Creationism, by definition, is a religious belief, and certainly only of one world view. The only “evidence” for it is the Bible. You can’t point to anything physical to demonstrate proof of creationism or even support for it. It is a way to explain things that seem hard to understand otherwise.
People often confuse the terms “theory” and “hypothesis.” Contrary to what we see and hear on television, a theory is not just an idea you come up with – “conjecture,” as Andrew Homack wrote in his recent letter to the editor.
A hypothesis is conjecture. A theory began life as merely an idea, but has grown in stature after being thoroughly borne out through endless experimentation. It can be repeated by people with the proper training at any time. If someone can devise a repeatable experiment that runs counter to the theory, then the theory must be revised or discarded.
If no one can scientifically document support for a position, or there is simply no evidence to support it, then it is not a theory, nor is it even a hypothesis. It is just something someone said.
Evolution has stood as a defined theory, with growing mounds of evidence, for more than 150 years.
The theory has only been further refined, consolidated and strengthened with time, especially through the addition of genetics and molecular biology. Simply waving a book at it will not make it go away.
As for fossils, there is nothing theoretical about them. Fossilization, or how fossils are formed, is broken up into a number of specific types, all of them factual, involving things like mineral replacement and other demonstrable chemical processes.
Sure, science is a messy business, with lots of debate and change over time. But it adheres to a rigid methodology intended to produce the surest outcome with time.
Creationism is not a theory – there is nothing to discover, nothing to examine and there is no science to it. It is a blanket way of understanding the world around us – God did it.
You are certainly entitled to believe it if you please, but do not confuse it with the hard work of science.
Christopher Hayes
Freehold Township