"The theory of Evolution, on the other hand, gives scientific support to the belief that we are all related. That is, all humans come from the same pair, and all of life comes from the same primordial seed."
Until that hi-lited word becomes "absolute proof", I doubt the possibility of being on the same page about our existence will come to fruition. The word 'theory' leaves room for doubt just as the word 'faith' leaves doubt in the mind of the secular community for different religious affectations.
Unless both factions seriously explore the other's beliefs with equal interest and intent, it is doubtful the twain shall meld. For as both contend they are qualifiably viable in their own right, contentiousness make them polar to one another.
I replied:
I have studied both sides objectively, and as regards this contention, I see a crucial difference between the two sides:
The Creationist side begins with a literal interpretation of Genesis 1 & 2; an interpretation which many (perhaps most) well respected and well grounded theologians (such as Augustine) reject; an interpretation which is, in itself, a theory about what the Creator intended to communicate through those chapters. While you refer to your belief in this theoretical interpretation as Faith, it seems to be really more of a commitment to agree with the doctrine which your particular denomination promulgates. From the basis of that predetermined, theoretical interpretation of scripture, only that portion of the scientific evidence and deduction which supports that interpretation is accepted, while other evidence and the implications thereof is ignored.
The Evolution side begins with evidence, painstakingly accumulated and recorded. Observations of God's creation were made in detail by Darwin, an ordained minister himself, and those observations led him inevitably to the conclusion that the physical characteristics of earthly organisms came to be through the God-given process of natural selection. This theory was the only logical framework that could explain his data and observations. His faith in God was not shattered by this revelation, rather his awe and astonishment at the subtlety of God's creation was increased. His understanding of human foibles and failings, however, prevented him from publishing his work until another scientist (Wallace) made an new set of observations and came, independently, to the same conclusions.
Regarding the theologians of Creationism: Read Mathew 7: 15 - 20 which has as its theme "You shall know them by their fruits." If the fruits of Creationism are discord amongst Christians, the rejection of Christianity by the Scientific community, the rejection of science by a large potion of the Christian community, the atheists making a plaything of religion, and the followers of Creationism becoming blindly loyal followers of their clergy and tithers of their church to the detriment of their willingness to reason, then who will say that these are good fruits?
Yes, I do agree that People have a tendency to have a belief that covers all the things that they encounter, and then we go onto the next thing and put our attention on what we believe will bring us happiness. When we try to ask someone to re-examine something that they have been assured is solid, they will not put their attention on it as they need that stability in order to have the attention free for happiness pursuits.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Happiness is our attention priority function as viewed through our imaginative powers and that if we can only imagine that competing with our Human family more effectively will help us survive then we must expand our imagination to allow for survival by helping us survive.
Everybody does what they believe is the right thing for them to do at any given time. Do not forget this, but remember that we need to inspire their imagination, not argue about things that they are not willing to put their attention on.
On the subject of fruits:
ReplyDeleteSince I believe that the knowledge of good and evil is: Competition for self sovereignty within our family is evil, being in acceptance / support of your family member,s sovereignty of self is good.
Knowing that a man can go through life while only seeing things (and himself) from his own perspective as a child, through old age, while a woman (due to being vulnerable in child carrying, birthing, raising, if she is to have enough attention for it she must have help)Must see herself from the perspective of her child (if she is to determine what is the right thing to do), and the perspective of the Man (If she is to inspire him to stick around ), as well as her own perspective, she is more "self aware".She has to compete for his attention from everything from other women to whatever the man wants to put his attention on. Therefore I believe that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that "Eve" passes onto "Adam" is that you can have sovereignty of self (a better life) by competing with our family for it. (Just as we had with all other animals). (original sin)
The species can not win this way, only by being open and honest and surrounding ourselves with like-minded individuals can we make what we believe the right thing to do easy and actual, we must put more of our attention on our relationships with those that we effect and less on our relationship with competing. Or at least that is my perspective.