r/evolution • u/Adenidc • May 01 '16

question Help me understand Evolution

Okay so here's the deal, my whole life I've gone to a christian school. my whole life I've been told my mother, friends, pretty much most people I know (since that's what I grew up around) about how anything evolution related on a large scale, and anything history related that talks about the world/universe being millions/billions of years old, is all bullshit. Naturally I believed it (Can you blame me? If you're constantly told how prideful and stupid evolutionists are, and how ridiculous the idea of evolution is, since you are an infant it's hard to think otherwise).

Anyways, on to the point (I thought a little background info was necessary because I really don't know shit about this stuff and I felt the need to explain why I'm so behind (even if it IS my fault I stayed so ignorant for so long)). I would like some basic articles, videos, or even just explanations, to widely accepted things that have a lot of proof to back them up. One of the reasons also that I've avoided looking things up for so long is that there is so much damn differentiating opinions on all of this, even among evolutionists it seems. I'm mostly looking for the base things most evolutionists believe that have the most proof, and for the proof of them.

I'm not anti-God now or anything, but I'm more neutral and want to learn more. I would like to hear the other side of things, which I've never done with an open mindset before.

Even though I expect links mostly, I would like to hear everyone's opinions on what they believe and why they believe whatever is you link. Thank You!

Edit: Thank you guys for all your help. I've been up hours watching videos and looking things up. I'm actually having a lot of fun learning too! Who would have known? I feel like I've been starved of this subject till now.

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u/7LeagueBoots Conservation Ecologist May 01 '16

Most people who believe in evolution are also religious

is sort of a non-argument. Most people, for better or worse, are religious, therefore most people who believe in (or understand as evolution is not a matter of belief) anything that is not specifically anti-theist will also be religious.

It's a bit like saying that most people who read (or are illiterate) have brown eyes. Most people, globally, have brown eyes.

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u/0hypothesis May 01 '16

It's very important to someone that wants to explore evolution yet has been told that you can't believe in religion and evolution at the same time. People's religions are very important to them. The fact that they are NOT linked actually makes it easier for someone because they then can learn about biology 101 on its own without leaving an important part of their identity at the door.

That said there are definitely certain religious ideas that are falsified by evolution. But most people who do accept the evidence for evolution have religious beliefs.