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To: Jessarah
I'm just trying to understand the theistic evolutionist side of this.

There are undoubtedly as many different theistic interpretations of Evolution as there are interpretations of any other part of the Bible. No two denominations agree on what the Bible means, and that goes for Genesis as well.

Genesis contains only a few hundred words about the creation. Obviously, there is a considerable amount of Gods creation not described there.

God does not talk about creating gravity, the electromagnetic spectrum, viruses, on and on. There are problems with Noah's journey. How did the animals get to and from Australia, for example? How did all the animals of the earth fit in the Ark? How were they fed?

The stories in Genesis just can't be literal. Virtually no one believes that that the earth was created in literal 24 hour days, and indeed, the sun itself was not created until the 4th day, so how could those days have been measured?

Further, there are two separate creation stories, starting in Gen 1:1 and Gen 2:4. Yes, some interpretations are that Gen 2:4 is an extension of Gen 1:1. But there are sequences in 2:4 (where "B" did not happen until "A" did), and these two sequences from Gen 1:1 vs. Gen 2:4 do not agree.

I don't know the model that is proper to interpret Genesis. Perhaps it is like Jesus' parables, and the true and only meaning is that "God did it". I don't know.

But since it is required for any honest interpreter of Genesis to rationalize apparent differences between the verses, it is no different to rationalize that God created Evolution, and just did not mention it in those few verses at the Beginning of the Bible.

I don't believe that God manhandles the earth in it's orbit around the sun moment by moment. I believe He created gravity and allows it to work as He designed. Likewise, I see no problem that God created Evolution, and allowed it to work as He designed.

Like the Pope, I believe that there is no conflict between God's creation and the Bible. Only conflicts in men. And this fight over Evolution is between men.

84 posted on 01/25/2005 9:14:43 PM PST by narby ( A truly Intelligent Designer, would have designed Evolution)
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To: narby

But wouldn't Adam have been a special creation? I mean, somewhere in time there has to be a "man" that is there for God to call the first man...to have a relationship with that man...to create a woman out of that man. It seems strange to me that we have these millions of years of man evolving until BINGO! God says, "Here he is! This is the one I'm going to have that special relationship with. This is the one I will not allowed to die."
So what do we pick and choose out of the Genesis story? Do we forget about him creating man out of dust? Forget about him taking the side of the man to create woman? I'm not sure where I'm suppose to start believing and where I'm suppose to stop. I guess if it doesn't jive with evolution, I stop?


89 posted on 01/25/2005 9:25:41 PM PST by Jessarah
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To: narby; Jessarah; WildTurkey
The problem with 'theistic' evolution is not the animals or plants or gravity. It is man.

Human beings.....specifically created in HIS image, God-breathed, possessing reason and intellect, commanded to rule over the rest of creation.

If one believes that man evolved, and was not created, one does not believe in Scripture, period.

You cannot twist the Bible into man's evolution from animal without denying it's validity in every other area.

I don't know a creationist who doesn't believe there has been evolution within the species. But believing that man evolved from animal is completely contrary to God's word.

102 posted on 01/26/2005 5:39:38 AM PST by ohioWfan (Have you PRAYED for your President today?)
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