Re: SOC: As goes Kansas...(evolution)

John Clark (jonkc@worldnet.att.net)
Sat, 9 Oct 1999 12:53:24 -0400

Steve C. Dotson <neuroknot@hotbot.com>

>I have found it useful to engage the anti-science/pro-religious crowd in
>a non-threatening way explaining the beauty and efficacy of evolutionary
theory.

I've tried that too but it only works when I'm less than candid and try to use than old line about religion and Science living in harmony, when I'm more honest I just make people unhappy and mad. I've learned how to keep my mouth shut around religious people as long as they don't try to convert me.

The sad truth is that the Bible thumpers are right about one thing, religion and evolution are incompatible. Evolution is not efficient, it took nearly 4 billion years
to produce us. I don't know how long it will take mind (us) to produce an AI but I know it will be less than 4 billion years, probably less than a century, perhaps
much less. Evolution has made some beautiful things but the process itself is not beautiful, in fact its cruelty is astronomical, for every tiny advance millions
die horrible deaths. The religious correctly conclude that if Evolution is true and God exists then He's a sadistic monster. They only abandon logic when they pick the answer that is most comforting, Evolution is wrong, rather than the correct conclusion that God is nonexistent or evil.

John K Clark jonkc@att.net