I think a lot of confusion comes from the use of the word theory.

It confuses people who have a faith based viewpoint of the world.

In fact they have a big misconception about what a scientific theory actually is, if you take for example the “theory of Evolution” as it’s commonly known; what in fact is being discussed is “the theory of evolution through natural selection”.

Now I’ll clear my throat for the next bit (ahem)….. Evolution is an observed scientific fact.

I’ll let that sink in for a little bit.

The “theory” in this type of scientific context covers a whole range of different scientific areas, and collects together a wide range of observed and tested facts. The scientific process is such that it seeks not to prove something is correct, instead the theory is tested; experiments are conducted in order to establish a predictable result. And at all times as new information is discovered what is know is revised and updated.

So Science does not deal in proof, so when certain religious factors take a faith based position and go on the offensive against Science the arguments usually fall flat because the faith based position does not have the Scientific understanding to understand the process and concepts used.

Taken to it’s extreme we have situations where in my opinion the particular faith actually damages itself looking for gaps in Science knowledge and liberally inserting God, turning God into little more than a God of the gaps.