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Concessions and admissions of evolutionists

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1 Concessions and admissions of evolutionists
“I may have done something wrong..”

2 Listed as one of the 12 books that have changed history (KJV Bible being another), and referred to as the ”most important biological book ever written”. Over 150 reprints in English alone.

3 Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829)
French naturalist and philosopher Jean-Batiste Lamarck offered the first theory of evolution in He considered a biological evolution a progressive development from simple forms to Jean-Baptiste Lamarck ( ) the complex ones. He proposed evolution on the following principles: 1) internal longing of organisms to progress, 2) ability of organisms to adapt to their environments, 3) issue of obtained signs on inheritance.

4 Out of Context: Hitching and the Creationists, by Lenny Flank (c) 1996
Calling creationists “quote-miners”, Flank goes on to write… “The creationists are very fond of quoting statements from prominent evolutionary scientists, as well as science writers, in an attempt to portray them as having doubts about the validity of evolutionary theory. In every instance, these quotes are taken out of context and distort the writer's meaning.” Out of Context: Hitching and the Creationists, by Lenny Flank (c) 1996

5 Early concessions

6 Charles Darwin wrote in a letter to Asa Gray, a Harvard professor of biology:
"I am quite conscious that my speculations run quite beyond the bounds of true science.“ Charles Darwin, quoted in N.C. Gillespie, Charles Darwin and the Problem of Creation (1979), p. 2, University of Chicago book.

7 Charles Darwin wrote of his theory…
"As by this theory, innumerable transitional forms must have existed. Why do we not find them embedded in the crust of the earth? Why is not all nature in confusion [of halfway species] instead of being, as we see them, well-defined species?" Charles Darwin, quoted in H. Enoch, Evolution or Creation (1966), p. 139. Darwin attributed this lack to the imperfect geological record and fully expected that scientists to follow would “dig up” the evidence.

8 What Dr. Raup has to say of the fossil record…
David Raup is the Avery Distinguished Service Professor (emeritus) of Geophysical Sciences, Evolutionary Biology, and The Conceptual Foundations of Science at the University of Chicago.

10 what appeared to be a nice simple progression when relatively few data were available now appears to be much more complex and much less gradualistic. ” “Conflicts Between Darwin and Paleontology,” Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin 50, January 1979, pp )

11 fossil record may not be as bad as is often maintained”
Fossil record well represented… “when estimates are made of the percentage of [now-] living forms found as fossils, the percentage turns out to be surprisingly high, suggesting that the fossil record may not be as bad as is often maintained” (Michael Denton, a medical doctor and biological researcher, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, 1985, p. 189). 1 of 2

12 Fossil record well represented…
“of the 329 living families of terrestrial vertebrates [mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians] 261 or 79.1 percent have been found as fossils and, when birds (which are poorly fossilized) are excluded, the percentage rises to 87.8 percent” (Denton, p. 189).

13 G. Salet, Hasard et Certitude: Le Transformisme devant la Biologie Actuelle (1973), p. 331.
"The problem of the origin of species has not advanced in the last 150 years. One hundred and fifty years have already passed during which it has been said that the evolution of the species is a fact but, without giving real proofs of it and without even a principle of explaining it. 1 of 3

14 “During the last one hundred and fifty years of research that has been carried out along this line [in order to prove the theory], there has been no discovery of anything. It is simply a repetition in different ways of what Darwin said in This lack of results is unforgivable in a day when molecular biology has really opened the veil covering the mystery of reproduction and heredity . . 2 of 3

15 “Finally, there is only one attitude which is possible as I have just shown: It consists in affirming that intelligence comes before life. Many people will say this is not science, it is philosophy. The only thing I am interested in is fact, and this conclusion comes out of an analysis and observation of the facts.” G. Salet, Hasard et Certitude: Le Transformisme devant la Biologie Actuelle (1973), p. 331.

16 "The theory of evolution suffers from grave defects, which are more and more apparent as time advances. It can no longer square with practical scientific knowledge.“ —Albert Fleishmann, Zoologist.

17 Louis Agassiz, Ph.D., M.D, professor at Harvard, a contemporary of Darwins, and considered the leading expert of his time in biology, geology, and glacial theory. Agassiz was a Harvard University professor and the pioneer in glaciation, and a contemporary of Darwin’s. Louis Agassiz

18 "The origin of all diversity among living beings remains a mystery as totally unexplained as if the book of Mr. Darwin had never been written, for no theory unsupported by fact, however plausible it may appear, can be admitted in science.“ —L. Agassiz on the Origin of Species, American Journal of Science, 30 (1860), p [Darwin's book was published in 1859.] Agassiz was a Harvard University professor and the pioneer in glaciation, and a contemporary of Darwin’s.

19 "[In Darwin's writings] possibilities were assumed to add up to probability, and probabilities then were promoted to certitudes.“ —*Agassiz, op. cit., p. 335. Agassiz was a Harvard University professor and the pioneer in glaciation, and a contemporary of Darwin’s.

20 " `The theory [of evolution] is a scientific mistake.' “
—*Louis Agassiz, quoted in H. Enoch, Evolution or Creation, (1966), p. 139.

21 From the book Evolution from Space:
"When Darwin presented a paper [with Alfred Wallace] to the Linnean Society in 1858, a Professor Haugton of Dublin remarked, `All that was new was false, and what was true was old.' This, we think, will be the final verdict on the matter, the epitaph on Darwinism.“ Fred Hoyle and N. Chandra Wickramasinghe, Evolution from Space (1981), p. 159.

22 "We still do not know the mechanics of evolution in spite of the over-confident claims in some quarters, nor are we likely to make further progress in this by the classical methods of paleontology or biology; and we shall certainly not advance matters by jumping up and down shrilling, `Darwin is god and I, So-and-so, am his prophet.' "—*Errol White, Proceedings of the Linnean Society, London, 177:8 (1966). The Linnean Society of London is the world’s oldest active biological society. Founded in 1788, the Society takes its name from the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778) whose botanical, zoological and library collections have been in its keeping since 1829.

23 Dr. W.R. Thompson, entomologist, writes in the introduction to the 1967 edition of Charles Darwin's, Origin of the Species: “This situation, where men rally to the defense of a doctrine they are unable to define scientifically, much less demonstrate with scientific rigor, attempting to maintain its credit with the public by the suppression of criticism and the elimination of difficulties, is 1 of 2

24 abnormal and undesirable in science I am not satisfied that Darwin proved his point or that his influence in scientific and public thinking has been beneficial . . the success of Darwinism was accomplished by a decline in scientific integrity.“ Dr. W.R. Thompson, entomologist, writes in the introduction to the 1967 edition of Charles Darwin's, Origin of the Species:

25 Prof. W.R. Thompson’s comments in his Introduction to Everyman's Library issue of Charles Darwin's, Origin of Species (1956 edition). "This general tendency to eliminate, by means of unverifiable speculations, the limits of the categories Nature presents to us, is the inheritance of biology from The Origin of Species… 1 of 2

26 “To establish the continuity required by theory, historical arguments are invoked, even though historical evidence is lacking. Thus are engendered those fragile towers of hypothesis based on hypothesis, where fact and fiction intermingle in an inextricable confusion.” Prof. W.R. Thompson’s comments in his Introduction to Everyman's Library issue of Charles Darwin's, Origin of Species (1956 edition).

27 L.H. Matthews, "Introduction, Origin of Species”, Charles Darwin (1971 edition).
"In accepting evolution as fact, how many biologists pause to reflect that science is built upon theories that have been proved by experiment to be correct or remember that the theory of animal evolution has never been thus approved.“

28 Miles Eldredge, paleontologist American Museum of Natural History:
"We paleontologists have said that the history of life supports [gradual adaptive change], all the while really knowing that it does not." Darwin on Trial, Phillip Johnson, p.59

29 Mary Leakey, British paleoanthropologist and wife of Loius Leakey, once prominent paleontologist:
"All these trees of life with their branches of our ancestors, that's a lot of nonsense." (from an interview with Associated Press, Dec )


31 Evolution in education

32 John T. Bonner, evolutionist, professor Princeton University:
"We [evolutionists] have been telling our students for years not to accept any statement on its face value but to examine the evidence, and therefore it is rather a shock to discover that we have failed to follow our own sound advice." The Twilight of Evolution, Henry M. Morris, p.91

33 G.A. Kerkut, distinguished British zoologist and physiologist
"I personally hold the evolutionary position, but yet lament the fact that the majority of our Ph.D. graduates are frightfully ignorant of many of the serious problems of the evolution theory. These problems will not be solved unless we 1 of 2

34 bring them to the attention of students
bring them to the attention of students. Most students assume evolution is proved, the missing link is found, and all we have left is a few rough edges to smooth out. Actually, quite the contrary is true; and many recent discoveries have forced us to re-evaluate our basic assumptions.“ G.A. Kerkut, quoted in Creation: The Cutting Edge (1982), p. 26.

35 Evolution and Science

36 "It has been estimated that no fewer than 800 phrases in the subjunctive mood (such as `Let us assume,' or `We may well suppose,' etc.) are to be found between the covers of Darwin's Origin of Species alone.“ —L. Merson Davies [British scientist], Modern Science (1953), p. 7.

37 James Conant, chemist and former president, Harvard University, credited with transforming Harvard from a finishing school to world-class research university. Winner of the Priestly Medal for chemistry (highest award). Recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom. 1 of 2

38 "Therefore, a grotesque account of a period some thousands of years ago is taken seriously though it be built by piling special assumptions on special assumptions, ad hoc hypothesis [invented for a purpose] on ad hoc hypothesis, and tearing apart the fabric of science whenever it appears convenient. The result is a fantasia which is neither history nor science."—* James Conant, quoted in Origins Research, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1982, p. 2.

39 Michael Denton, British-Australian biochemist

40 "The fact is that the evidence was so patchy one hundred years ago that even Darwin himself had increasing doubts as to the validity of his views, and the only aspect of his theory which has received any support over the past century is where it applies to microevolutionary phenomena.” 2 of 4

41 His general theory, that all life on earth had originated and evolved by a gradual successive accumulation of fortuitous mutations, is still, as it was in Darwin's time, a highly speculative hypothesis entirely without direct factual support and very far from that self-evident axiom some of its more aggressive advocates would have us believe."—*Michael Denton, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1986), p. 77. 3 of 4

42 "Ultimately the Darwinian theory of evolution is no more nor less than the great cosmogenic myth of the twentieth century . . the origin of life and of new beings on earth is still largely as enigmatic as when Darwin set sail on the [ship] Beagle."—Michael Denton, British-Australian biochemist, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1986), p. 358.

43 "Evolutionism is a fairy tale for grown-ups
"Evolutionism is a fairy tale for grown-ups. This theory has helped nothing in the progress of science. It is useless.” —*Bounoure, Le Monde Et La Vie (October 1963) [Director of Research at the National center of Scientific Research in France]

44 " `Scientists who go about teaching that evolution is a fact of life are great con men, and the story they are telling may be the greatest hoax ever. In explaining evolution we do not have one iota of fact.‘ A tangled mishmash of guessing games and figure juggling [Tahmisian called it]."— *The Fresno Bee, August 20, 1959, p. 1-B [quoting T.N. Tahmisian, physiologist for the Atomic Energy Commission].

45 "The Darwinian theory of descent has not a single fact to confirm it in the realm of nature. It is not the result of scientific research, but purely the product of imagination.“ —*Dr. Fleischman [Erlangen zoologist].

46 Motives of evolutionists

47 Aldous Huxley, "Confessions of a Professed Atheist," Report: Perspective on the News, Vol. 3, June 1966, p. 19 [grandson of evolutionist Thomas Huxley, Darwin's closest friend and promoter, and brother of evolutionist Julian Huxley. Aldous Huxley was one of the most influential liberal writers of the 20th century, “Brave New World”, etc. 1 of 3

50 Dr. David Pilbeam, Phd Yale University, Professor at Harvard University in Paleontology, curator of Peabody Museum or Archeology, member of the National Academy of Sciences. “I have come to believe that many statements we make about the how and whys of human evolution say as much about us, the paleoanthropologists and the larger society in which we live, as about anything that really happened.” Cited in Bones of Contention, Roger Lewin, p.85 June’s story. Little boy asked his mother how people came to be on the earth and she said God created Adam and Eve and they had children and so on, and that is how human kind came to be on the earth. Little boy went to ask his father the same question. His father said, O, fish became lizards and lizards became goats and goats became monkeys and we came from the monkeys. Boy went back to tell his Mom what the father had said and Mom calmly replied, O, I was telling you about my side of the family and he was telling you about his!

51 R. Kirk, "The Rediscovery of Creation," in National Review, (May 27, 1983), p. 641
"Darwinism is a creed not only with scientists committed to document the all-purpose role of natural selection. It is a creed with masses of people who have at best a vague notion of the mechanism of evolution as proposed by Darwin, let alone as further complicated by his successors. 1 of 2

52 “Clearly, the appeal cannot be that of a scientific truth but of a philosophical belief which is not difficult to identify. Darwinism is a belief in the meaninglessness of existence." R. Kirk, "The Rediscovery of Creation," in National Review, (May 27, 1983), p. 641.

53 Evolution is a religion

54 Dr. Arthur Keith, Scottish anatomist and anthropologist
Dr. Arthur Keith, Scottish anatomist and anthropologist. He wrote the introduction to an earlier edition of Darwin’s Origin of Species. “Evolution is unproved and unprovable. We believe it only because the only alternative is special creation which is unthinkable.” Cited in Origins?, by BG Ranganathan, p.22

55 T.L. Moor, paleontologist
“The more one studies paleontology, the more certain one becomes that evolution is based on faith alone.” (cited in Origins?, by BG Ranganathan, p. 22)

56 B. Leith, The Descent of Darwin: A Handbook of Doubts about Darwinism (1982), p. 11.
"It is therefore of immediate concern to both biologists and layman that Darwinism is under attack. The theory of life that undermined nineteenth-century religion has virtually become a religion itself and, in its turn, is being threatened by fresh ideas. The attacks are certainly not limited to 1 of 2

57 "those of the creationists and religious fundamentalists who deny Darwinism for political and moral reason. The main thrust of the criticism comes from within science itself. The doubts about Darwinism represent a political revolt from within rather than a siege from without.“ —*B. Leith, The Descent of Darwin: A Handbook of Doubts about Darwinism (1982), p. 11.

58 "The hold of the evolutionary paradigm [theoretical system] is so powerful that it is an idea which is more like a principle of medieval astrology than a serious twentieth century scientific theory has become a reality for evolutionary biologists.“ Michael Denton, Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1985), p. 306 [Australian molecular biologist].

59 H. Lipson, physicist, professor, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology :
“In fact, evolution became in a sense a scientific religion; almost all scientists have accepted it and many are prepared to ‘bend’ their observations to fit in with it… To my mind, the theory does not stand up at all… 1 of 2

60 “I know that [considering creation theory] is anathema to physicists, as indeed it is to me, but we must not reject a theory that we do not like if the experimental evidence supports it.” (“A Physicist Looks at Evolution”, Physics Bulletin, 1980, p.138)

61 "What is it [evolution] based upon
"What is it [evolution] based upon? Upon nothing whatever but faith, upon belief in the reality of the unseen— belief in the fossils that cannot be produced, belief in the embryological experiments that refuse to come off. It is faith unjustified by works.“ —Arthur N. Field.

62 T. Rosazak, "Unfinished Animal", 1975, p. 101-102.
"The irony is devastating. The main purpose of Darwinism was to drive every last trace of an incredible God from biology. But the theory replaces God with an even more incredible deity - omnipotent chance."

63 "the assumption that evolution is an established fact of science is absolutely false. Thus, evolution can only be correctly labeled as a belief, a subjective philosophy of origins, the religion of many scientists." T. Rosazak, "Unfinished Animal", 1975, p

64 Meaning in life Marriage Morality Laws God’s Word CREATION
Choose the building blocks for your life! Meaning in life Free to live any way you choose Marriage Homosexual Behavior Morality Immorality Laws Lawlessness God’s Word Man’s Opinion CREATION Evolution

65 " `Creation,' in the ordinary sense of the word, is perfectly conceivable. I find no difficulty in conceiving that, at some former period, this universe was not in existence; and that it made its appearance in six days in consequence of the volition of some pre-existing Being."—*Thomas Huxley, quoted in *Leonard Huxley, Life and Letters of Thomas Henry Huxley, Vol. II (1903), p. 429.

66 Dr. Robert Jastrow, American astronomer, physicist, agnostic:
"Scientists have no proof that life was not the result of an act of creation.“ Robert Jastrow, The Enchanted Loom: Mind in the Universe (1981), p. 19. Dr. Robert Jastrow (September 7, 1925 – February 8, 2008) Received his A.B., A.M and Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Columbia University in Joined NASA when it was formed in First chairman of NASA’s Lunar Exploration Committee, which established the scientific goals for the exploration of the moon during the Apollo lunar landings Chief of the Theoretical Division at NASA ( ). Founding director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in Served until his retirement from NASA in Director Emeritus of Mount Wilson Observatory and Hale Solar Laboratory

67 Age 51, just published Origin of Species
Darwin’s first edition of the Origin of Species sold out the first day of release. Darwin, 7 years old Age 51, just published Origin of Species

68 Key events shaping Darwin’s life and thinking…
Mother died at age 8 His father Robert, a physician, was an Anglican, “freethinker” and “nonconformist” His grandfather, Erasmus, was a proponent of Lamarck’s theory of evolution Became a student of Robert Grant, a proponent of Lamarck His own unanswered questions about life… Death of his 10 year old daughter, Annie, in 1851

69 The 1851 death of Darwin’s daughter, Annie, at the age of 10, marked the end of his dwindling faith in Christianity.

70 “terrible loss of time.”
Used to jotting down daily notes on animal breeding, he scrawled rambling thoughts about career and prospects on two scraps of paper, one with columns headed “Marry” and “Not Marry”. Advantages: Marry Against: Not to Marry “less money for books” “terrible loss of time.” “constant companion and a friend in old age ... better than a dog anyhow” Darwin, Charles (1958), Barlow, N, ed., The autobiography of Charles Darwin 1809–1882. Edited and with appendix and notes by his grand-daughter Nora Barlow., London: Collins,

71 A typical satire was the later caricature in Hornet magazine portraying Darwin with an ape body and the bushy beard he grew in 1866.

72 At first he did not doubt the literal truth of the Bible
At first he did not doubt the literal truth of the Bible. He attended a Church of England school, then at Cambridge studied Anglican theology to become a clergyman. He was convinced by William Paley’s teleological argument that design in nature proved the existence of God, but during the Beagle voyage he questioned, for example, why beautiful deep-ocean creatures had been created where no one could see them, or the problem of evil of how the ichneumon wasp paralysing caterpillars as live food for its eggs could be reconciled with Paley’s vision of beneficent design. He was still quite orthodox and would quote the Bible as an authority on morality, but was critical of the history in the Old Testament. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

73 The 1851 death of Darwin’s daughter, Annie, marked the end of his dwindling faith in Christianity.
When investigating transmutation of species he knew that his naturalist friends thought this a bestial heresy undermining miraculous justifications for the social order, the kind of radical argument then being used by Dissenters and atheists to attack the Church of England’s privileged position as the established church.[123] Though Darwin wrote of religion as a tribal survival strategy, he still believed that God was the ultimate lawgiver.[124] His belief dwindled, and his grief at the death of his daughter Annie in 1851 made him more certain in his scepticism.[125] He continued to help the local church with parish work, but on Sundays would go for a walk while his family attended church.[126] He now thought it better to look at pain and suffering as the result of general laws rather than direct intervention by God.[127] When asked about his religious views, he wrote that he had never been an atheist in the sense of denying the existence of a God, and that generally “an Agnostic would be the more correct description of my state of mind.”[128]


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