Hope this is okay to post here, Nickrz – I’m looking for info, not an argument, so I went with this forum rather than GD.
My nephew came home from the summer visitation with his mother (whom I am trying NOT to call a conspiracy theorist, fundie wacko) a creation scientist. Willy is 14 years old and a pretty smart kid – generally. However, according to my son, he is now spouting the full Duane Gish inspired pantsfull. For instance, he asked Nick, “If we are descended from monkeys, then why are there still monkeys?” Poor Nick (13 years old, and no scientist) KNEW there was an answer, but didn’t know what it was! Nick seems to feel that Willy will eventually bring some of his new opinions to me, and I tend to concurr – Will and I have always had a good relationship and he usually respects my intelligence and scholarship. As a matter of fact, he calls me the “answer aunt!” However, I am also no scientist and for this discussion, I’m gonna need reinforcements. Willy is a strong reader and, as I said, a smart kid, but I don’t think he’s up to Skeptic magazine standards. Does anyone (Dave? E1Skeptic? anyone?) know of a site for kids debunking the usual Creation Science stuff?
One obvious answer to the monkey question… All breeds of domestic dogs are ‘evolved’ (artificially, but the argument is still valid) from the wolf and yet, there are still wolves.
Stephen Stephen’s Website
Satellite Hunting 1.1.0 visible satellite pass prediction
shareware available for download at Satellite Hunting
Try the following site. It is not aimed at children, specifically, but it is put out by the National Academy of Sciences with specific remarks on Creationism. Along with a number of good articles on specific subjects, there is a FAQ pagewith the actual answers to the majority of the Creationist canards. http://books.nap.edu/html/creationism/
Incidentally, humans weren’t descended from apes, but in fact the theory is that humans and apes are descended from a common ancestor, the so-called ‘missing link’.
I have no idea if that’s still the current theory, but that was the one going round a couple of decades ago.
Thanks, Guanolad and Sthephan – although, in my original post, I made myself stupider than I actually am! I really could’ve fielded the “why are there still monkeys” question without help! However, knowing Willy, I KNEW there would be harder questions to come… Which brings me to: thanks everyone! Lots of great info and just what I needed. I’m printing out a pile right now to take over there tomorrow. BTW, E1skeptic, I had forgotten about “Junior Skeptic” for some reason – I’m taking those over as well. And don’t worry about my brother and his wife – they are cool, and have already asked me if I would mind handling this one for them. His mother will probably be pissed at me, though. Which really breaks my heart…
And of course, what thread about providing links to websites debunking Creationism would be complete without a link to the root directory of www.talkorigins.org ?
However, I am also no scientist and for this discussion, I’m gonna need reinforcements. Willy is a strong reader and, as I said, a smart kid, but I don’t think he’s up to Skeptic magazine standards. Does anyone (Dave? E1Skeptic? anyone?) know of a site for kids debunking the usual Creation Science stuff?