Darwin and Jesus Fish Wars Debate on Car Bumpers

Science and Religion, Atheist vs. Christian Symbols, Designs, Decals

Feb 1, 2010
Aimee Larsen Stoddard

Darwin Fish vs. Religion Fish - Waka Jawaka

Christians, atheists, believers, agnostics argue over Darwin fish, religious fish car stickers, signs. What's the meaning of evolution fish and Christian fish?

The argument about whether science or religion, evolutionism or creationism is correct has moved onto car bumpers. Atheists, agnostics, skeptics, freethinkers, and secularists are responding to the Christian Jesus fish car decals, emblems, stickers, symbols, and signs with Darwin fish designs. For many people, evolution, represented in their minds by the naturalist Charles Darwin, proves that God does not exist and religion is false.

History and Meaning of the Jesus Fish

The history of the Jesus fish extends back to the beginnings of Christianity. There are numerous stories about fish and several references to fish in the New Testament. Jesus’ disciples were fishermen. The fish became a common symbol for Christianity.

According to ReligionFacts.com, early Christians in the Roman Empire were persecuted for their beliefs. Since the cultural climate was dangerous for Christians, when strangers met, if one was a Christian, he or she might draw or trace an arc on the ground. If the second person added a second arc to complete the fish, both individuals knew the other was a Christian so it was safe to discuss religious matters.

The sign of the fish used on cars often includes the word “Jesus” or the Greek letters “ΙΧΘΥΣ” in the middle of the animal. Each of the Greek letters makes up the first letter in the acrostic phrase “Jesus Christ, God’s son, savior." The first letter of each word in the Greek phrase also spell out the word "fish" in Greek.

History and Meaning of the Darwin Fish

The Darwin fish is a response to the Jesus fish. The Darwin fish is often used to make fun of and mock the Christian fish.

Since Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution and survival of the fittest animals, many Christians and Christian churches have had difficulty reconciling faith with science, the teachings of the Bible with the facts of the scientific worldview. For some people, this led to a crisis of faith and renunciation of religion. Today, atheism is often equated with evolutionism.

The Darwin fish has many versions, from the simple to the complex. Here is a sampling:

Car decal with the word “Evolve” in the middle of the fish
Car symbol with the word “Sushi” in the middle of the fish
Car decal with the words “N’ Chips” in the middle of the fish
Car sticker with the word “Darwin” in the middle of a fish that has sprouted legs
Car emblem with the words “Reality Bites” in the middle of a fish that is eating another fish
Car symbol with the word “Angel” in the middle of a fish that has wings, a lyre, and a halo
Car emblem with the word “Devil” in the middle of a fish with horns that is holding a pitchfork
Dinosaur eating a fish with the word “Truth” in the middle

Jesus and Darwin Bumper Stickers Fish Wars

The conflict between religion and science, Darwinianism and Christianity, evolution and creation is heated. The “Fish Wars” that pit the Darwin fish against the Jesus fish is taking place on car bumpers. Christians use the Jesus fish to declare their faith in the savior Jesus Christ, and atheists use the Darwin fish to refute scientifically unsubstantiated religious claims. As the debate between Christians and secularists continues, new Darwin and Jesus stickers, decals, emblems, and symbols continue to crop up on the backs of vehicles everywhere.

Aimee Larsen Stoddard - Aimee is a professional writer/editor. She has a BA in English and is currently completing an MS in Theology.

Christians Use Jesus Christ Fish to Show Faith - Jo Simon

Comments

Aug 11, 2010 4:41 AM

Guest :

A thousand years or less from now, when I'm long gone, returned to the energy of the universe, people will look back and laugh at the creationists and ask, "Did people really believe in a sky-daddy?"

Sep 13, 2010 6:50 AM

Guest :

The Darwin Fish demonstrates that Darwinism is religion, not science. Evolutionists try desperately to hold onto the intellectual high ground by proclaiming evolution to be science and creation to be religious. Yet their symbol for this is a fish with feet - something "science" has never produced.
People who have actually studied the dissenting literature know that transitional forms have never been discovered or documented, leading to the scientific conclusion that they never existed. More and more scientists are dissenting from Darwinism every day: http://www.dissentfromdarwin.org/
Evolution is a philosophical hypothesis and nothing more. It is appropriate that the Darwinians have as their symbol a picture of something that doesn't exist. In fact, it's poetic!

Oct 6, 2010 1:59 PM

Guest :

"The Darwin Fish demonstrates that Darwinism is religion, not science."
Really? What about the christian cross? Is christianity not a religion because there is a symbol associated with it?
Your logic fails.

Dec 5, 2010 2:15 PM

Guest :

Dear Christians, when you understand why you do not believe in other religions and the gods/goddesses associated with those religions, you will then understand why we have simply added your Christian religion and god to our list of ridiculous religious notions.

Dec 16, 2010 5:13 AM

Guest :

"People who have actually studied the dissenting literature know that transitional forms have never been discovered or documented, leading to the scientific conclusion that they never existed." What planet are you on? Do you read anything other than creationist blogs and websites? Evolution makes predictions about what we would expect to see in the fossil record, comparative anatomy, genetic sequences, geographical distribution of species, etc., and these predictions have been verified many times over. The number of observations supporting evolution is overwhelming. There are buildings full of transitional fossils all over the world. Try reading about Tiktaalik http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiktaalik

Dec 16, 2010 8:28 AM

Guest :

I am an atheists but It should be pointed out that there are a good deal of educated Christians amongst the numbers of evolutionists and that by no means should the argument between the creationists and science be considered a wholly atheist endeavor. Given the threat to science education in America today all sides, religious and atheist alike need to work together to prevent the evangelical and fundamentalists from doing more damage.

Dec 16, 2010 8:37 AM

Guest :

To the commenter below, How does the use of a symbol make something a religion? The Boy Scouts and Ambulance companies and the Fraternal Order of Police all have symbols. Does that make them also religions? Furthermore the scientists, science educators and supporters of rational thought are not desperately trying to hold on to the theory in defense from other scientists but only from fundamentalist fanatics who have zero proof that a god did it when it comes to life on this planet. I'm no biologist and I'm sure you are not either but I will take my lead and direction of study from the 98.86% of scientists who do feel that their is significant proof for evolution and not the paltry arguments of fundamentalist dogma.

Feb 7, 2011 11:22 PM

Guest :

Evolutionism and Evolutionist are innacurate terms, Darwin was no messiah made no claim to any sort of divinity, his books mention no deities nor demand their readers live their lives to rules of such unsubstantiated beings, it's just science. Back in his day it was a scientific hypothesis, nowadays it's scientific theory thanks to observation and evidence in the geological record, DNA etc.
The terms originate from creationists trying to say there's a scientific debate on everything, it applies to the whole of modern science but at the end of the day they fail in court and there are no corporations or business who'd employ them over even psychics because their models are pure nonsense.

Jun 3, 2011 9:46 PM

Guest :

The FISH symbol, as the article points out, is an ancient Christian symbol. It was not employed as an attack on science or atheism, but simply as an expression of Christian faith. That non-Christians feel the need to exploit this symbol in their attacks on Christianity speaks to their need to strengthen their own faith by ridiculing the faith of others.

There is no conflict between evolution and orthodox Christian faith. The conflict has been created by fundamentalist Christians and fundamentalist evolutionist who mis-interpret both Christianity and Darwin.

May 7, 2012 9:46 AM

Guest :

When I see articles like this and read comments like I have read, it doesn't sicken me...it saddens me. I can't imagine living on this earth thinking that this life is all that there is. I'm happy because I am a baptized believer in God and the Holy Bible as his inspired word, so when I'm dead and gone, I will move on to a happier, loving place with my Heavenly Father and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

10 Comments