Do I believe in evolution?

When the republican candidates were asked if they believed in evolution, 3 of them did not raise their hands. Many people took this to mean they were anti-science or just plain stupid.

If someone asked me if I believe in evolution, I would have a hard time deciding whether to raise my hand. I definitely believe that the beaks of the Galapogous finch have evolved over time due to natural selection, I believe that bacteria adapt, that human selection can cause traits to change. As the old joke about infant baptism goes: "Believe in it? I've seen it done!"

I would probably even believe that natural selection caused species to change over millions of years, even though we have never "seen it done." The time periods we are talking about are so unimaginable, that anything might happen.

I do not believe in unguided, impersonal creation. I don't believe that random chance mutation plus natural selection alone explains why we are here, what we do every day. I don't believe that evolution explains the beginnings of life (and neither do the scientists, that is a different topic). I absolutely do not believe that evolutionary theory disproves the existence of God, or that science can inform us of ultimate meaning in the universe.

I believe in God, not in evolution, whatever I may think about the truth of the theory of evolution. Based on my experiences and others' experiences, the "evidence of the heart" as well as my senses and reason, I think that's a better bet.