The Evolution Diminution

[mibn2cweus]

Upon affirming my belief in human evolution I've been incredulously assailed with the statement, "What, so you believe we came from monkeys?" While my understanding is that we didn't ascend directly for monkeys but rather share a common ancestor, I nonetheless wonder why some seem to find the prospect of having evolved from our simian cousins offensive when in many circumstances if anything it is the chimpanzee who should be offended.
If you've encountered (or indeed used) this attempt at arguing against evolution, where do you suppose this defensive posture at apparent offence arises?

[Mamyalynne]

I don't know , I think if anyone responded like that I'd ask them why.

[Old_Geezer]

Unsure that I understand the question. The person asking you is simply trying to embarrass you by pretending that you have admitted that you are of lowly monkey descent and thus inferior whilst they can cling to the unsubstantiated belief that they are special and decended from a fully formed human creation. In reality it has no bearing on the discussion as to which is more likely to be correct and one can simply point out it's irrelevance and how it is simply avoiding the issue because genuine argument for creationism is weak.

[mibn2cweus]

//I don't know , I think if anyone responded like that I'd ask them why.//

Even at the risk of generating additional offence?

[mikey4444]

Push them in the direction of this ::::::::

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_Trial

[atalanta]

Everything on earth evolved from an original primordial blob. Humans, apes, chimps, monkeys all evolved from distant ancestors whose offspring split off into different species at different times. Humans are related to all other living things, but more closely related to some than to others.
But why argue with people who are clearly so ignorant ? Some people just enjoy being ignorant, so best to leave them to it.

[Mamyalynne]

//Even at the risk of generating additional offence?//


If I know them well enough to be conversing on such topics I can't see how asking them for further information is liable to cause any offence.

[mibn2cweus]

//But why argue with people who are clearly so ignorant ? Some people just enjoy being ignorant, so best to leave them to it.//

I generally do. In fact, while I do my best a avoid such situations, when I do find myself confronted with such questions I wonder what's the use in answering at all. In this case the response I got came out of the blue catching me completely by surprise. Nevertheless I am left wondering what kind of explanations others might offer for why anyone would respond to my belief in evolution with such a question?

[mibn2cweus]

//Push them in the direction of this ::::::::
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scopes_Trial
//

Well, I found that interesting . . . thanks.

[cassa333]

Simply answer yes. We are descended from primates etc because the scientific evidence shows this to be the case. Whereas there is no credible evidence for a god in any shape or form.

If you want to offend them call them an idiot because of their belief in an abstract deity as a placebo replacement to understanding the reality of existence.

[mibn2cweus]

In retrospect, I think the part that bothered me the most was that physically she was a rather fine specimen of humanity her own self . . . although at that point I had pretty much lost hope that she might be up for a little monkey business.

[Guilbert53]

Note that Monkeys and Apes are not quite the same thing (though they did actually evolve from the same thing many many years ago).

Apes are things like Chimpanzees, Gorillas and Humans.

Monkeys (which often have a tail) are things like Marmosets and Tamarins.

If you go to the zoo then the monkeys are generally smaller than apes and often have a tail, and are the ones hopping from tree to tree (though not all of them do that).

When I am at a zoo and I am looking the chimpanzees and I see a family come up and say to their children "look at the monkeys" I feel like screaming and saying "it is not a monkey it is an ape" but never do.

So we are more directly descended from Apes and not Monkeys.

[mibn2cweus]

//Linnaeus's inclusion of humans in the primates with monkeys and apes was troubling for people who denied a close relationship between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom. Linnaeus's Lutheran archbishop had accused him of "impiety". In a letter to Johann Georg Gmelin dated 25 February 1747, Linnaeus wrote:
It is not pleasing to me that I must place humans among the primates, but man is intimately familiar with himself. Let's not quibble over words. It will be the same to me whatever name is applied. But I desperately seek from you and from the whole world a general difference between men and simians from the principles of Natural History. I certainly know of none. If only someone might tell me one! If I called man a simian or vice versa I would bring together all the theologians against me. Perhaps I ought to, in accordance with the law of Natural History.//

From - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ape#History_of_hominoid_taxonomy