Evolution is absolutely, positively, the process by which humanity came to be on the earth. Natural selection is an explanation of why evolution progressed in the manner that it did.

You cannot have natural selection without evolution. Natural selection doesn’t explain the biological process that allows mutations to occur, it simply assumes the existence of those mutations and explains that certain mutations are beneficial to survival and will be “selected” for by nature.

Evolution is simply the observation that mutations occur, which is an effect of DNA creating imperfect copies of itself.

If what you call “macro evolution” is really speciation (the creation of an entirely new species via evolutionary processes), we have observed this countless times both in nature and in the lab. There is evidence and indeed proof for this. There is undeniable proof for common ancestry as well.

If you’d like to learn more, I highly recommend you check out this very informative YouTube series:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=DB23537556D7AADB

The first couple videos aren’t about evolution (they’re about the creation of hte universe), but you can skip ahead if you aren’t interested in the entire series. I highly recommend watching them all, though.

There are the two aspects of the theory or evolution, natural selection and macro-evolution. Creationists and evolutions both agree on natural selection which is beyond dispute and is indisputable science.

Macro-evolution involves beneficial genetic mutation, which so far has NO proof or evidence. Equally so Creationists have no scientific proof that God created the world… so neither can provide anything more than a theory or belief in this area.

I don’t think the debate should be over science v God… it should be about teaching natural selection in schools, and perhaps mentioning both theories and beliefs on the origin of life, because that’s nothing more than what they are.

I believe in science, and science research, in controversial areas like stem cells. As for school teachings, I really do not care for the debate on creation vs evolution, it is too political. There are so many unknown theories about how things came about. I learned that we are made from space dust, in which a large asteroid collided with the earth (which was like the moon) and gave earth the raw materials that we are made up of. I also learned of greek gods…etc. It is just history, thoughts, patterns, why does it matter? I say this as a person who believes in God.

I also believe in gay rights, small governments, balanced budgets, social conservatism.

I can’t call myself a democrat, or a republican. Perhaps a new party will come along, but I doubt it. There are so many combinations.

As for voting this election, I am torn who to vote for. It will be my first time voting in a presidential election. I feel if I vote for one my tax money will be spent on an endless war, if I vote for the other my tax money will be spent on social programs.

Both candidates at least are open to clean energy. The important difference between them there is one supports nuclear power, the other does not.

Figuring out who to compromise on is a challenge.