"Webster's" Dictionary of
Creation/Evolution Terms
From the book The Revolution Against Evolution
The problem of semantics is one of the most prevalent difficulties students have to face when they study science. Dr. John Moore, in his book How To Teach Origins (Without ACLU Interference) (Mott Media, 1983) has flagged a number of these "cover words" that cause confusion. The following is a list of these words.
adaptation, adapted: These words merely refer
to circumstances or conditions that exist now. Evolutionists give no
explanation how these conditions came into existence. To write that an organism
is adapted seems to explain something, but it doesn't tell us how fish came to
live and swim in the water, or how birds came to fly in the atmosphere.
advanced: An organism is "advanced" only in the minds of the
mega-evolutionist. They do not establish any criteria for what is
"advanced" or "primitive." All living organisms are
advanced.
advantage: Evolutionists say that if an organism exists, it had an advantage
over other organisms that "preceded" it. That is begging the
question.
ape men: Similarities between men and apes do not prove the origin of one from
the other.
cave men: Men live in caves today, so why would that necessarily indicate that
fossil cave men were "primitive"?
creation: Too often, this word is used by scientists to mean that something new
came into existence by some natural means. The word creation is most accurately
reserved for supernatural acts of Supreme God.
column: This word is used in geology when no physical example of the
traditional geologic column exists anywhere on the surface of the earth. They
use this term as if it was a reality.
complex: All organisms are complex. Concepts of "complex, advanced, or
primitive" are all part of the state of mind of the theorist.
date, dating: Theorists use these terms with respect to rocks or events of the
past as if some degree of accuracy in measurement existed. The time of
commencement of a trip can be checked against a watch. The first cotton gin can
be dated, since some records of such manmade objects are available. Since no
direct means of verification is available, dates of rocks are only estimations.
The age of a rock can only be estimated.
develop, developed: Should be substituted with "created by God".
evolution: When used without any prefix, this word generates confusion and
ambiguity because there is no indication of the degree of change involved.
Mega-evolutionists ask you to buy the whole theory of molecules to man based
upon micro-evolution, which is simply changes within kinds.
historical, history: Proper use of this term involves activities of human
beings; so misleading use by mega-evolutionists with respect to imagined
geologic events conveys that real objects and events were involved in presumed
past eras of time. Most properly all imagined narratives of geologists are
prehistorical.
hypothesis: In careful, proper, orderly scientific practice, this term should
be applied only to concepts that are testable by empirical procedures.
Mega-evolutionists make indiscriminate use of this term, giving the impression
that many of their ideas are in the same status as testable generalized
statements formulated by empirical scientists.
index fossils: These are fossils mega-evolutionists use to "date"
rock strata. However, these fossils are not always found where they are
expected, and some, like the coelacanth, are living today.
measurement: Too often this word is used when the term estimate would be more
accurate. No scientist can measure the size of the universe. No scientist can
measure the age of the universe or the earth. No scientist can measure the age
of a rock. Each of these instances limit scientists to estimates.
mechanism: This is a cover word for observable conditions with no real
explanation how such conditions came into existence. Use of this word supports
a mechanistic worldview centering on the idea that the cause of the conditions
are known and can be determined.
mutation: Mega-evolutionists believe that mutations are a source of new genetic
traits, when in fact they result in a loss of function in an organism, or loss
of life. The natural conservation processes God has placed in life weeds out
mutations.
natural, nature: These terms are grossly misused by mega-evolutionists, as if
they have knowledge of or have studied natural objects and events of the past.
To them, if an idea is thinkable, then the event or process is natural. Often
the term Nature is capitalized, almost as if it is deified as God.
natural laws (laws of nature): These are statements of seemingly universally
applicable generalizations that are really only descriptive, and not at all
prescriptive. The context in which this is used is like civil laws. Natural
laws do not control or govern the universe, or any part thereof. Natural laws
only describe regularities that scientists have detected in the natural
environment. Natural laws indicate the existence of a Lawgiver.
natural selection: This expression really means differences in the rate of
survival. The term selection conveys willful choice by human beings, and
usually according to certain criteria (as in artificial selection). Yet, no
criteria of selection exist in the natural environment. Willful choice of the
type practiced by human beings in artificial selection does not occur as
organisms interact with each other and the natural environment. Use of these
words capitalized, as in Natural Selection, is a further example of
anthropomorphic thinking by scientists who are committed to the naturalistic
position. Such capitalization is inappropriate.
older: The term "older" is only in the minds of the
mega-evolutionist, based upon fossil evidence and strata sequence.
"Older" strata as dated by mega-evolutionists are sometimes found on
top of "younger" strata.
overthrust: A term used to describe and explain rock strata which are in a
sequence contrary to the expected evolutionary geologic order.
population: Creationists agree that populations of organisms may vary with
conditions. However, this is not "evolution" since it does not
explain the origin of new traits. Rather, it is a conservation mechanism.
primitive: An organism is "primitive" only in the eyes of
mega-evolutionists, who do not define the criteria for "primitive" or
"advanced" organisms.
reconstruction: Used by mega-evolutionists to convey that their imagined scenarios
for the origin of geologic features or events or organisms have a historical
basis that can be followed. This word should be associated only with
reconstruction of historical events, where there are actual records and
eyewitness accounts of previously existing constructions.
record: This term usually is associated with the activities of human beings. So
when mega-evolutionists use the terms geologic record or fossil record, they
improperly convey that these occurrences were actually witnessed. Mega-evolutionists
can write and speak accurately only rock layers or fossil materials as they
exist in the present.
related, relationship: When mega-evolutionists use these terms comparing
different kinds of organisms, they convey that they can observe and reproduce
lineage relationships. Actually mega-evolutionists can write or speak only of
mere similarities, since relationship is discernable only by means of breeding
practices to set the limit of variation.
religion: This word is often used without proper clarification of the fact that
beliefs, worship practices, procedures, and conduct are included in connotation
of the word.
selfreproducing: Use of "self" conveys "selfness" or
"selfhood" as of human existence, or human will. No cell component
can reproduce itself in isolation.
science: This word is often used as propaganda to mean anything done by
scientists without clear attention to methods, procedures and practices
involving specialized equipment and techniques.
sequence: When mega-evolutionists use this word when discussing the rock
layers, they convey that they know the cause and effect of these rocks, when in
effect they cannot. They commit the logical error of assuming that something is
the cause of something else merely because the former is presumed to be earlier
in time.
spontaneous: Since no scientist can avoid external intervention (of direct or
indirect degree), no scientist is ever involved with spontaneous chemical
reactions. All experiments and all observations are the result of interventions
of one type or another by scientists practicing the procedures and
methodologies of the profession.
theory: Used commonly for almost any idea regardless of scope or inclusiveness.
It conveys status to some ideas similar to that accepted for proper scientific
theory formulated according to rigorous criteria and in accordance with the
limitations of scientists.
time periods: Often used by mega-evolutionists to mean "rock strata".
Names given to rock strata such as Cambrian or Cretaceous convey that
scientists can actually trace the age and origin of these rock strata by their
fossils.
transition, transitional form: Organisms found fossilized were fully functional
in their own right. Transitional forms do not exist.
unconformity: A rock strata missing from the expected geologic
"sequence" or "column". This is an unconformity only in the
minds of the mega-evolutionist, since it departs from his theory.
young, younger: When a mega-evolutionist describes a rock strata as being
younger or older that another, he is making relative comparisons according to
the positions of the rocks, and not actually "dating" them.
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