Darwinius reactions

Predictably, the loonies are frothing at the news that paleontologists have discovered a species intermediate between human and non-human primates, named darwinius masillae, that fills the slot on the evolutionary tree where Creationists complained there was a ‘missing link.’ “Oh, yeah,” they would say. “If we came from monkeys, why has nobody ever found the ‘missing link’ between men and monkeys?”

Now we have.

This doesn’t ‘confirm’ Darwin’s theory of evolution; that was accomplished a long time ago. All it really does it help to fill out the family tree.

The vital thing to understand here is that everything in the biosphere — everything — is a transitional species, arrived in its present state from something that preceded it, and headed to something else. We are a transitional species.

It doesn’t bother me in the least that my ancestors were swinging in trees millions of years ago; I’m just grateful they didn’t fall on their heads.

But some folk are severely annoyed. Over at Rapture Ready, for instance, some poor simpleton interprets Google’s temporary use of darwinius in their logo as evidence that the company worships Satan.

I mean..I am really tired of this stupid AC world…
MY FATHER IS YHWH…MY GOD AND MY SAVIOUR YESHUA and THE KADOSH RUACH….they worship satan…. Sick stuff…

At Answers in Genesis, the folk behind the ‘Creation Museum,’ it’s all much ado about nothing:

Thus, rather than an apeman-like missing link that some media sources have irresponsibly implied, the real story is quite underwhelming and should in no way faze creationists.

The all-important thing to understand is that there is a place on the family tree for every new fossil discovery, a place on the chart where it clearly belongs. This is, as it happens, the fossil that Creationists have dismissed as the ‘missing link’ but they will never acknowledge it because they can’t; to do so is too psychologically burdensome, and means their lives have been governed by, and wasted in the service of — childish nonsense.

The rest of us should marvel at the elegance of Darwin’s achievement.