Republican debate

Last night there was a debate by republican candidates. One of the questions asked was this:

"Yes or no. Do you believe in Evolution."

It was asked to Senator John McCain, who paused, and then stammered out a yes. The moderator then asked for a show of hands by candidates who don't believe. Three hands went up. Watch here.

The questions is meant to pit evolution vs. creationism. But here's the thing: they aren't in conflict.

Creationism proposes the untestable theory that life began when something (they never say god) popped life into existence. Some creationists think that happened billions of years ago, some think it happened 6,000 years ago.

But, and this is important, the theory of evolution has nothing to say about that 'pop' moment. That's a whole different branch of science called physics. The theory of evolution doesn't address the creation of life. That's important to understand, because when you do, you'll see there isn't actual conflict between evolution and creationism.

Thus, to say one doesn't believe in evolution shows just how uninformed, and dogmatic a person can be. With millions of species, and billions more to be discovered (we're just beginning to understand bacteria, and it's role in life). The theory of evolution doesn't comment on where life came from, but it does comment on how we came to be us. And that, really is the crux. The bible says that man was created in his image. Evolution proves we weren't. There's a substantial fossil record (one doesn't here the term missing link anymore) that shows that we indeed evolved from somewhere else. The evidence is fairly hard to ignore, which is why some creationist concede the earth is billions of years old. But in doing so, they attempt an end around of the debate.

If they can get people to think it's possible that someone (like god), popped the universe into being 14 billion years ago, then it's possible to take them to the next level. Once we concede that the big bang was helped by a force called god, then it isn't hard to begin suggesting that after a few billion years (what the bible helpfully calls days), God popped out man and planted fossils to help us with our curiosity. I made that last part up, but my point is this: the discourse in this debate is purposely dumbed down. And it's done so because the purpose is to further dumb it down. I would love to respect John McCain for saying yes and alienating most of the religious right that makes up the base of the Republican party. But I can't. Because it's wrecking the level of discourse.