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10/14/2014
Evolution by Natural Selection
Charles Darwin put forward the Theory of Evolution by Natural
Selection in his book, The Evolution of Species, published
in 1859. Following decades of research he put forward the
scientific theory that all species have evolved from earlier
species, back to the beginning of life on Earth. Genetic mutations
occur from time to time, and randomly, in living creatures. Natural
selection is what decides whether a mutation will help the species
survive in a competitive environment. If, as the result of some
change passed down from its parents, an individual is better able
to find food, evade predators or attract sexual partners, then that
individual is more likely to produce a greater number of offspring,
eventually leading to improvement in its gene pool.
Creationism
There are several forms of creationism, and new variants are
constantly put forward, as old variants are discarded. The chief
groupings of creationists are known as "Young-Earth creationists"
and "Old-Earth creationists".
Young-Earth creationists believe that the Earth is only a few
thousand years old, and that all life forms were originally created
in much the same form as we see today. Most Young-Earth
creationists do accept the reality of 'micro-evolution', evolution
within a species, as the evidence of small changes are so obvious
for all to see. The principal arguments put forward by Young-Earth
creationists are intended to disprove evolution rather than to
prove creationism.
Because the scientific evidence for the great age of the Earth has
become so overwhelming, some creationists have adopted an
"Old-Earth creationism" stance. Most accept that species really
have evolved over the eons. They accept the age of the Earth but
insist that natural selection is not the reason for evolution. One
of the most recent hypotheses put forward by Old-Earth creationists
is called Intelligent Design. One variant of this holds that God
took part in the evolution of life throughout history, guiding the
progress of evolution. Another variant holds that God, in some way,
made the rules for evolution at the beginning of the Universe and
that those rules inevitably and predictably resulted in life as we
know it.
For more information, please visit: http://christianity.answers.com/theology/the-story-of-creation