Darwin’s Sad Legacy (evolution invented to give death and suffering a positive explanation?)

AiG ^ | April 14, 2009 | Dr. Tommy Mitchell

[GodGunsGuts]

The common thread throughout Darwin’s life was his continual struggle with the issue of death and suffering. He was never able to reconcile the existence of death, disease, and struggle with the character of a loving God:

I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created the Ichneumonidae with the express intention of their feeding within the living bodies of Caterpillars, or that a cat should play with mice.[1]

Darwin was unable to understand why a loving Creator God would allow the horrible things he witnessed in nature and everyday life. Animals fed on one another; creatures ripped each other apart; women died in childbirth, etc. The world seemed heartless and cruel. Darwin’s eventual expansion of the concept of evolution seemed to provide a somewhat positive purpose for the suffering and death he could not explain.

Two of Darwin’s biographers went so far as to imply that...

[count-your-change]

Paul, the apostle, described a certain kind of reasoning in Romans, he called it empty headed.

I find it hard to take seriously someone that says they believe in the God of the Bible and yet reject the Bible for the teaching of evolution.

As you say, we can learn some things about the Creator from His works but without direction we could also reach a great many wrong conclusions too due to our very imperfect abilities. Like the evolutionists have.

[metmom]

One good mischaracterization deserves another.

You took my post out of context. It was an example in reply to a comment a evo made.

[ColdWater]

You took my post out of context. It was an example in reply to a comment a evo made.

Will you feel better if I apologize? Not sure what I am apologizing for except to make you feel better.

[metmom]

Don’t bother. If you don’t mean it, don’t waste the time.

[wagglebee]

One good mischaracterization deserves another.

You took my post out of context. It was an example in reply to a comment a evo made.

It's not unlike being accused of wanting people put to death for violating the Sabbath simply because you are a Christian and believe in capital punishment. But, trolls are like that.

[metmom]

So I’ve noticed.

[tpanther]

Reject God’s own word/instruction.

Proclaim we’re something we’re not (great apes with no soul).

And pretend to be as smart and logical as God or at least progressing to that end.

Words fail me.

[Dog Gone]

God did not invent death and evil.

Somehow He threatened Adam with death even before the apple.

[metmom]

Somehow He threatened Adam with death even before the apple.

Or warned, more likely, depending on your concept of God. I would expect an evo to say *threatened* considering their typical perception of God.

[Dog Gone]

You are such a fantastic psychologist!

[Alamo-Girl]

God does indeed have a lot to say about the wisdom of this world, but I wouldn’t brag on it.

Neither would I.

Job and his friends tried to be the measure of God - they were speaking words without knowledge - and God responded in chapters 38-41. Job's reaction:

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every [thing], and [that] no thought can be withholden from thee. Who [is] he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.

Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.

Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes. - Job 42:1-6

Faith and reason are complementary, but reason cannot substitute for faith. This is according to God's will:

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. - I Corinthians 1:18-25

Likewise, man cannot receive the words of God by sensory perception and reasoning. They are spirit and life and can only be spiritually discerned. The words of men are neither spirit nor life.

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, [they] are spirit, and [they] are life. – John 6:63

Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word. – John 8:43

Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. – Matthew 22:29

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. - I Corinthians 2:13

Even if man possessed extraordinary wisdom and even if God were to perform such miracles that he could not deny them, still the man could not perceive unless God also gave him "ears to hear:"

And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day. – Deuteronomy 29:2-4

The wisdom of the world is greatly subordinate to spiritual discernment because if a person has "ears to hear" he needs no explanation, and if he doesn't have "ears to hear" he wouldn't believe it anyway.

To God be the glory, not man, never man.

[wagglebee]

The wisdom of the world is greatly subordinate to spiritual discernment because if a person has "ears to hear" he needs no explanation, and if he doesn't have "ears to hear" he wouldn't believe it anyway.

Brilliantly stated, dear sister in Christ.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thank you so very much for your encouragements, dear brother in Christ!

[GodGunsGuts]

The key is to get down on your knees, repent of your sins, and humbly ask God to open your eyes, ears and heart...and then open God’s Word to John 3:16, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and then get plugged into a Bible-believing church!

[Alamo-Girl]

The entire Christian message is eminently reasonable — and God wants us to know that. Thus faith and reason are allies; they are not enemies divided by an infinite epistemological chasm as evidently you would lead us to believe.

God made men "rational"; He made the universe in such a way that it can be consistently and accurately reasoned about, and therefore understood, by human beings. And He bids us to "Go look!" and understand what He has wrought.

Indeed. He will in fact hold every man accountable for noticing that there was a beginning and that He is the Creator of it.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: - Romans 1:20

Truly, God the Father has revealed Himself in four ways: (1) through the Person of His only begotten Son, Jesus (2) through the indwelling Holy Spirit, (3) through Scripture and (4) through Creation both spiritual and physical:

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. [There is] no speech nor language, [where] their voice is not heard. - Psalms 19:1-3

Thank you oh so very much for your beautiful essay-post, dearest sister in Christ!

[Alamo-Girl]

Amen!

[Alamo-Girl]

Somehow He threatened Adam with death even before the apple.

For the discussion (emphasis and comments added:)

But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die [muwth muwth which in Hebrew means death death]. – Genesis 2:17

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. – Matthew 10:28

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. – Revelation 21:8

God's Name is I AM.

[hosepipe]

[ The wisdom of the world is greatly subordinate to spiritual discernment because if a person has "ears to hear" he needs no explanation, and if he doesn't have "ears to hear" he wouldn't believe it anyway. ]

The depth of this statement is many fathoms..

[Alamo-Girl]

Indeed. Thank you so very much for your encouragements, dear brother in Christ!

[metmom]

Interesting to see the motivation people ascribe to the actions of others. It does tell a lot about them.

Would you rather live forever in these bodies we have, or have the opportunity to get a new one, free from sin and corruption?

God has done everything He could to offer us an opportunity for a fresh start. To warn people about the consequences of their actions is hardly a threat.