Evolution OR Creation?

by Brummie 183 Replies latest members adult

  • Brummie
    Brummie

    Whats the real issue in these arguments? I see volumes of books asking people to arrive at a conclusion for either evolution or creation, like it is a black & white issue. I see Creationists argue that life didnt get here by evolution, yet evolution itself doesnt claim to know how life got here, it is not answering the question as to whether there is a creator or not.

    I see people that believe in evolution (not authorities on evolution) using it as a defense as to why they dont believe in God.."I dontr believe in God I believe in evolution". Yet evolution doesnt attempt to answer the origins of life.

    Seems most of the arguments are straw men.

    Couldnt Evolution & faith in God work together peacefully? For instance, Evolution explains the evolution of life while faith explains the origins of life or provides theological answers as to the origins of life.

    How did life get here, by evolution or creation? Is a trick question and one that sets the stage for a dishonest discussion...agree?

    So, do you believe in evolution or creation? :)

    Brummie

  • Pleasuredome
    Pleasuredome

    i believe in the migration of aliens who have geneticaly engineered earth species,or lesser alien life forms and brought them to earth. thats just as good as evolution.

  • Simon
    Simon

    Well, given that the bible which claims to be gods word claims that everything was created, I think that evolution kicks the props our from under gods feet.

    If evolution is true then the bible is a lie / false. If the bible is false then why suppose that there is a god (as described in the bible).

    This is why creationists fail to acknowledge the evidence of evolution and defend creation in spite of the facts - because to accept them is to accept that their god is the only thing that has really been "created".

  • StinkyPantz
    StinkyPantz
    I see people that believe in evolution (not authorities on evolution) using it as a defense as to why they dont believe in God

    Really? I see people say that they do not believe in the BIBLE because of "evolution". That's the case with me.

    faith explains the origins of life

    If god is a lifeform, then faith does not explain the "origins of life". It attempts to explain the origins of angelic life (depending on the "faith") or human life. Tell me how god got here, and then we have something to discuss.

  • onacruse
    onacruse

    I believe in divinely-guided evolution.

    The utter lack of scientific evidence for abiogenesis, combined with what I understand about the laws of physical (non-living material) nature, strongly suggest to me that there is an "Ultimate Causer."

    otoh, I really have no choice but to accept the overwhelming amount of evidence for evolution (as a development from one specie to another, DNA similarity, radiometric dating, etc).

    Craig

  • patio34
    patio34

    I think (not believe) that evolution is the model which more closely fits with the facts. There are several keys of this for me. I don't like to use the term "believe" because it seems religious, and i'm certainly willing to change if contrary evidence is presented. "Believe" seems to shut out new information.

    A couple of key issues that sway the issue for me are:

    1) Dinosaurs pre-dated humans and many were carnivores. The Bible said all life ate green vegetation at one time. All life seems to fit more the carnivore-prey-herbivore pattern.

    2) Adam's supposed sin had nothing to do with animals becoming "violent." This is because dinosaurs pre-dated humans by millions of years.

    3) "Living fossils" have mostly been discovered in the depths of the ocean. This is because there are very few environment changes for them and they've had no need to evolve.

    4) Junk DNA in species that are from ancestors & are no longer needed (e.g., some humans growing tails, whales having DNA for legs, etc.)

    5) The discovery that humans and chimps are about 98% the same genetically.

    Those are just a few of my reasons to be swayed towards evolution and yes, atheism. Atheism because the "violence" in nature from the smallest microbes up--to me--rules out a benevolent creator.

    This is a great thread and thanks for starting it Brummie.

    Pat

  • Country_Woman
    Country_Woman

    As Craig said :I believe in divinely-guided evolution."

    Creation of what exist is as big a miracle when evolution is involved as "instant" which I can't believe.

    Branda

  • Brummie
    Brummie

    Darn I'm glad I began this thread as its opened up anther can of worms to eat at my brains..

    This is a continuation of a discussion I have had with Alanf and others from here, a discussion that was very productive for me if no one else. I thought I'd throw it open to get a broader input.

    i believe in the migration of aliens who have geneticaly engineered earth species,or lesser alien life forms and brought them to earth. thats just as good as evolution
    .Pd, at this point I cant see how that is as good as evolution. That is more like science fiction than science, sience supports the facts of evolution, it is the theory of evolution that is not necassarily scientific (though could be). Aliens engineering doesnt have any facts associated with it. Evolution does. (I only just found out so I am merely a beginner).
    Well, given that the bible which claims to be gods word claims that everything was created, I think that evolution kicks the props our from under gods feet
    . Maybe? I havent seen where evolution says everything wasnt created? Evolution doesnt kick the props from out under Gods feet. That was my point in the first post. I just found out that evolution fact doesnt argue for or against creation, it merely discusses the middle bits. So scientifically whether there is a God or not is open to interpretation, there is no evolutionary fact denying a creator. So when people accuse creationist of denying the evolutionary fact that there is not a creator, its at best straw man, since it isnt an evolutionary fact.
    This is why creationists fail to acknowledge the evidence of evolution and defend creation in spite of the facts
    From what I have seen, most creationist accept evolutionary facts, they argue on the theory. Its quite a different story .
    If god is a lifeform, then faith does not explain the "origins of life". It attempts to explain the origins of angelic life (depending on the "faith") or human life. Tell me how god got here, and then we have something to discuss.
    Faith says God has no beginning, fact says says humans are limited and cannot totally comprehend eternity, if God is eternal you cannot totally understand, that doesnt make it untrue or true. Believers have a theory same as evolution does. But we can discuss evolutions theory but not the theory that life on earth was created by a higher source? Life began on earth, thats a fact. There is design all around us, thats a fact. Onac, I am mostly with your thoughts at this point. Patio, that is an excellent post too.
    I think (not believe) that evolution is the model which more closely fits with the facts. There are several keys of this for me. I don't like to use the term "believe" because it seems religious, and i'm certainly willing to change if contrary evidence is presented. "Believe" seems to shut out new information.
    Very interesting distinction. Not to mention how the other points you have made have now got my worn brain rolling...i'll get back to them Oops, got to go to work. catch ya later Thanks everyone. I'm only discussing it, nothing I am saying is dogmatic, I'm a newbie to this. Brummie
  • LittleToe
    LittleToe

    "Divinely guided evolution, begun by a creative act", here...
    ...after all, who brought about the big bang, and energised the orgasmic soup?

    Like Craig, I'd agree that the evidence for evolution seems pretty logical.

    I don't see the bible contradicting this, though.
    It doesn't say (as Patio suggested) that dinosaurs were vegetarians, nor does it describe how animal life "swarmed" out of the oceans and onto the land. These are expressions that various religions have implied it says (along with allowing their bible translations to support their hypothesis).

    Personally I see the Genesis account as being from the perspective of on the surface of the globe, as the atmosphere clears and the stars become visible. It seems as good an account of establishing a biosphere (albeit in limited concepts) as any I've seen.

    It's only when you look at it entirely from a modern day perspective, and limit yourself to a literal six day created world, that it becomes ludicrous. Otherwise it seems as reasonable as any as an ancient description of how we got to where we are now.

  • drwtsn32
    drwtsn32
    Couldnt Evolution & faith in God work together peacefully?

    Perhaps, but certainly not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible specially created a first human pair. They sinned and passed death on to all of their offspring. That's why Jesus' sacrifice is so important. That's the core message of the bible, right?

    Evolution throws a huge monkey wrench into the mix. If evolution occurred (and we know it did ), then there was no "first" human pair specially created by God. That causes problems for the whole original-sin-and-needing-Jesus'-ransom-sacrifice concept.

    Sure, we don't know how abiogenesis happened, but I'm not comfortable with attributing it to a deity just because of that. All throughout history man has attributed unexplainable things to a god. When we find out the true cause it demystifies it and seems silly to say "god did it."

    I keep thinking of Ockham's Razor... and not wanting to overly complicate things. Saying that the universe and the life it contains is too complex to have originated on its own and demands an infinitely complex creator is self-defeating. Now you have to explain how an even more complex creator came into existence.

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit