Broad scientific consensus has it that relatively soon after the earth was formed chemicals began to act like small organisms that over millions of years evolved into loosely prokaryotic cells that continued to evolve into all the life we see around us today,  the little organisms and fungi and plants and animals, from which last group we humans evolved.

There are variations in the theory (I recommend Margulis on symbiotic evolution - The Symbiotic Planet wasn't too difficult - but I don't have expertise, especially in her more controversial ideas and the relevant counterpoints) but I think the above paragraph should be vague enough to satisfy any proponent of evolution, and I have kept it that way because it is just enough to distinguish evolutionists from anti-evolutionists.

I'm not making this a poll because I don't think the easily scammable numbers would be as illuminating as reading opinions.

Here is a wikipedia page with more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_history_of_life Of course there are lots of online sources that you can find depending on what you would like to understand, since this post isn't to educate but to enquire:

What do you think of the theory of evolution?

Psychiatrists under fire in mental health battle

British Psychological Society to launch attack on rival profession, casting doubt on biomedical model of mental illness

There is no scientific evidence that psychiatric diagnoses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are valid or useful, according to the leading body representing Britain's clinical psychologists.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/may/12/psychiatrists-under-fire-…

Omne ignotum pro magnifico,” (Everything unknown seems magnificent).
 
It all started on a Friday lunch, much like any other week at work. There was the usual last minute work before the weekend set in. The boss was mysteriously (if not atypically) absent due to some illness so there was an atmosphere of relaxation followed by the usual light hearted banter.
 
I was absorbed in my work when the topic of conversation turned to lunch and the many a places my work mate wanted to go. She was an indian hindu girl who proudly wore the tika and in a society where people no longer held to their scriptures she had been raised to hold true to hers. And yet, she ate much like a Hobbit. With two breakfasts and two lunches (such is the teasing of friends). But all in all a delightful and intelligent girl. For the sake of this story we shall refer to her as Kay.
 
Everyone had given her their lunch orders for the day, McDonalds. I smiled and kindly declined (their food was always questionnable to me). The next half hour or so progressed as any other work day did, when my attention was suddenly drawn to the window by my colleagues remark 'Whose that talking to Kay?'
A glance outside the window showed that Kay was still in her car, whilst a stranger stood at her window talking to her. He seemed to be of Indo/Paki decent, with a dark complexion which made me think it was more so the former than the later. He was dressed in jeans, a bubble jacket (or something that could perhaps have once passed for a life jacket), all of which was nicely kept, clean and tidy with short black curly hair. He had a Charles Bronson type of moustache and a rough, 2/3 day shaved look about him.
 
What was even more strange was that, i had never seen him before. Whilst this may not seem like a big thing to you, our offices were located in a residential area and in the middle of a caucasian area.
 
Five minutes must have passed while she remained in her car talking to this unknown stranger at her window. Understandably my colleagues were getting restless waiting for their food. However something seemed amiss, so i ventured out to check Kay was alright.
At my approach his posture seemed to be relaxed but not threatening. However cornering someone at their car is hardly the decent thing to do. He swiftly took a few steps back as he saw i meant to interfere. I enquired if Kay was alright and if she had managed to acquire the lunch order. She saw by the steel look in my eye that I had infact come to check on whether she was ok. She smiled nervously, and said she was ok although something in her eye seemed to suggest she was uneasy. She explained she was just talking to this man before she asked that i take the food inside. Giving the man a look of warning I collected the lunch order and returned to the office. She returned to the office shortly after, clearly shaken when she asked to speak to me alone.
 
What she divulged was as follows: That the man claim to be a Yogi from Ajmer Sharif and had awaited specifically for her because he had a message for her. The message was that he believed she was the victim of black magic which is why she doesnt have any children. She had protested ofcourse at the time, however he had scribbled something on a piece of paper before handing it to her. He then asked her date of birth, to pick a number from a choice of random numbers, the year of her marriage etc. After asking these questions he asked her to open up the paper which revealed all her answers. This he presented as proof of his abilities. He then gave her an orange stone and told her to place the stone beneath her pillow with a red pen before she goes to bed. That night she will have a dream in which she will receive a 'mantra' which she is to write down as soon as she wakes up and then to call him on his mobile and he will help her undo this magic.
She showed me to stone. It appeared to be a calcite stone, approximately 15mm in length and 10mm wide. She appeared to be quite shaken by the event and awaited some words of reassurance. 

So the Pakistani elections are here... What results are you expecting? Imran Khan for a clean sweep? Or Nawaz Sharif? Or a coalition of the two? Or as many expect, will the elections be rigged with the same faces in power? Or are we expecting a great revolution? Are you hopeful or excited? Or is it just one big drama to you?

Is it a corrupt political system, electoral process and pre-poll rigging that will deny the people who are suited best to have enough votes to have any real influence? Do you have faith in the current political system or will real change come outside of the electoral process by calling for reforms in the whole political structure in Pakistan?

I'm not even going to quote what's said. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-22379414

So I was watching the news, until THIS disgusting headline came up which just made me face-palm. 

First the men accused in Rochdale, and now this followed by a man charged over attempted rape (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-22479441).

I find it so funny that all the men involved are pakistani which just makes it an even bigger disgrace on the whole community. What the heck, the older one involved was 61. 

Someone a while back said to me ''Why is it only pakistani muslim men who find themselves in these situations?''

I wish I knew.

Salams! 

This is random I know but I read an article about some dinosaur fossils in Austrailia and it just made me wonder about what Islam says about dinosuars. Is it said/written anywhere if they existed before/ after or during the time of Adam and what killed them? Was it a meteor or an astroid like scientists believe or was it the Great Flood? 

Please if possible back your answers with viable sources not just make stuff up...

Jazakallah! 

Professor Stephen Hawking is backing the academic boycott of Israel by pulling out of a conference hosted by Israeli president Shimon Peres in Jerusalem as a protest at Israel's treatment of Palestinians.

Read More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/08/stephen-hawking-israel-acad…

What's your opinion of non-Muslims wearing Hijab publicly? Do you think it's disrespectful to Islam and female Muslims or do you think it's something that you'd encourage? I wonder how you'd go about it. Share your views. 

what do you think of them? shld muslims be doing them?

what abt Samer Issawi, he's being on a hunger strikes for over 200 days.

i dont know..but i feel uncomfortable abt this, i dont think he shld be doing it, its not helping in anyway, its only hurting him. and he's becoming weaker when he's already in a situation where he's "weak" shldnt he be keeping up his strength for whatever lies ahead?

but true, it DID bring attention to him and made the world aware of his situation (hence this forum topic!) and you dont hear much abt all he other Palestinians in Israeli prisons. is this what the world has come to? someone has to starve themselves to be heard when in plain injustice (he's had no trial or accusations held against him).

what shld we do?

what abbout on an islamic perspective, i dont think you're really allowed to harm your body like this...

have you heard of the recent campaign? everyone is writing on money notes "free Samer Issawi" http://www.facebook.com/#!/activists.palestine?hc_location=stream