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Nice Kitty
Industry Role:
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: The good old USA!!!
Posts: 21,053
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It were a very easy matter to multiply our illustrations, for they lie all around us in plain view. For wherever we look within the realm of human affairs the evidences of Evolution stare us in the face. But, in striking and significant contrast with this is the fact that, the moment we pass the boundaries of that realm, we strain our eyes in vain for a scrap of evidence to indicate that the process of Evolution ever had a foothold.
The birds construct their nests, the beavers their dams, the bee- hives and ant-colonies carry on their complex operations, precisely as they always have done. Moreover, each of those creatures does its work perfectly at the very first attempt, whereas man makes innumerable failures before he can do anything even passably well.
Evidences Of Evolution In Human Affairs
In this connection there are several facts which have an important bearing on the main question, and which should therefore be carefully noted.
First, in the field where Evolution does operate?that is, in the realm of human enterprises, from which Spencer and others draw all their illustrations?the evidences of its workings abound. Traces of the earlier and cruder forms, which subsequent improvements have displaced, are plentiful. The advancement, moreover, is not so slow as to give the impression that things are at a standstill, but, on the contrary, is sufficiently rapid to permit of observation of its character and direction. From these facts it must be concluded that, if there were any Evolution in those realms of nature which are not under the guidance and control of "the will of man," there would be abundant evidences of its workings in those spheres also. The only and the sufficient reason why things in Nature appear to be at a standstill, and have so appeared during the thousands of years they have been under man?s observation, is that they are at a standstill. The simple and satisfactory explanation of the fact that no trace of Evolution has ever been found in Nature is, that there has been no Evolution there.
Second, it is seen that, in all the departments of human activities there is never any end of development, either in the construction of the things which man makes, or in the methods by which he operates. Never, in any part of this realm, is a stage reached where there is rest and stability. Never has the right thing, or the right method, been attained. But in Nature all is stable. Both structures and processes remain identically the same as they have ever been.
Why this astonishing difference? Manifestly, the reason why there is no improvement in the life-habits of the lower orders is because there is no need of any. Indeed, we can say there is no possibility of any. For who could improve upon the structure or materials of the honey-comb? The ways of those creatures do not change, for the simple reason that their ways, works and habits of life are just what their Creator planned for them.
With man it is far otherwise. The scheme of life appointed to him has been completely wrecked. His whole race is blighted and degraded. It finds itself in conditions of poverty and wretchedness. Its energies, therefore, are directed towards improvement, for the very reason that it has fallen from the place of life appointed for it.
But the most learned and intelligent of those who reject the light of Holy Scripture (which reveals the truth as to man?s condition, and shows that, despite all material gains, corruption and decay still increase and spread among the children of men) are easily misled as to the facts; and they mistake material gains for true progress.
Man?s "progress," of which he loudly boasts, is a delusion. There is indeed a constant advance in mechanical inventions, and in all that contributes to a grossly materialistic industrialism. But that apparent progress serves but to hide the real facts from the many, who look only at the surface of things. In reality the civilized nations are on the down grade. Crime, insanity and suicides increase at an appalling rate. Everywhere the spirit of violence and lawlessness is rampant. In commercial life, political life and private life corruption increases and abounds.
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