paleonet cautions on biblical interpretation, from faith and skepticism

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>  I know of no explicit statement that the
>  Egyptians are descendants of Noah I suppose that idea came from reading the
>  story of the flood as literal history in other words that it is religious
>  tradition like the idea that the Earth is only six thousand years old.

This illustrates part of the danger involved in trying to bring up what the Bible says when discussing evolution.  Genesis 10:6 lists Egypt among the nations descended from Noah, but many translations unhelpfully leave Egypt untranslated as Mizraim.  Thus, examination of various translations and their footnotes, or reading a commentary, or knowledge of semitic languages is necessary to find the reference.  Most people who are likely to be sympathetic to antievolutionary claims act out of a belief that they fit well with their scriptures.  They are probably very familiar with at least parts of those scriptures, and so an inaccurate critique of those scriptures will get you dismissed as an ignorant enemy.

Unless you have the time and inclination to do some detailed study of the relevant passages and the range of interpretations existing within the religious tradition in question, it's safest to avoid the topic.  (Neither antievolutionists nor religion departments necessarily provide reliable guidance on these issues.)  

A safer and relevant approach could be:

"I don't know too much about the Bible, but I do know it doesn't approve of lying.  As a paleontologist, I know what is true about paleontology...."


    Dr. David Campbell 
    Old Seashells 
    University of Alabama 
    Biodiversity & Systematics 
    Dept. Biological Sciences 
    Box 870345 
    Tuscaloosa, AL  35487-0345 USA
    bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com

That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at Droitgate Spa