Would you agree that the explanatory value of evolution has been, on occasion, overstated in an effort to cow believers with science? "Sparky" the self-replicating amino acid is a conjecture that may or may not be a fact, but the complexities that we see in biology, many of which required parallel evolution of system components that make no sense by themselves leave leave some honest, not-too-stupid laymen suspicious about evolution as the ultimate answer. I am not saying the world was created in six 24 hour periods. Nor am I saying that if all the apparent deficiencies in the theory were convincingly resolved in favor of evolution my faith would be crushed. What I am saying is that I am neither convinced nor satisfied by the theory, so I don't feel like drying up and blowing away when someone with a different post-graduate degree than mine shakes the voodoo mask of Science in my direction while making spooky noises.
Like I always tell people when I am preparing them for cross-examination. There's nothing wrong with saying "I don't know" if that's the honest answer.
No, I wouldn't. Would you agree that creationists have, "on occasion", understated or misrepresented evolution and the evidence for it?
but the complexities that we see in biology, many of which required parallel evolution of system components that make no sense by themselves
Name your favorite example, let's see if you actually know the subject, or are parroting a misrepresentation by some creationist source.
leave leave some honest, not-too-stupid laymen suspicious about evolution as the ultimate answer.
See above -- is your "suspicion" based on actual deficits in evolutionary biology, or on creationist misrepresentation or "overstatements" about their own position?
I am not saying the world was created in six 24 hour periods.
That's a good start, anyway.
Nor am I saying that if all the apparent deficiencies in the theory were convincingly resolved in favor of evolution my faith would be crushed.
Good, because there's no need for such a conflict.
What I am saying is that I am neither convinced nor satisfied by the theory, so I don't feel like drying up and blowing away when someone with a different post-graduate degree than mine shakes the voodoo mask of Science in my direction while making spooky noises.
LOL! I like the imagery and your way with words, anyway, even while I disagree with the characterization.
Like I always tell people when I am preparing them for cross-examination. There's nothing wrong with saying "I don't know" if that's the honest answer.
You'll find that the creationists are far less likely to make such an admission than the scientists. :-)
But you remind me of one of my favorite Mark Twain quotes:
"I was gratified to be able to answer promptly, and I did. I said I didn't know."