Subject: Facts and Beliefs
Dear Editor,
There’s one serious and regrettable aspect to Damien Smith’s denial of evolution (The Advertiser, 9/4/13). His denial highlights again that there’s a depressing 40% of Australians who have no understanding of the most basic scientific explanation of evolution.
It’s also unfortunate that the word ‘theory’ has two entirely separate meanings; one being an ‘idea’ and the other a ‘scientific explanation’. But then it’s not uncommon for some to deliberately misrepresent the ‘theory of evolution’ as merely an ‘idea’. There’s something about that in the ninth Commandment.
If the denial of evolution wasn’t bad enough, a staggering 25% of people actually believe the Earth is only 6000 years old, and that humans walked with dinosaurs. No wonder science is in decline. It’s tragic that so many still hold these views, and people of faith reject science as if it were something to fear.
Beliefs cannot change established facts; but it’s the evidence of science that should be opening people’s minds and moving them away from their ancient beliefs.
Brian Morris
President
Atheism SA Inc.