondered what other Tpunkers thought about this?

I personally think that "Intelligent Design" and any other forms of creation theories can be an elective that students shouldn't be required to take, so those who want to learn about it can, but those who don't believe in it don't have to go through it...

As for teaching evolution, I think it should be tought as a thoery, since it does have some scientific information backing it up (to my knowledge... if I'm wrong someone feel free to correct me on that point...) while the "Intelligent Design" theory is mostly faith based (my opinion... feel free to prove me wrong... might even change my opinion...)

So, what are your opinions on these guys?

**Please note that I found it amusing, but I'm in no way trying to offend people who DO believe in Intelligent Design, I'm just stating my honest reaction to the website...

**Kevin-L** · 12-07-2005, 06:02 PM

to much to read tonight i skimmed and saw something about a monster and pirates. anybody want to read it and post cliffs?

**bookofkels** · 12-07-2005, 06:40 PM

I too am too tired to read a long link, but i will in the next few days.

But to sum it up are we talking about how we came to be, was it evolution or god created us?

**juliagulia** · 12-07-2005, 07:36 PM

yeah basically...

the link is basically this spoof this guy did where he writes a letter to Kansas public school system and asks them to teach his version of the beginning of the world, where this noodle and meatball thingy blob creates a mountain, trees and a midget (spelled "midgit" for osme reason...) in one day, then creates the universe in three, then rests in three days...

I found it amusing but some might find it offensive. It's not really necessary to read it to answer the question...

**Joker** · 12-07-2005, 08:24 PM

RAmen.

<-- Pastafarian.

**bookofkels** · 12-07-2005, 08:58 PM

^ noodles?

xanthuos · 12-07-2005, 10:17 PM

Hey, I've got my place in heaven reserved already. It's two doors down from the stripper factory and has a lovely view of the beer volcano.

I thought I had posted about pastafarianism on t-punk but maybe it was another board.

xanthuos · 12-07-2005, 10:18 PM

Oh, and to add...
May He forever keep you all in His sauce.

-Rev. Al Dente Fettucini

**Joker** · 12-07-2005, 11:50 PM

Xan, so good to know that you have been Touched by His Noodly Appendage, too!

RAmen, brother! May the Sauce be with you.

**goyincognito** · 12-08-2005, 04:58 AM

I've been trying to find intelligent life in the universe for a while now...

I'm still trying.

So I guess that rules out Intelligent Design.

**MeTurk** · 12-08-2005, 06:46 AM

In my country it's bacon and cabbage not spagetti and meatballs.

I don't think the theroy of evolution hurts the "god did it" arguement, it still doesn't explane the big bang and why the universe so so good at supporting life. All it does is go against what people came up with 2000-4000 years ago.

**omisan** · 12-08-2005, 07:26 AM

It's all about the Popol Vuh, bitches.

At least all the "backwards" people that we sent missions to back in the day had interestindg creation myhths... Not to say that a dude and a chick made from his rib being cast out for eating an apple offered by a snake isn't interesting, but the other stuff is just so much more exotic and cool.

**The Monsignor** · 12-08-2005, 09:35 AM

The only concession I can make towards intelligent design is that maybe the "intelligent designer" used evolution as his mechanism of creation (after all, when you can do work on that scale, time probably really doesn't matter to you)

beyond that, the fact that someone is trying to force-feed faith masked as science? yeah, crap...

**LiveFreeorDie** · 12-08-2005, 02:10 PM

Quote:

beyond that, the fact that someone is trying to force-feed faith masked as science? yeah, crap...

Amen to that!

**juliagulia** · 12-08-2005, 09:41 PM

Yeah kind of on a tangent but there's this nun who also happens to be a scientist who said, why couldnt god have created the universe by doing the big bang? or something along those lines....

that's what i always thought about evolution...

ive gotten to the conclusion that i wont think about it... how does it affect me if my ancestors were once monkeys or if my species just "was"?

**Joker** · 12-08-2005, 10:16 PM

Actually, the Intelligent Design folks have a little history behind them:

St Augustine, the great thinker of his time, wrote in essence that God planted a seed and thus yadda yadda. Because even in his time (400 years ago?) the idea of both Biblical creation stories seemed a bit far fetched. I subscribe to the homologation of evolution and ID.

And I still believe in a Noodly Appendage.

**TheJake** · 12-08-2005, 11:15 PM

sorry bro st augustine goes a bit further back than that. try born in 354 AD.

Just 300 some odd years after Jesus. St Augustine revolutionized the current theology of his day. Funny thing was he didn't believe what in what he was doing till he was well through the latin translation that he was writing of scripture. Much of what we know as our bible today was decided to be "canon" by Augustine and his fellows.

Early history church fascinates me lately. It makes me question alot of things I grew up believing. The only thing I can't argue with are my own "mystical" or spritual experiences that undeniably lead me to believe in Jesus and His way.

**weirdbeard** · 12-10-2005, 01:43 AM

I agree with you Jake about religious history. Even though I'm an agnostic I still find it fascinating. I've been reading up a little on the Councils of Carthage and Gnostic texts. It's really cool to see the beginningsof it all , especially since religion has changed so much in recent times. I don't think there is anything wrong with believing in both God and evolution. We use the advances of science and technology in everyday existence. I think it's strange that people accept these tools of science and take them for granted and yet have a hard time applying them to anything spiritual or mystical. If these tools weren't meant to be used then why do we have them? Including the concept of free will and especially abstract thought. In my opinion a God or Creator would mean an all inclusive ideology embracing EVERYTHING ever created. Every thought, idea and moment would exist in the whole enchilada...for lack of a better phrase. And as far as the teachings of Jesus...I'm right there with you, along with the teachings of Buddha, Confucius, Martin Luther King and Ghandi...the list could go on and on and this topic could send us all chasing our tails. And this is why I'm an agnostic. I just end up chasing my tail but it's all worth while. I will have to agree with Monsignor as well. I believe teaching faith is what church and parents are for. Why bring it into the classroom?

Having said that, you must read these wonderful sayings of Confucianism

Words of Wisdom

**LiveFreeorDie** · 12-10-2005, 10:15 AM

For me, I respect all of the great philosophers and teachers of sprituality that have come about in human history......but I do not beleive in elevating them to deity status. It just does not make sense to me. Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Confucious, Dr. King etc were great philosophers and teachers and had a tremendous amount of wisdom. They were keen observers of human nature and the world around them and had very unique ideas and beliefs. I think a great many things can be learned from all of them. What I don't beleive in is elevating one above the other, or taking them as something other than what they were....normal human beings. I do not beleive in the fervent religious followings that grew from some of their teachings. Certainly some of these people sought such a following, and others did not, it was more spontaneous. Ultimately, however, I think their teachings should be respected and digested but not taken to the extremes that they have been over the last several thousand years.

I honestly think life is just as likely to have been the result of a random sequence of events that occurred spontaneously versus some grand plan or scheme. Is there a seeming undercurrent in life that leads people to thoughts of fate, or destiny and to concepts of an afterworld, spirits, etc? Sure, I think everyone would admit to feeling something of that. Life seems too grand sometimes...some occurrences seem to be beyond random chance. What does that mean? I don't know. Does this lead me to believe in a higher power, however? No. I think there may be natural forces that are not understood by science yet. Much as radio waves and electricity were unknown until fairly recent times. Also, the human brain is so complex is not even remotely understood. There are things at work inside our own minds that we are unaware of. There is so much we don't know...but someday we will. Until then...people need things to hold on to. Its a scary world with lots of bad things happening everyday. Religious teachings and beliefs help many people feel more grounded in the world and I think that is positive. What's not positive is the conflicts of whose beliefs are the right beliefs. The hate and divisiveness that is fostered. That is what completely turns me off and keeps me away from any type of organized religion.

Because it is so personal a subject and so devisive, I feel very strongly religion needs to be left in the home and the church and NOT in the school. Education should foster togetherness and learning...not devisevness and potential conflict.

**MeTurk** · 12-12-2005, 04:51 AM

I agree with just about everything you said LFOD, spot on shaft, spot on. I can't say there is no God, because it seems just as likely something else was involved in kicking off this universe than it just poping into being. If their is a God then the best way to get to know him IMO is to study he's work and the best way to do that is through sceintific study. Maybe God made us so he could have a companion if nothing exsisted before us.

But the thing about leaving religious thinking at home and at church not in school I don't know. I think kids should be thought about religion, not any particular religion but shown the scope of it and how it's evolved over the years so they don't become raped up in someones particular view. I think when religion isn't shared and discussed it can end up becoming corupted, like with cults.