Bobby,
I am writing in regards to your satirical webpage advancing the concept of life being created by a Spaghetti Monster. While I can see you are drawing an analog that you think that this theory has as much evidence as intelligent design, I think you may have accidentally hoist yourself by your own petard.
You see, honestly, there is no scientific reason to teach any intelligent design or the theory of evolution. Well, intelligent design does fit the observable facts without violating the second law of thermodynamics, but I realize this is not really an argument proponents of evolution care about, so I will omit it for now. You see, no theory of creation can be proved by the scientific method. Can't be done -- how would you re-create it? Yes, I believe one theory is clearly head and shoulders above the other, but it is still doomed to remain a theory with no way to verify it. (Well, I could argue that intelligent design has to be accepted by any reasonable person, but then I would have to use the Bible, and for that I first would have to make an argument that it is statistically unlikely that the Bible is not inspired by a creator and should be taken as literally true. Its a long argument that builds up over time and I think you would get bored by it. If not let me point you to some good reference books to start with.)
I could go through the arguments and counter-arguments for and against evolution. There are enough of them, believe me! Instead let me short cut it by paraphrasing the author of the The Blind Matchmaker, Richard Dawkins. I think he is generally considered to be one of the strongest living proponents of evolutionary theory today. As 2005 began several scientists were asked what they believe that cannot be proved. What did Dawkins choose? Evolution of course! His only comment was that he chooses to believe in evolution and cannot understand why others would choose to believe in a God who does not proactively stop natural disasters. (There was no mention of the Spaghetti Monster theory, though I urge you to send a link to your web to him by email. It would brighten his day if noting else.) Notice his reasoning? He believes in evolution because the only alternative to evolution in his mind is that was an intelligent designer who Dawkins believes would have attributes that are offensive. I give Dawkins an A+ for basic honesty. I dont' know why he doesn't choose choice three, which is "I don't know how this all came to be."
The late Stephen J. Gould recognized the untenable position of evolutionary theory and attempted to explain it with such amusing theories (the guy who thought of the Spaghetti Monster theory has to love this one) as "punctuated evolution." That theory basically says that there is no evidence for evolution because evolution happens so fast and in such short spurts that there cannot be evidence for it. Seriously, that was his theory. He starts of with faith that evolution is true, admits there is no evidence for it, then instead of reaching the conclusion there is no reason to believe in evolutionary theory he goes off into la-la land. Come on, tell me you don't see how funny this is! Remember that until his recent death no one challenged this man as the leading authority on evolutionary theory in the entire world. It constantly amazes me what even first rate minds can come up with when they don't like the answers they find.
If you are going to satirize the best you can do (again I make an assumption here you don't take a literal interpretation of the Bible to be a great idea) is to satirize a bunch of scientists who fail to accept they just have no tenable theory for how life and the universe came to be. In short, they only have blind faith. In my book that makes evolution a religion. Well, actually a state supported religion forced on children through the medium of the schools. Golly, almost looks like those intelligent design guys just want an equal chance to indoctrinate the kids their way. If they can't have it, then why should the evolution guys have it? Well, I risk digressing here, so let me return to my main point.
Take some time to study both sides of the story -- I took only six months, but it was enough to find out that there is nothing conclusive out there. You can buy the relevant books in a Barnes and Noble, they aren't hard to find.
Keep that sense of humor too. Properly directed you could actually get some good messages out.
John S.
p.s.: I hope you don't mind I blind copied some friends on this reply. Take my work for it, they will be interested.
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Originally Posted by Mad Cat
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