Don't Passover the Facts

On the day when a certain group of humanity begin to celebrate the myth that, for some reason, the god that created our species chose to favour them over his other creations, I thought it would be appropriate if I introduced a little reality. I therefore heartily recommend to all readers this article in the current edition of New Scientist. Evolution: 24 myths and misconceptions should be essential reading for all. As the article states, since Darwin the case for evolution has become overwhelming - it is as firmly established a scientific fact as the roundness of the Earth, and yet most people around the world are not taught the truth about evolution, if they are taught about it at all:

"For those who have never had the opportunity to find out about biology or science, claims made by those who believe in supernatural alternatives to evolutionary theory can appear convincing. Meanwhile, even among those who accept evolution, misconceptions abound."

The article therefore sets out to put this right by debunking 24 'shared misconceptions' and 'creationist myths', such as that ""Survival of the fittest" justifies "everyone for themselves"", "Accepting evolution undermines morality", "Evolutionary theory leads to racism and genocide" and that old chestnut: "Half a wing is no use to anyone". My favourite quote, however, comes from the section "Creationism provides a coherent alternative to evolution":

"There is no evidence of any kind of outside intervention, and no need to invoke it to explain what is known. Yes, there are many debates among biologists, geologists and cosmologists over the finer details, but these will be resolved sooner or later by new discoveries or experiments. Reality is the ultimate arbiter."

Remember, evolution is a fact, as well a theory. If you want to believe in your religion, you are of course free to do so, but you will have to find a way to make it compatible with evolution.