It is my observation that “some” theistic evolutionists have feelings of antipathy for scientists who are creationists to the extent that they very speedily accept the findings of their fellow theistic evolutionists and instantly reject the research of creationists and IDers. Such prejudice is of no benefit to any of the parties involved.
Hi Frank,
James: Did you understand the nature of the criticisms of Tomkins’s papers? They were not “instantly rejected”; they were tested.
Frank: Whoa! Slow down James. You’ve jumped to a wrong conclusion. If you re-read my above comment you will see that I was taking about “SOME” i.e. not all theistic evolutionists.
People in this forum have been most explicit in where they are coming from – and I’m expressing my experiences and observations and making it clear, or at any rate hopefully making it clear, where I’m coming from.
James: As @Swamidass and others have pointed out, he configured the software in such a way that when human DNA is compared to itself, the result is far below 100%. Do you understand why this is a very serious error that no PhD geneticist—and certainly not one with clearly non-trivial computer programming skills—should make?
Will: Yes. And I think I caused some confusion here when I mentioned the figure of 85% similarity. I was talking about that figure as the similarity between chimps – humans and omitted to say there would be a DIFFERENCE of 15%.
So, that’s my fault and I apologise for the confusion.
This is off the top of my head now and I do believe I’ve read an article in which errors in a software programme produced – as you say in connection with the human genome only an 85% compatibility with itself which is of course absurd.
As I said previously and honestly I’m limited to C++ programming and don’t have your level of software knowledge. I may be wrong but it seems to me that any software involved in such projects could be “problematic” and that the findings may possibly be not altogether reliable in the same manner as 2 multiplied by 2 equals 4.
But as I’ve said elsewhere in this forum even IF the difference between chimp and human is only 5% that equates to a massive some 150 Million differences.
Now if you and others want to see that as evidence for a common ancestor that is a matter of your faith – personally I see no evidence for common ancestry and do see evidence for a common designer.
James: The fact of the matter is that YEC science is riddled with schoolboy errors such as this one. Errors that are purely technical and procedural in nature. Errors that should never have passed peer review, and that should have been retracted when pointed out. Yet Tomkins’s articles are still being promoted on the Answers in Genesis website. In fact I could give examples where objections to even more serious errors are rejected as “nitpicking” or “petty” and even denounced as “compromise” or “atheism.”
Frank: Yes, I keep hearing about objections to Creation and ID but I’ve yet to see those objections backed up by any real hard facts and evidence.
Even in the instance above if Tomkins findings of 70% are erroneous his error does not give evidence for evolutionary naturalism and dismissing 150 million differences without a sound explanation is, it has to be said, a position of faith in the bottom to top model.
Furthermore, if you are so adamant about your beliefs and do think that Tomkins is guilty of what would, if you are correct, amount to malpractice and given the seriousness of this issue – it’s a bit more important than the contents of a beefburger – I thought you, who are strongly expressing your opinions to me, would take this matter up with Tomkins himself.
That you do not do so is not impressive.
James: Given this complete absence of any kind of meaningful quality control, and a completely unjustifiable hostility towards correction, is it any wonder that many Christian evolutionary scientists are upset about YEC “science”?
Prejudice has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with it.
Frank: Well, you’ve gone and said it again James to emphasize how strongly you feel – “hostile” – and yet you won’t challenge Tomkins head to head.
The nature of some of the comments in this forum – and from people who would describe themselves as Christians is somewhat worrying – do indeed demonstrate a certain level of prejudice.
All in all this very short visit to this forum has been most informative and further enlightening into the mind of theistic evolutionists.
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