The Complaint Often made by evolutionists about being called evolutionists is illustrated perfectly in this quote from an evolutionist complaining about my usage of the term.
“Oh, and stop calling people evolutionists - it’s a very desperate term invented by creationists to try and make evolution sound like your religion. It isn’tm, it’s science. Get over it.”
While many evolutionists simply ignore the usage of the term “evolutionist,” many will complain about it. Not only by falsely claiming that the term was invented by creationists, but also that it is used to make evolution seem like a religion. However, it turns out that neither of these claims has any basis in reality.
Response of evolutionists when asked for an alternative term for “evolutionist.”
Evolutionists have often been asked on social media and other forums to provide an alternative label that they would find acceptable. More often than not, they never respond to the question. This strongly suggests that they do not have a real alternative in mind; they just don't like the word evolutionist for whatever reason.
The second common response is that they insist on being called scientists or some other term that gives their side an automatic advantage in a conversation. Of course, even if universal common descent were true, the label " scientists” would be inaccurate. First of all, not all evolutionists are scientists. There are many people online who talk a lot about evolution and try to claim it as fact, who are not scientists. In fact, many of them do not have a degree of any kind, let alone in one of the sciences. Furthermore, despite the claims of evolutionists, some scientists do not support universal common descent. The simple fact of the matter is that there is no real alternative to “evolutionists” for those who hold to the theory of universal common descent.
Charles Darwin and the Word “Evolutionist”
For the record, creationists did not invent the term evolutionist. Charles Darwin himself used the term in “The Origin of Species.” However, many evolutionists want to think that this is just a creationist buzzword invented to denigrate “the greatest theory of science ever devised,” in their minds.
One of the saddest things about this topic is that there are many people out there who at least come across as thinking that if evolutionary theory were to fall, all of technology and all of the rest of science would fall with it. In reality, all that would actually fall is their atheistic worldview.
Dictionary Definition of “Evolutionist”
The word “evolutionist” is simply a descriptive word meaning “a person who believes in or supports a theory of evolution, especially in biology.” It can be found in many dictionaries as meaning such. Evolutionists, on the other hand, do not care about the dictionary definition. They hate it because it is an accurate description that does not give them an advantage in a discussion.
Creationist Use of the Word “Evolutionist”
Contrary to the claims of evolutionists who reject the label, Creationists use the term “evolutionist” simply because there is no other term to use. There is no effort to make evolution seem like a religion. It is simply a neutral term that, when used, everyone knows what you mean.
The simple fact of the matter is that the term “evolutionist” predates the modern creation science movement, as stated earlier, even Charles Darwin used it. It is simply a useful term that, when used, people know who you are referring to. There is simply nothing more than that. There is no alternative or motive beyond having a neutral term that describes the other side when discussing origins.
The Real Reason Evolutionists Reject the Label “Evolutionist.”
Ultimately, the real reason why evolutionists tend to reject the label “evolutionist” is precisely because it is a neutral term. It is a term that does not give them a starting advantage in a discussion.
The same rationale is at the heart of evolutionists using insults and other derogatory terms. It is the same reason why atheists have gone to great lengths in court to make sure that only their position is allowed in public schools. The simple fact of the matter is that the Big Bang to man evolutionary story cannot really stand up to fair scrutiny. They have got to have the advantage. They have got to be the authorities that no one can challenge.
If this position were as unbeatable as evolutionists like to claim. They would be more than happy to start from a neutral position. This is because they would be able to legitimately win any argument. They should be able to put up all the evidence and logic from a neutral position and overwhelmingly defeat anybody, but they can't. They need that position of authority; they need that position of advantage as a starting point, where they can reject anything that goes against their position, while falsely charging others for doing the same.
Conclusion
While not all evolutionists reject the label, enough do to make it a mainstream position within the community. The simple fact of the matter is that the Big Bang to man evolutionary story has to be the only game in town, or it falls flat on its face when skepticism is allowed. As a result, they want to make sure they have every advantage possible for their position. They want to make sure that it is taught in brainwashing fashion to students in as many schools as possible, so that they will never question it.
This is all regardless of what the evidence actually says. Because frequently, if you look at the actual evidence and the claims of evolutionists skeptically, they simply do not match. Three things are necessary for the Big Bang to man atheistic mythology to maintain the dominance that it does. Money, which it gets plenty of even in the form of taxpayer dollars. Exclusivity, that is being taught and promoted in public education and other forums as an absolute, unquestionable truth, where no skepticism is allowed. Forced dominance, this view of origins needs to have a dominance that allows it to crush by force, rather than evidence or logic, any opposition. They need to have the authority to get rid of anyone who dares to question orthodoxy.
The point is that, when the Big Bang to man evolutionary story needs to compete on an equal footing with other ideas, it does not stand a chance. It is only by locking people in a mental box that they cannot even see outside of, along with controlling money and credibility, that it can have the dominance that it does. This is ultimately why many evolutionists reject the label “evolutionist.” That reason is that without an advantage, this atheistic view of origins does not stand a chance.
---------------------------
Dictionary References
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/evolutionist
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/evolutionist
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/evolutionist
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/evolutionist
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/evolutionist_
