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Braden Anderson October 15, 2008 Macro-Evolution The theory of macro-evolution is one of the most debated topics in modern day society. Macro-evolution is the changing of one species to another, and the Big Bang Theory is tied in with it. Theories such as man evolves from apes and the universe coming from a large explosion, called the Big Bang, have been debated against creationists who believe in creation from a supernatural being. Evolution, I believe, is false because it lacks the transitional fossils, proof, and evidence in order to prove the theory.
Since evolution states that there was no being that created the universe, it is a point severely debated by creationists. The Big Bang Theory suggests that the universe came from a large explosion in nothingness, scattering stars, planets, and galaxies creating the universe. On the contrary, the Bible in Genesis 1:1 states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ” The dynamics of the earth and its position are highly questioned as well. The earth is positioned at just the right distance from the sun so that we receive exactly the proper amount of heat to support life.
The other planets of our solar system are either too close to the sun (too hot) or else too far (too cold) to sustain life (Cahill 23). Any appreciable change in the rate of rotation of the earth would make life impossible. For example, if the earth were to rotate at 1/10th its present rate, all plant life would either be burned to a crisp during the day or frozen at night (Cahill 23). Temperature variations are kept within reasonable limits due to the nearly circular orbit of the earth around the sun (Cahill 23).
The moon revolves around the earth at a distance of about 240,000 miles, causing harmless tides on the earth. If the moon were located 1/5th of this distance away, the continents would be completely submerged twice a day (Cahill 24). The thickness of the earth’s crust and the depth of the oceans appear to be carefully designed. Increases in thickness or depth of only a few feet would drastically alter the absorption of free oxygen and carbon dioxide that plant and animal life could not exist (Cahill 24). The earth’s axis is tilted 23 degrees from the perpendicular to the plane of its orbit.
This tilting, combined with the earth’s revolution around the sun, causes our seasons, which are absolutely essential for the raising of food supplies (Cahill 24). The earth’s atmosphere (especially the ozone layer) serves as a protective shield from lethal solar ultraviolet radiation, which would other wise destroy all life (Cahill 24). The earth’s atmosphere also serves to protect the earth by burning up approximately twenty million meteors each day that enter it at speeds of about 30 miles per second.
Without this crucial protection, the danger to life would be immense (Cahill 24). The two primary constituents of the earth’s atmosphere are nitrogen (78 percent) and oxygen (20 percent). This delicate and critical ratio is essential to all life forms (Cahill 24). The earth’s magnetic field provides important protection from harmful cosmic radiation (Cahill 24). From these proofs that creationists use against evolution, one could conclude that the Big Bang Theory- which claims that the universe came out of a massive explosion- has a few holes in its explanation.
One can find creationists groups throughout the world. Private groups like the Creation Science Association are in place to spread the word of the idea of creation. About 30 percent of Americans think that creationism should be taught in science class, but a 1987 Supreme Court decision bans the practice (Koerner 1). The organization offers stargazing trips, museum visits, and spelunking expeditions, all crediting “the incredible beauty and complexity of our world to the Architect and Creator of it all” (Koerner 1).
Bob Farwell, once a devout evolutionist, now subscribes to the biblical literalism espoused by the Creation Science Association, which holds that God created the planet less than 12,000 years ago and that dinosaurs or “dragons” survived well into the 19th century (Koerner 1). The notion that beasts like these survived into times of the United States Civil War or the many European revolutions almost seems ridiculous, but it is one belief that is out there. One could join an expedition with and organization like this and begin doubting that evolution is true. By far, the ape-to-man evolution theory is debated the most.
Peking man was discovered in a limestone hill in Chou Kou Tien, near Peking, in 1926 (Shapiro 11). Considerable assortment of mammals, birds, fish, toads, frogs, and turtles in caves of Chou Kou Tien were found, and were supposedly food for Peking man (Shapiro 78). It is thought that he had notable manual skill because stone and bone tools were found near the body (Shapiro 80). According to Mark Cahill’s One Heart Beat Away on page 39, Peking Man is based on monkey like skulls that were bashed in at the back. Because it was found with tools and various animal bones, it was assumed that these “tool-using apes” were man’s ancestors.
It was discovered that these animals were man’s meal, and the tools were used on them rather than by them. From all the evidence it can be difficult to form an opinion, but one could consider it false. Another Neanderthal was the Piltdown man. In 1912 in an English town called Piltdown (Levine 1). It was a centuries-old woman’s skull and an orangutan’s jaw which was filed to resemble a human’s jaw (Levine 1). The bones and teeth were stained to look ancient and had been placed in a shallow pit where laborers were doing road work (Levine 1).
Both evolutionists and creationists have agreed that the Piltdown man was a hoax and a fake. Two more ape-like people are the Java man and the Neanderthal man. Java man was constructed from widely scattered bones. A skull cap and femur were found far apart in a gravel deposit. They were unrelated parts of a human being and a giant gibbon (Cahill 39). Neanderthal man has been determined to be completely human, but suffered from dietary deficiencies (Cahill 39). From this one can draw the conclusion that both Java man and Neanderthal man aren’t real. The missing link that has been debated on and is still debated on is Lucy.
Lucy is the missing link that bridges modern man to the apes. Lucy couldn’t be the “missing link” because it has been determined that man walked upright before the time of Lucy (Cahill 39). “The missing link” is still missing and will forever remain missing because the rule holds for humans as for all other life forms: There are no transitional forms (Cahill 40). Everything appears in the fossil records suddenly, and perfectly formed (Cahill 40). “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).
After reading these thoughts on the different sources of where modern man came from, one could conclude that humans failed to be descendents of Neanderthals. Macro-evolution appears to be false because it lacks the transitional fossils, proof, and evidence in order to prove the theory. Creationism has its own problems due to a large faith-based acceptance of it, but it seems more likely at times than some of the evolutionist concepts. If we’re taught that macro-evolution is how we came into being, than we will be taught wrong. Macro-evolution versus Creationism is and will continue to be one of the greatest debated topics in world history.