Many people like to say that man evolved from Apes. We’ll talk about that assumption, and I’ll ask Ben Spackman his opinions on the evolution of man.
GT: So, let’s talk a little bit about your views then. We’ll use the classic trope or whatever. Do you believe that we evolved from one-celled bacterium to evolve into monkeys and apes and to mankind and that sort of a thing?
Ben: As you phrased it, I would say no, but that’s because it’s an inaccurate description of evolution.
GT: Okay.
Ben: Evolution is itself a fairly vague term. A lot of people who have issues with evolution are actually having issues with abiogenesis. That is, how do you go from something that’s lifeless to something that has life? That’s not technically what evolution is about. Evolution is about the relatedness of living things. They are very similar. Why are they similar? How do we explain the similarities in things which no longer exist, which we have proof of.
Ben: We didn’t descend from apes, we share a common ancestor. That is where the scientific evidence points. Again, I’m not a scientist. I can’t go in and evaluate their p-values or redo these experiments or get my hands on the fossils. As with most aspects of life, we kind of accept the scientific consensus such as it is….
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GT: So, in Genesis it says that Adam was formed out of the dust of the earth. Is that what happened?
Ben: I actually like to bring that up with people who are opposed to evolution. They say, “You think we came from apes.” I say, “Well, you think we came from dirt. Is that really so much better?”
What do you think? Check out our conversation….
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