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To: spinestein
I've lost count how many times in these threads I've heard people claim "you can't be a Christian if you believe in evolution." In this thread we're told that it makes the Lord a liar.

Is it possible there is other theological positions? Of course. Here are some examples:

This one is taken from an article posted to FR recently: “By understanding the mechanics of this world, what one is really doing is praising and glorifying God.” This author is not alone. This is indeed the theological position of many within science, including the biological sciences. In fact, this sentiment is much more common than is portrayed on these threads.

For another example, the director of the Human Genome Project at the NIH, a man by the name of Francis Collins, has said, "I find my appreciation of science is greatly enriched by religion. When I discover something about the human genome, I experience a sense of awe at the mystery of life, and say to myself, 'Wow, only God knew before.' It is a profoundly beautiful and moving sensation, which helps me appreciate God and makes science even more rewarding for me."

Here is another one: "G-d the Creator and Lord of the Universe, which is the work of his goodness and wisdom; and Man, made in His image, who is to hallow his week-day labors by the blessedness of Sabbath-rest -- such are the teachings of the Creation chapter. It's purpose is to reveal these teachings to the children of man -- and not to serve as a text book of astronomy, geology, or anthropology. Its object is not to teach scientific facts; but to proclaim highest religious truths respecting G-d, Man, and the Universe. The "conflict" between the fundamental realities of Religion and the established facts of Science, is seen to be unreal as the soon as Religion and Science each recognizes the true border of its domain." This was written by the famous British Rabbi J. H. Hertz (1872-1946).

Anecdotally, most of the people that I have personally known from working in biology and geosciences fields are not atheists. Contrary to popular notions on these threads, many of them are church (or synagogue) going people, and most of them have some measure of religious faith. None of them believes that evolutionary theory, or other scientific theories such as plate tectonic theory, is necessarily in conflict with their religion.

Why all the fighting? What we are seeing in these threads, then, is not a conflict between science and religion. For most people, including most religious people, science and faith are not opposed to one another. What we are experiencing is a sectarian conflict. This conflict exists between those with a certain highly literal interpretation of the Genesis chapter and people who hold more mainstream viewpoints. The theological position of mainstream Judaism and Christianity (including conservative denominations such as the Southern Baptists) is that the Lord exists beyond scientific scrutiny. The creationism/intelligent design movement, on the other hand, seeks to validate the existence of the Creator by discovering forensic evidence that supports their theology. When the physical evidence does not square with their theological positions, it is the evidence and scientific method that become suspect. The result is the hostility demonstrated on these threads towards modern biology and science in general.

To reiterate, what we are seeing on these threads is a sectarian conflict. It is not "atheist science" versus Christianity at all. In actuality, this conflict is about the creationist/intelligent design movement seeking to elevate their theological position above the theological positions of others.

196 posted on 09/18/2006 7:37:30 PM PDT by Liberal Classic (No better friend, no worse enemy. Semper Fi.)
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To: Liberal Classic
What about the evolutionists that see Collins as a creationist dupe as well as Ken Miller ?
203 posted on 09/18/2006 7:53:39 PM PDT by Heartlander
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