re: "I don't wanta talk about it anymore" ... Left v. Right

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Typically this causes the discussion to break down into them not wanting to talk about it because they want evolution to be proof against the existence of God even though proving evolution to be the creation method wouldn't disprove God as the creator. No one ever seems to want to have factual discussions about it.

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I typically find the exact opposite with the anti evolution crowd, although my sample size is relatively small. They think evolution disproves god (it doesn't), and so they don't accept it.

what is most unfortunate is my step father is actually really smart but refuses to accept we evolved from monkeys.

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Evolution discussion with my step father. Him: Evolution isn't proven, its a theory. Me: Sure its a theory but a theory can be proven. And scientists almost universally agree that the theory of natural selection is correct with some tweaks. Him: No, there is a ton of research that says evolution is wrong. Me: Can I see this research? Him: Read the bible, and we aren't talking about this anymore.

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I wouldn't have engaged your step father in that line of argumentation.
I would have said "There are no brown bunny rabbits native to the Arctic regions. Is that because natural selection caused brown bunny rabbits to be easily seen in the snow and killed before they could reproduce...or was it God's wisdom not to put brown bunny rabbits in the arctic regions?

If it was God's wisdom why did he make over 1 million species that went extinct prior to making man... just for fun?"

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natural selection is proven but evolution as the creation of all life on earth is not a proven theory. Typically this causes the discussion to break down into them not wanting to talk about it

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Maybe it's because no one knows what the hell they are talking about.

Let's start with the nonsensical, "evolution as the creation of all life on earth is not a proven theory". I don't think it's a proven theory because no one has promoted that hypothesis in the first place.

Evolution is simply the FACT that biology on Earth has changed over time. That's IT, change - over time. This is observable, not theoretical. Life on Earth HAS changed over time. Natural Selection is a theory that attempts to explain the changes. "God did it" is another hypothesis to explain evolution, but no one has yet figured out an experiment to test this hypothesis.

As for, "natural selection is proven", while I agree with the basic theory, there are probably some glitches that will become apparent and have to be accounted for. The theory of natural Selection will evolve over time, much as the Theory of Gravity has.

...no one's disputing the Theory of Gravity, are they?

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Thank you for a perfect example of shutting down an argument because you are incapable of critical discourse.

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There is no argument, Zach. Your Depends leaked onto the board in the form of a thread, and here we are - stained.

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I normally witness liberals eviscerate conservatives on all topics but taxes.

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I never see a liberal eviscerate a conservative on any topic involving politics.

But perhaps you have an out - almost every political issue involves taxes to some degree.

Anecdotes are not useful, so could you reference some well-known politico who has eviscerated a well-known conservative on some issue?

conservative:
- war on women?

- wanting people to not have insurance?

- wanting people to drink polluted water?

- wanting to prevent blacks from voting?

- wanting to enforce the borders (as the law provides?)

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There is no argument, Zach. Your Depends leaked onto the board in the form of a thread, and here we are - stained.

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That's low level humor, Wild. I'm more into Comedy of Manners (think The Importance of Being Ernest); or if that's too classical you can go with The Beverly Hillbillies TV series.

I'm also a big fan of Comedy of the Absurd. That would be Aristophanes or more recently... Batman on TV..

The greatest TV writers in history...with the possible exception of the writers of Green Acres.

Not sure if they were the first in the same bed. But the concept was just as you described.
If 1 person is sane and he is surrounded by insane people...who is normal?

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Thank you for a perfect example of shutting down an argument because you are incapable of critical discourse.

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Well, if you're going to make a false blanket statement, how can we even begin a critical discourse. You refuse to be critical of the right.

The right has just as many issues they wish to get passed as the left. I would ask you to challenge yourself and think about issues that the right says "I don't want to talk about it anymore". If you're honest with yourself, you may learn something.

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Well, if you're going to make a false blanket statement, how can we even begin a critical discourse. You refuse to be critical of the right.

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I have been VERY critical of the right. They are not right enough. Govt should be destroyed. The right is not interested in the destruction of govt. Can you grasp this?