DARWINS THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTION(Keywords: darwins theory of natural selection, charles darwin evolution theory, charles darwin theory of evolution, darwins theory of evolution) No matter where your thoughts lie in regard Charles Darwins theory of natural selection and evolution, whether you believe that the Universe exists by design or came about by accident, it's a fascinating thought that the life of our sun is reckoned by scientists to be about 10 billion years. And it's only 4 billions young, less than half of its lifespan. And of course, we Homo Sapiens have only been around somewhere between 70,000 and 6,000 years depending on your religious and scientific belief. Not long, in the bigger picture. Of course, to believe the Universe was created less than 10,000 years ago you have to be a serious flat-earther!
"I'd like to widen people's awareness of the tremendous timespan lying ahead - for our planet, and for life itself. Most educated people are aware that we're the outcome of nearly 4bn years of Darwinian selection, but many tend to think that humans are somehow the culmination. Our sun, however, is less than halfway through its lifespan. Six billion years from now, it will not be humans who watch the sun's demise. Any creatures that then exist will be as different from us as we are from bacteria or amoebae."
Martin Rees, cosmologist and astrophysicist
So what is Darwins theory of natural selection ?I'm a beekeeper by hobby. When breeding new queens I would draw up a list of desirable characteristics. For example: * Strong queens build big colonies with plenty of workers: more honey. * Which colony consistently produces the most honey? * Which colonies have a lesser tendency to swarm, taking half the workers and honey with them? * Which colonies are the least aggressive. Our African "killer bees" are highly dangerous. Thus I am able to shape the characteristics of the bees in my apiary by selecting queens with desirable characteristics. Alas the backyard beekeeper has difficulty choosing the drones to mate with his queens.
How to start beekeeping ... An example of Natural SelectionPrior to the Industrial Revolution in England there was a specie of bird that was primarily white, but with the odd black-coat seen flying with the flock. The black-coat stood out like the proverbial sore thumb and was soon spotted by a hawk: he was only rarely given the chance to breed.However, when the Industrial Revolution got into full swing, all of Britain was coated with a swathe of coal dust. Before long "black-coats" actually had an advantage and it was the "white-coats" who were easily seen and caught by the raptors. Within fifty years, the specie was predominantly black, with only the odd "white-coat". That's Darwins theory of natural selection and thinking Christians have not the slightest difficulty with it. As the environment changes, those that are able to adapt are the ones that will survive. However, Darwin's name has become so muddied in fundamentalist society that everything mentioned in his name has become utterly condemned. Such is the nature of prejudice. However the open mature mind is not afraid to contemplate controversial subjects. Fact is we all ought to weigh our treasured corner stones from time to time. Some will rightly be overturned periodically. The Charles Darwin theory of evolution, of course, is another matter. We'll leave that chestnut for another day! HUMANS THE CULMINATIONSo there have been about 200 plus generations of Homo Sapiens. That's not a many in 4 billion years. We occupy only a very small part of the history of the Earth.And when you think that human life has progressed as much in the last hundred years, about 3-4 generations, as it did in the first 197 generations, one is aware that Martin Rees is absolutely spot on, when he says that life on Earth will be very, very, very different in another 6 billions years. It will be very, very different in another hundred years. But still, as Christians, we do believe that God has created us for a very special purpose, to live in relationship with Him, an invitation open to none of the other creatures on the planet, as far as we know. We are special. We are loved. And unfortunately we also have a very wicked streak in us. No question of it, no matter how much we would deny it. Who? Me? Hence the great need for a cross in the affairs of men. There was no other good enough to pay the price for our wickedness. At this point in time, we are the culmination of God's creative genius. Personally, as a Christian, I have no difficulty with Darwins theory of natural selection. Just as the good Lord created Gravity to keep us from falling off the planet, he seems to have used Natural Selection and perhaps even Evolution to create us, and all the other species. But they do remain theories though totally accepted by scientists as fact. Personally, I believe it's time for us Christians to stop taking issue with evolutionists. It's a red herring, and detracts from the central question: What do you make of Jesus Christ? Will you accept him as your Lord and Saviour? As long as we continue making foolish arguments about when and how the world was created we allow and encourage the world to evade the question: What do you make of Jesus Christ? With or without the Charles Darwin evolution theory, that is what is going to determine whether you and I will watch the sun's demise in 6 billion years! I'm serious! Watching the sun's demiseI'm rather appreciative that I won't be watching the sun's demise on this planet. It will be rather cold! But, Martin Rees, I will be watching the sun's demise. In exactly what shape or form, I have no idea, and that doesn't bother me in the slightest. Will you, sir, too be watching our sun's last sunset? I hope so.We Christians believe that has nothing to do with Darwins theory of evolution. It has everything to do with: What do you make of the person of Jesus Christ? I look forward with great confidence to watching the last sunset. Totally, utterly dumb? Perhaps. And if I'm right, along with millions upon millions of other Believers, what then? Charles Darwin theory of evolutionI know that I'm a serious dissident in fundamental Christian circles. I'm convinced that we Christians have lost the plot in allowing Charles Darwin to take centre stage. Charles Darwin was a remarkable man, and like many scientists he probably got it half way right, perhaps 90% right. No doubt in the centuries ahead, our children's children will find fault with his theories. But that doesn't detract from the fact that he was an incredible THINKER. But to dismiss him out of hand, we not only do him a great disservice, but more importantly we have allowed Charles Darwin theory of natural selection to distract the world from the far more important question: What do you make of Jesus Christ? Enough... enough of DARWINS THEORY OF NATURAL SELECTIONDon't confuse me with the facts. My mind is made up that the world was created 6000 years ago in accordance with the Bible! Charles Darwin should have been burned at the stake!Nope, I disagree. I think you have led unbelievers down the garden path, and you are the one facing being burnt at the stake! Worse, the lake of sulphur. Because you have distracted your fellow seeker from the central question: "What do make of Jesus Christ?" Instead you have distracted him with the silly question: 'What do you make of Charles Darwin?' Let Charles Darwin rest in peace!He was born into a Christian family. His father was a preacher. I'll bet his mother loved the Lord too. And prayed constantly for her son. Is it for us to judge?
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