When I'm in a conversation about Evolution versus Creation, I always bring in the topic of parasites and it usually brings the argument to a sudden conclusion - in my favour.
One would have to lack intelligence or common sense to ignore the facts of parasites emerging through evolution.
Listed below are a few that may induce nausea. If you are of a fragile disposition I advise you stop reading now.
Parasites, as we all know, are animals, bacteria, viruses and fungi that have evolved to live on/in a living host, more often than not causing serious health problems and even death.
If there were a Creator, he/she would have to be callous and vindictive to the point of insanity to come up with such horrendous and needless suffering-inducing plagues.
Here are a few:
The Loa Loa Worm lives in the human eye and causes countless cases of blindness around the world. The life-cycle of this parasite can only be completed by living and feeding off the hosts inner eye.
God created?
The V Cirrhosa is a kind of minuscule catfish that lives in ponds and rivers of south America. For an unsuspecting human who attempts to get in a water infested with these little critters, the result is that the V Cirrhosa will find and crawl into the penis and go on to feed on the internal organs causing an agonizing death.
God created?
The Cordyceps does not infect humans. Part of the weaponry of this fungus is mind-altering chemicals that will cause the host to act in a way that will bring it in close contact with as many tarantulas as possible in order to transfer the infection.
God created?
There are countless more, from head-lice spreading typhus to mosquitoes killing more humans than all wars combined.
Countless bacteria and viral infections decimating parts of the human population, day in day out.
God made? Or Evolution at play?
What do you think?
A good example of evolution which only a cretin would deny. We also have many examples of human parasites such as 'payday loan sharks' who live off the poor; drug dealers who condemn thousands to hell on earth just to earn a living without having to work. Many other examples could be found but that's enough for me.
ReplyDeleteTrue Philip, those other social parasites that cause so much suffering require a dedicated blog post - many pages long :)
DeleteI always catch up with my favourite blogs over lunch. In this case, I stopped at line 1, and have returned in trepidation several hours later! It's a pretty sound argument, although as a God-believer myself, I can see that God might have started it all off, and then let things evolve. Either that or God has a terrible sense of humour.
ReplyDeleteHahaha, it would be a sick sense of humour - I'm surprised he has admirers :)
DeleteI believe the Catholic church now accepts evolution, so the existence of parasites won't shake their faith. Another possibility for theists is to believe that the Devil created parasites and God created humans, pussy cats and pretty flowers.
ReplyDeleteGB, the Catholic Church only believes in Evolution from Creation as the starting point - God created all the nice things, including gorillas, he also created the Devil :)
ReplyDeleteThanks T :)
ReplyDeleteI truly believe you will never convince the god believers, they will see thing as it suits them and we non believers will believe what we believe...
ReplyDeleteYes Kymbo, sad but true. but I feel frustrated often when confronted by those who choose to dwell in intellectual darkness instead of enlightenment...
ReplyDeleteI rarely argue with creationists because it always ends the same way. In essence, "It's magic", they say.
ReplyDeleteTo paraphrase Sam Harris, I someone places no value on evidence and logic, what evidence could you provide, what logical argument could you give, in order to get them to do so?
It's a lose / lose proposition, and especially bad here in the U.S., where Christian zealotry is beginning to resemble the Islamic fanaticism of the Middle East.
Michael, I should take notice, thanks for the insight. I should stop arguing for logic and evidence with those who don't possess either. :)
ReplyDelete...as for the present Christian zealotry in the US, I just hope the numbers of non-theists continues to increase. The militant Christians over there have way too much money and limitless access to TV time. Dangerous combination for trigger-happy conservatives
DeleteI am a Christian who believes Jesus will return to earth to rule and provide medical cures for all diseases. The Bible records many instances where people suffer horrific deaths from war, famine, and disease from the hand of God. King David was famous for the slaughter of tens of thousands of Philistines, and the Bible says he was a man after God's own heart. God will display His love to those who love Him through the resurrection of the dead.
DeleteDavid, if you prefer to live with comforting beliefs instead of uncomfortable truths that is your right. Your right is my wrong :)
DeletePlease don't confuse faith and zealotry; they are not the same thing. Mass-accusing Christians (in particular, but really any theists) of ignorance is itself as ignorant as, and to be quite blunt, as bigoted as attempting to aggressively mass-convert atheists.
ReplyDeleteThere are uneducated people everywhere and from all walks of life; when you fixate on one particular group, it defeats whatever credibility you have and turns your argument into a personal attack.
Just some food for thought.
Thanks for the comment Anon. To me, zealotry is a by-product of faith. Faith and Zealotry are two sides of the same coin. And no matter how hard I try, I can't associate faith with intelligence. A questioning and open mind is synonymous with intelligence. But you are right about my fixation on theists. As time goes by I find myself becoming less and less tolerant of religion and of believers. But, thank you for the observation
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