Finding common ground between God and evolution ("Theory is greater than facts)

Seattle Times ^ | Jan 25, 2005 | Froma Harrop

[narby]

Adam lived 930 years. He and his wife surely had many children.

So the Bible left that part out.

My point is that it left the technical details of the creation of life, I.E. Evolution out as well.

Genesis is the Readers Digest version of creation.

[WildTurkey]

"We were taught in Sunday school that that was why man had one less rib than woman." Your teacher was being heavy handed in her/his interpretation, as the NIV says, "rib" or "the side of man". And that in itself doesn't imply there's one less rib in man.

It was in a holy building and she was inspired by God. Doesn't that mean anything?

[WildTurkey]

No, the evolutionist doesn't have to reconcile himself to that, but the THEISTIC evolutionist does.

No problem. One is science and the other is faith. A lot of people are smart enough to know the distinction.

[JohnnyM]

"Further, given the fact Creation occurred prior to Mary's pregnancy and the development of Jesus's body, how could Adam have been made in Jesus's image if that image had yet to exist? "

Who was walking in the Garden in the cool of the day?

Gen 3:8 - They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

JM

[JohnnyM]

"When evolution reached the point at which the mind of a pre-human homonid was sufficiently advanced"

This is not supported by the Word of God. You can believe this all you want, but it is not the Truth found in the Scriptures.

JM

[JohnnyM]

"God gave us reason and a curious mind. "

God gave us His Word, not some "allegorical centuries-old text" that you look down upon. It is Life and Truth.

JM

[jwalsh07]

All that being said... No, I don't think ID should be taught in schools. I had this whole long paragraph... but I'll just leave it at that.

So bioengineering should be removed from all curriculum?

[ml1954]

I don't think ID should be taught in schools

I guess we've been in agreement on this all along.

Maybe we only disagree on the teaching of evolution. Good luck on trying to stop evolution from being taught, if that's what you want. It is a 'scientific theory' for which there is a mountain of evidence, but that's a whole other discussion I really don't want to get into.

All I'd like to say is that people can choose not to believe (evolution) it if they want. They can also choose to not believe in the theories of electricity and magnetism. They'll just have trouble explaining how their TV and PC work.

One thing that makes evolution vulnerable to argument is that (to my knowledge) there have not been practical applications of the theory that people can see in their everyday life. IIRC, Einstein's theories were in this position for awhile. That being said, maybe someone someday will come discover a better scientific theory that explains the evidence. Science does not rule this possibility out. If that happens, evolution will be retired. But it seems highly unlikely.

[Modernman]

God gave us His Word, not some "allegorical centuries-old text" that you look down upon. It is Life and Truth.

I don't look down on the Bible. I look down on people who rely on a vague, general creation-myth as a science textbook while ignoring the evidence in front of their own eyes.

People who reject reality reject God. I imagine that Creationists find themselves in a bit of hot water when they meet their maker and have to explain why they actively rejected the evidence of his creation.

[JohnnyM]

"And further, you know that this same kind of discussion will be brought up in high school "science" classes when they're forced to bring up "Intelligent Design". Either the teacher, or certainly some atheist classmates, will bring up these questions and the faith of some of these young people will be severely challenged. Some, certainly, will decide then and there that God is a fairy tale, and will reject Him for life."

Um, this happens today with evolution. Crevo discussions have existed since evolutions conception. This is a straw man argument.

Evolution speaks against the God of the Bible. It certainly has caused young children to question thier beliefs. So please spare us this false dichotomy.

JM

[bigLusr]

So bioengineering should be removed from all curriculum?

Sorry. You lost me. Why would I believe that bioengineering should be removed from all curriculum?

[Modernman]

Evolution speaks against the God of the Bible. It certainly has caused young children to question thier beliefs.

If a religious belief is so weak that it is challenged by a scientific theory, it wasn't too sincere in the first place......

[jwalsh07]

Because bioenginnering is the essence of ID.

Consider this:

Two cells, A and B. One is bioengineered, one the product of RM/NS. How do you tell which is which?

[JohnnyM]

"People who reject reality reject God."

The Word of God says otherwise.

2 Cor 4:18 - So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

JM

[ohioWfan]

Please quit evading my question.........this time by insult......and try to answer what I am asking.

How do you, as a theistic evolutionist, understand how God uniquely gifted humanity with thinking, and spiritual understanding that animals do not share?

It is not 'narrow-minded' to want to know how you resolve the conflict between what God teaches in His word, and what is taught in science class.

It is you who say there is no problem with the resolution, and I am asking you personally, no strings attached, how you do it.

[JohnnyM]

"If a religious belief is so weak that it is challenged by a scientific theory, it wasn't too sincere in the first place......"

Good, then we should allow ID to be mentioned in science class, because this was the reason some have stated for not allowing it.

JM

[ohioWfan]

So then, how does a theistic evolutionist explain how that soul was implanted in humans? Was it in homonids?

[ohioWfan]

But I thought Adam was merely allegorical.......not a real human, but a representation of humanity.

How can Adam be the first man to receive a soul if he is not real?

[Modernman]

Good, then we should allow ID to be mentioned in science class, because this was the reason some have stated for not allowing it.

ID doesn't belong in science class because it is not science. It is philosophy.

[Modernman]

So, your god wants you to reject reality?

Forgive me if I want to keep this type of teaching out of science class.