Piltdown Superman

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  On another weblog, I wrote about riding to a town with Roland Meadows, the fiancé of my prospector friend Stormie Waters. We made friends with Aaron, an employee of a big box store. I went to his town and we met up at an eatery there and we made chin music about our jobs. The place where he works is quite large and the customer base is not exactly classy folks. Some are, but the majority show disrespect to employees, merchandise, and more. When he discussed retail reshops , I thought of radiometric dating, of all things. Grocery shopping, Pexels /  Hobi industri , modified at  FotoSketcher People assume that radiometric dating proves that the earth is old, but it is based on presuppositions of deep time and molecules-to-manager evolution. Simply put, a radioactive element (let's pick uranium for now) decays into lead. Uranium is the parent and lead is the daughter . The amount of each is compared and the decay rate is factored in, calculations are made, an

In the twentieth century, John Dewey was considered a great intellectual. He is credited with developing the modern public school system. Dewey had some odd and contradictory ideas in his worldview. He was an atheist and signer of the atheistic Humanist Manifesto, which openly admitted that it was a religion. Also, he did not believe in absolute truth or knowledge. It is ironic that an educator did not believe in knowledge. Worse, his rejection of God made him blind to the fact that logic comes from God — without God, morality, knowledge, wisdom, logic, and science are impossible ! Those details did not matter to Dewey. While he did some things that helped the school system, he wanted children depending on others to do the thinking for them — reflecting the atheistic, evolutionary, and Marxist trends that were growing in the formerly United States at the time. It can be seen today that many people have no inking about how to do critical thinking. Also, notice how these sheeple tend tow

As discussed here many times, believers in descent with modifications tend to use horrendous reasoning in their papers. (Lapdog popular science journalists often makes things worse .) Researchers are prone to offering an explanation with insufficient evidence for something observed but excluding other possibilities. Evolution is a given, treated as a fact or even a law . They exclude Intelligent Design and especially biblical creation even though evidence support those explanations. If an organism exists, it must have evolved through atheistic materialism — which strikes this child as begging the question . Not only do materialists get away with using bad logic in their presentations, the problem is getting worse. Nobody cares. Evolution doesn't care (study on those last three words and see what I just did). Consider how the Pauli Exclusion is used as a rescuing device for dinosaur soft tissues , which is...truly bizarre. One recent example of fake science logic involves the coela

When a knowledgeable creationist catches an atheist or other evolutionist in a logical fallacy like the genetic fallacy, an abusive ad hominem , straw man, or other errors, the culprits frequently use the epithet science denier . Such an accusation reveals that someone is not interested in a rational discussion and is probably wasting your time. Even so, it is worthwhile to examine the science denier accusation. You may want to show that the claim is absurd, and you can be aware of why it stinks on ice. Image of creationist scientist Isaac Newton modified at Pixlr Something misotheists intensely dislike is when they throw down on a biblical creationist, they are challenged to back up their claims. In my case, I have this and other weblogs where I have shown appreciation for science — and my triple-bypass open-heart surgery  to appreciate medical science. No science denier here , Horace. For that matter, ask what "science denier" even means. The accusation often comes when Dar

When talking about origins, several words and phrases are used but people usually know the topic because of the context. Neo-Darwinian synthesis is cumbersome, some say Neo-Darwinism , descent with modifications , and more. The short form, Darwinism , raises hackles on some folks: "Nobody believes that anymore!" and then  use his version of natural selection, saying, "Natural selection is  evolution." (Or worse, that it is science!) Common descent  is also used. They want to find the last universal common ancestor that supposedly ties all living things together. Swamp near Hudson River, Unsplash / Cowboy Bob Sorensen (modified at photofunny ) LUCA (not to be confused with the short-lived Roman author Lucan ) is presumed to live billions of years ago, and it has several attributes. The components of LUCA also had to somehow break on through to the other side of the Creation Information Barrier  in chemical evolution. No, old son, only the Creator can make life, not

In Through the Looking-Glass by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (writing as Lewis Carroll), the White Queen boasted of having been able to believe six impossible things before breakfast. That book was published in 1871, and Charles Darwin had published On the Origin of Species  in 1859. Believing impossible things seems to have been growing in popularity. Although the idea of dinosaurs evolving into birds is treated as a scientific fact by many of Darwin's disciples, actual scientific facts are ignored or denied. Evidence and dating systems of secularists work against them, but they still believe impossible things. Archaeopteryx by Dr. Thompsons Seifenpulver , ca. 1900 An early attempt to bolster Darwinism was Archaeopteryx . This bad boy should have been left alone, as most secular paleontologists admitted that it was just a bird, not a transitional form between dinosaurs and birds. Secular dating methods as showing Archie as being older than dinosaurs. Yet some secular paleontologists

Atheists and other unbelievers often attempt to find ways of negating the importance of the Bible. It is extremely common for them to say that the creation account is wrong because it is out of keeping with secular origins stories. Another attempt to negate the Bible by stating, "Your holy book condones slavery!" Restrain your equines, Erika. There is a great deal happening here, not the least of which is conflating slavery in the culture of the ancient Near East with the very different slave trade of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Woman in chains, PxHere Yes, slavery is discussed in the Bible, but manstealing was forbidden. Ancient Israel wanted to be like neighboring nations, so God gave strict guidelines for the treatment of slaves. Those slaves were given better treatment in Israel than elsewhere. Also, conquered people were often taken as slaves by Israel. If you study on it a spell, this is actually merciful because the men were killed in battle — women and ch

Fun fact: Octopi  is an incorrect plural for  octopus  because octopus is an English word, not Latin. So it does not receive a Latin plural. Octopuses  is correct even though it may mess with the tongue. Anyway, they are classified as mollusks belonging to the arthropod phylum. Octopuses come in various sizes and show remarkable characteristics, especially intelligence. Their brain neurons have an element that is important for thinking, and are also found in human brains. Humans and octopuses are so clearly different, they could not have evolved from a common ancestor. Octopus, Pexels / Pia B The phrase "Thinking outside the box" is often used to describe how someone goes beyond limitations, often to find a solution or new way of doing things. Evolutionists essentially put their thinking into boxes with phylogenetic trees and homology . These work together, but are illogical. Not only do they limit thinking, but are illogical because they use circular reasoning: Assume evolut

Believers in descent with modifications evolution claim to have science on their side, but certain evidences for evolution are simply false. One is phylogenetic trees , which are diagrams of hypotheses and conjectures. They are not evidence. Another is homology . Note that the root word is the Greek word for same , and used in words like homogenous. In homology, if critters have things in common like each having two eyes, tails, external ears, heads on necks, etc., then boy howdy! They must have evolved from a common ancestor. Not hardly! Horse and Cow in a Meadow , Paul Gauguin, 1885 Essentially, a presupposition  is something that is assumed to be true without proving it beforehand. Many times for the sake of discussions, things are presupposed by the mutual understanding of readers or listeners. Other times, evolutionists presuppose evolution and then confirm their biases. That is circular reasoning. Biblical creationists presuppose that the Bible is true from the very first verse —

The Big Bang story has been built, rebuilt, cobbled, and Frankensteined in general. When told by card-carrying members of the secular science industry, it sounds tidy and almost plausible. It brought on both cosmic and biological evolution. Looks good on paper. However, the tale is told as if scientists were trucking along in complete unity. Nope. Cosmologists and cosmogonists in the ranks disagree. It is also presented without any actual science, driven by presuppositions and mathematics that support them. The cosmological constant problem may be a good reason to put the thing down. Made at  photofunny  with a  NASA / ESA  image (usage does not imply endorsement of site contents) Something that supports science itself is how scientific laws (as we understand them) are consistent and predictable, which fits both Intelligent Design and biblical creation science views. A scientist made a claim that is...truly bizarre: The fundamental principle called the cosmological constant  — isn'

Not too long ago, we looked at how scientists and others use phylogenetic diagrams as facts , but they are nothing of the kind. They are hypotheses — ideas — illustrating what people who were not there think may have happened in the distant past. Scientists are fond of models. They can be useful in making predictions about the future or as speculations about the past. Biblical creationists have models about the Genesis Flood and other things. Like phylogenetic drawings, models are not facts despite how they are often presented. Model airplane, Unsplash / William Hadley Weather reports about hurricanes use models, and it is not uncommon to see vastly different paths of hurricanes projected because the models did not agree. Indeed, one scientist tried to use competing computer models to discover unusual formations on the moon. It did not go well. Instead of reaching a happy harmony, things became more muddled. As it is with artificial intelligence, computer modeling is highly dependent o

Back in 1986, Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union. There was a disaster at the Chernobyl reactor, which caused many fatalities and had some worldwide effects. It is interesting that when scientists discuss what will happen after nuclear disasters, including war, long-term habitability predictions are bleak. Because of high radiation, there is an exclusion zone where access is possible but strictly limited. Other areas are less dangerous. Radiation is equated with mutations and death, yet critters like dogs are doing well . Tree frogs there are proclaimed as evidence for evolution. Eastern tree frog, WikiComm / K.Kalaentzis ( CC BY-SA 4.0 ), modified at PhotoFunia Black tree frogs adapting to radiation levels are obvious examples of natural selection, which is something that knowledgeable creationists accept. Is it because black frog lives matter, Cowboy Bob? You betcha. Anyway, do we see evolution? That'll be the day! Lighter-colored frogs do not have enough melanin to surviv

Knowledgeable biblical apologists understand several things about worldviews, including how they must be internally consistent. Atheists and evolutionists frequently ignore logic while pretending that science and reason support their beliefs. That is a characteristic of an inconsistent worldview. Another indication of a faulty belief system is the reliance on arbitrary assertions. So is circular reasoning, such as assuming evolution in order to prove an instance of evolution. Changing or assigning new meanings to words and phrases also indicates a weak worldview. A couple of evolutionary psychologists presented irrational material about consciousness. Brain and consciousness, Pixabay /  Gerd Altmann  (Geralt) Like others involved in the secular science industry, psychologists presuppose atoms-to-atheist evolution and build from there; they do not question whether or not evolution happened in the first place. In this instance, two psychologists suggest consciousness may have evolved not

Every once in a while, a petulant evolutionist will tell a creationist to visit a natural history museum, read a book about evolution, watch a documentary, or do something else approved by the secular science industry. Then the creationist will learn something. That is true, but not in the way evolutionists would expect. Darwin's disciples know how to present opinions as facts. They can also obfuscate evidence, present what they like and ignore inconvenient truths. Charts, drawings, dioramas, and phylogenetic trees are used as evidence for evolution. Not hardly! Enhanced version of Darwin's Tree of Life Sketch (PD) These things arose from those things. The phylogenetic tree proves it. No, the drawing shows what someone believes . It is not factual, but conjectural. It is also illogical to use an illustrated hypothesis (because that's what a phylogenetic tree is) as evidence . Even Papa Darwin himself had the decency to write, "I think" on his drawing. Creationists

by Cowboy Bob Sorensen  Although the word iconic  is overused, it does apply to The Rifleman . It ran from 1958-1963 and has been syndicated in the subsequent decades. Lucas McCain (Chuck Connors) was a widower raising his son Mark (Johnny Crawford). (I liked it before becoming a widower myself.) The actors had a bond that lasted until Connors died. Another star of the show was that tricked-out Winchester 1892 using 44-40 loads that could be swapped with the right pistols. Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford, Wikimedia Commons / ABC Television , 1960 (PD) In "The Clarence Bibs Story," comedian Buddy Hackett played the part of a "mop boy" for a general store. He was wearing a gun that he cleaned for a customer. Bad idea because he had no skill with it. Clarence wound up killing a tough guy through a stupid accident. Although I have to spoil the ending somewhat, I'll leave out some details in case you want to see it. Shouldn't be too hard, it's even posted o

Proponents of universal common descent are highly skilled in the scientific principle of Making Things Up™, and they make lotsa grotzits for it. Peer review approves rubbish , they use bushwa logic to compare human and ape Y chromosomes , etc. The secular science industry is doing a number on hearts. Although they say all life came from a common ancestor, there is a variety of hearts in the animal kingdom. The Creator designed hearts to meet the needs of various creatures. Humans and apes share some similarities in design, so there are similarities in some in hearts as well. Heart diagram, Pixabay /  burlesonmatthew Did they consider other research that says we have heart problems because we evolved from fish ? Asking for a friend. These jaspers first presupposed evolution (and rejected creation), then told a story about the distant past. A few weasel words crept in like may suggest , but ignored the stark differences not only between heart styles. The physical differences between huma

Chromosomes contain a great deal of information, far more than just eye color, height, stature, and all that good stuff. Some of Darwin's disciples decided to compare the Y chromosomes of humans and several types of apes. Although they hailed it as good news for evolution, in reality...it did not go well. Right from the get-go, errors were happening. For one thing, the source was too big by using several sources of Y chromosome information. Another problem is that the comparisons were between modern humans and apes because of assumed evolution directions. Human chromosome Y, WikiComm / National Center for Biotechnology Information , U.S. National Library of Medicine (PD) (Usage does not imply endorsement)  Y chromosomes are difficult to sequence because of repetition, mutations, deletions, and more. Secularists tend to evosplain genetic differences away by assuming evolution did it. Of course, no mechanisms or supporting evidence is offered. Circular reasoning, arbitrary assertions

Alfred Russel Wallace and Charles Robert Darwin came up with a version of evolution at almost the same time, but Darwin is given most of the credit because he published first. Also, Wallace was an outsider in science circles  and was open to a form of Intelligent Design. Each had an idea of how butterflies evolved, but scientists did not seem interested in pursuing the matter. New research was presented after getting help from studying pictures of birdwing butterflies with machine learning, and both Wallace and Darwin were said to be right. Birdwing butterfly, Flickr / Charles Patrick Ewing ( CC BY 2.0 ) If the researchers were seeking awards or applause by the secular science industry, that probably happened. They use both natural and sexual selection (but not the true meaning of natural selection). People who care about truth and logic in science may have a different view. For one thing, the sample size was far too limited. Another problem is despite praising the puny god of evoluti

Drawing frequently from the scientific well of Making Things Up™, Darwin's acolytes have been making a passel of chin music about ants. Apparently, ants evolved from wasps. There is no evidence for this, only conjecture and fanatical devotion to evolution. That makes it all right. The reason for the talk is because certain ants were found in amber. They are mostly indistinguishable from their modern counterparts all the way down to the communications equipment. Instead of invoking the cop-out of stasis , more stories are tacked on. Ant in amber, WikiComm / Dlussky, Radchenko, & Dubovikoff , 2014 ( CC BY 4.0 ) Social structure in living things is a field of its own, and it is quite detailed in ants. Evolutionists say that it's important because altruism was brought into the world through sociality. Essentially, thank evolution for socialism. (Is this another reason that the secular science industry favors politically leftist attitudes ?) In reality, evolutionists are baffled

Something unlikely to appear in a dinosaurs-go-bezerk-and-eat-people movie is  Psittacosaurus.  The largest species is not all that impressive. There is a prairie schooner-full of specimens, including intact skeletons. Adults were bipedal like the iconic T. rex . This particular specimen from China had an interesting fossilization characteristic. Some of its skin was turned to glass, so to speak. Instead of the usual minerals, silica found its way in. Watch how Darwin's acolytes get bizarre — and illogical — promoting dino-to-bird and also feather evolution. Psittacosaurus specimen, Nature Communications / Maria McNamara   et al . ( CC BY 4.0 ) Once again, evolution is assumed despite lack of evidence. (Stories, inferences from stories, and so on, yes, but not real evidence.) Although they admit that feather evolution is "profound," feathers are loaded with specified complexities because they were created, not evolved. There is no evidence of feather evolution. Researche