Evolution and the Zimmerman Trial
by Cowboy Bob Sorensen
Now, don't get ahead of me and anticipate I'm going to say. And I'm going to assume that many people have heard enough about the Zimmerman trial, so I'm only planning one article. This is not an analysis of the night of the shooting, nor is it going to place blame on evolution for the events of that night. In-depth political ramifications of the trial will be left to others to discuss.
Instead, I'm going to make comparisons and contrasts about the way people analyze evidence.
In the George Zimmerman trial, like any other, evidence was obtained and examined. Witnesses were interrogated and then they testified. The jury deliberated and, in Zimmerman's case, returned a "not guilty" verdict. In American trials, a guilty verdict is supposed to be rendered "beyond a reasonable doubt"; people do not have to be proved innocent.
I heard and read about George Zimmerman's shooting of Trayvon Martin. The police did not believe there was probable cause to arrest Zimmerman. Because of social, racial and political pressures, Zimmerman was arrested and the trial was convened. The media helped stir up tensions, including when NBC edited the recording of the 9-1-1 call that Zimmerman made.
People called radio talk shows. Many would express regret that Martin had been killed, but others, acting on emotion, lack of knowledge of the facts, presumptions and so on would only accept "justice" of a harsh sentence or even the execution of Zimmerman. There were vacuous cries that he was "executed for being black and wearing a hoodie". They had their minds made up despite the available evidence. Even after he was found not guilty, Zimmerman is the target of death threats from people who were not there, did not examine the evidence and are only acting on hate. To be Captain Obvious for a moment, I'll say that killing George Zimmerman and having riots will not bring back Trayvon Martin.
Now we can move to the evolution discussion.
When it comes to origins science, there are no human witnesses to interrogate. The evidence is examined and tested. Conjectures, hypotheses and theories are made. Supposedly, a theory is discarded if the evidence does not fit the facts.
Now, don't get ahead of me and anticipate I'm going to say. And I'm going to assume that many people have heard enough about the Zimmerman trial, so I'm only planning one article. This is not an analysis of the night of the shooting, nor is it going to place blame on evolution for the events of that night. In-depth political ramifications of the trial will be left to others to discuss.
Instead, I'm going to make comparisons and contrasts about the way people analyze evidence.
In the George Zimmerman trial, like any other, evidence was obtained and examined. Witnesses were interrogated and then they testified. The jury deliberated and, in Zimmerman's case, returned a "not guilty" verdict. In American trials, a guilty verdict is supposed to be rendered "beyond a reasonable doubt"; people do not have to be proved innocent.
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People called radio talk shows. Many would express regret that Martin had been killed, but others, acting on emotion, lack of knowledge of the facts, presumptions and so on would only accept "justice" of a harsh sentence or even the execution of Zimmerman. There were vacuous cries that he was "executed for being black and wearing a hoodie". They had their minds made up despite the available evidence. Even after he was found not guilty, Zimmerman is the target of death threats from people who were not there, did not examine the evidence and are only acting on hate. To be Captain Obvious for a moment, I'll say that killing George Zimmerman and having riots will not bring back Trayvon Martin.
Now we can move to the evolution discussion.
When it comes to origins science, there are no human witnesses to interrogate. The evidence is examined and tested. Conjectures, hypotheses and theories are made. Supposedly, a theory is discarded if the evidence does not fit the facts.
Proponents of molecules-to-man evolution cling to their belief system despite evidence refuting evolution and affirming creation. Media bias adds to the passion of Darwin defenders. People will often make comments that are based on emotion and not on reason, having tried and sentenced creation science (and even judged God himself) in their minds. Like angry supporters of Trayvon Martin, some evolutionists want to shout us down, or even silence us even though we are proved right time and again. They do not want to accept what the evidence reveals because of their preconceptions.
As I have said many times, this is about worldviews and presuppositions. We can offer all the evidence in the world, but there is no getting through to someone who does not want to receive it. Someone else controls their minds.
— Cowboy Bob Sorensen