Religious rite gives evolution a helping hand (from NS)

[tymygy]

I agree with poopshoot, this is not necessarily evidence for evolution. The fish collected from the cave may have been exposed to the toxin for the last 10 years, which could effect their resistance to it, just like someone who drinks heavily and regularly will have an increased resistance to the effects of alcohol.

To be sure, they could analyse the genomes of the two fish populations, or they could keep the fish, poison free until they had kids (maybe grandkids, to be sure), and then test the new offspring, which would tell us whether it was an inherited mutation or a physiological change imposed by the environment.

NB as I read the article, I did not see that they ate the stunned fish (in this particular instance, I know they do elsewhere), and if there is no eating, then there is less of a selective pressure on the fish. Even if they do eat the fish they stun, it would still need to be proven, as I outlined above to be sure evolution is happening, even though it is eminently plausible, we should always take proof when we can get it.

I agree, but imagine, instead of humans poisoning the water, what if it were natural? I'm being completely hypothetical, but maybe rain washed a poisiones fungi into a river every fall. Now what happens if this happens for hundreds or thosands of years? I know you have to wait for offspring to see conclusive proof, but when mosquitoes adapted a resistance to insect poison, their offspring also shared that immunity (please correct me if I'm wrong, I heard this awhile back and I'm not 100%).

more about resistant to DDT mosquitoes.
http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/ridley/tutorials/The_theory_of_natural_selection__part_1_13.asp

[PoopShoot]

I agree with poopshoot, this is not necessarily evidence for evolution.

I never said that.  I do, however, agree that an actual change in alleles need to be demonstrated in order to claim evolution has taken place, as per the reasons you stated.

[Reginus]

LOL trolling is so much easier than I thought it would be.

[tymygy]

LOL trolling is so much easier than I thought it would be.

Congrats dick.

[PoopShoot]

LOL trolling is so much easier than I thought it would be.

Half of a good troll is saying it with a straight face.

[Tank]

LOL trolling is so much easier than I thought it would be.

That's the last time I take you seriously. That's the trouble with trolling. Once you know a person does it their posts become meaningless and pointless as you can't know if the person is serious or attempting to manipulate you. I took time to address your question in a serious manner. Tell me why I should bother to do that again?

You should read this The boy who cried wolf. So troll if you like, but don't ever expect to be trusted or taken seriously if you do.

[pinkocommie]

LOL trolling is so much easier than I thought it would be.

Well, yeah, It's super easy to troll if the people you're trolling already have a bit of respect for and trust in you.  Unfortunately, once you troll someone, you lose all that respect and trust and you tend to get treated like just another Edward.

[The Magic Pudding]

Not long ago I would have assumed anyone talking about a six thousand year old earth was joking.
And that business about god hiding fossil fuels for us to find, just like the Easter Bunny's eggs, that's hilarious.
It's a challenge for me to make a post so ridiculous that it wont be taken seriously.
With so much weirdness out there, accepting a troll on face value doesn't indicate credulity.

[Tank]

Not long ago I would have assumed anyone talking about a six thousand year old earth was joking.
And that business about god hiding fossil fuels for us to find, just like the Easter Bunny's eggs, that's hilarious.
It's a challenge for me to make a post so ridiculous that it wont be taken seriously.
With so much weirdness out there, accepting a troll on face value doesn't indicate credulity.

And that is a huge issue when discussing with theists IMO.

I have made the point elsewhere that a true fundamentalist theist/deist is indistinguishable from a troll on an atheist forum. What better way to troll an atheist forum than to invoke Poe's law and become the most outrageous theistic character one can? It's so bloody easy. That's one reason I'm not to keen at throwing the term troll at a theist/deist as we have no way of telling and are simply demonstrating our own incredulity at the behaviour of some people.

When I first starting engaging with theists at RDF I had no real idea what I was dealing with at all. I had read The God Delusion but had no understanding of how far some people will twist and turn to keep their delusions alive.

[Velma]

Not long ago I would have assumed anyone talking about a six thousand year old earth was joking.
And that business about god hiding fossil fuels for us to find, just like the Easter Bunny's eggs, that's hilarious.
It's a challenge for me to make a post so ridiculous that it wont be taken seriously.
With so much weirdness out there, accepting a troll on face value doesn't indicate credulity.

And that is a huge issue when discussing with theists IMO.

I have made the point elsewhere that a true fundamentalist theist/deist is indistinguishable from a troll on an atheist forum. What better way to troll an atheist forum than to invoke Poe's law and become the most outrageous theistic character one can? It's so bloody easy. That's one reason I'm not to keen at throwing the term troll at a theist/deist as we have no way of telling and are simply demonstrating our own incredulity at the behaviour of some people.

When I first starting engaging with theists at RDF I had no real idea what I was dealing with at all. I had read The God Delusion but had no understanding of how far some people will twist and turn to keep their delusions alive.

I had a much easier time than you with that, since I had been a believer at one time.  

The problem is, no matter how outrageous a Poe is, there is probably a believer who actually thinks that way.  Why do you think so many people get taken in by Landover Baptist?  (Granted there aren't many christians who will admit out loud to feeling that superior to nonbeliever or even other christians, but there are quite a few who do.)