I am always surprised how the word 'theory' is used by some as a synonym for something that is untrue or unproved, lacking in credulity. Some lay people try to apply the literary definition "an abstract thought or speculation" to every use of the word. Especially when they are trying to argue against a bit of science which they may disagree.

But there are other definitions and uses for the word. There are legal theories, there are religious theories, logical theories and there are scientific theories. All presenting differing amounts of reasonableness to their own definition of the word. A Scientific 'theory' is: a plausible or scientifically acceptable general principle or body of principles offered to explain phenomena <the wave theory of light or the theory of relativity, the theory of evolution, even electronic theories>.

If mankind restricted its belief system only to proven fact we never would have gotten out of the stone age. Some things are not completely knowable and will remain in the realm of the theoretical forever. Not because the preponderance of the evidence states otherwise, but because the scientific mind will always have doubts. It will always be looking for that last percentage point of proof. 99.99999...% accurate is not a fact, it is a theory. In science things only become Law when they can no longer be questioned....examined or explored. And even then they can be wrong. Newton's Law of Gravity was superseded by Einstein's Theory of Relativity.... a Law overthrown by a theory. Go figure.. That's why there are very, very few laws but there are a whole bunch of theories.

To limit your argument to "Just the facts, mam" limits you in more ways than you can know. The argument that 'it's only a theory'  has been used as justification to fight every scientific advancement through history. From the Church slapping down Galileo, to the denial of evolution and the insistence, by some; that the Earth is the center of the Universe, flat and only five thousand years old. All have chanted "it's only a theory". There comes a point where the decimal points become difficult to stand up to.

Do you deny evolution because it's a theory? Do you keep up with astronomy? Does relativity hold any credibility? Did your computer boot today? The reason that I ask is because there are only a couple real Laws that define the reasons why the thing actually works the way it does, on the whole electronics is still very theoretical.

That being said; science is a work of man and is always open to greed, social and political influences and there must be a trustworthy peer based system to control what becomes scientific doctrine. And we laypeople must give scientists the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their field of study. They'll work it out.

A friend of mine, "Dr Todd", is a real Scientist, whom I have a lot of respect and during a drunken debate once he made a comment that really stuck with me. He said "There are two kinds of people in science. There are Scientists and there are Lawyers. The Scientist looks at a collection of evidence and asks to himself 'what does this mean'? The Lawyer looks at the same evidence and asks 'What do I want this to mean'?"