How Real Is Christianity?

SATCHMO · 05-20-2009, 10:23 AM

What of theistic evolutionists? Those that believe that evolution is god's chosen mode of creation. Not that I believe in an anthropomorphic god, but I believe I fall into this category.

Guybrush · 05-20-2009, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SATCHMO

What of theistic evolutionists? Those that believe that evolution is god's chosen mode of creation. Not that I believe in an anthropomorphic god, but I believe I fall into this category.

If I was a christian, that's something I could lean against. Even higher-ups in the vatican have defended evolution claiming it's compatible with christianity and for example see it as God's hand in nature.

Some sources :

The Vatican claims Darwin's theory of evolution is compatible with Christianity - Telegraph
FOXNews.com - Vatican Official Defends Evolution Against 'Useless' Creationism - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News

I don't really know of course, but it seems to me that the separation between science and religion might be stronger in America than it is in Europe.

SATCHMO · 05-20-2009, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

I don't really know of course, but it seems to me that the separation between science and religion might be stronger in America than it is in Europe.

I think it's mainly reactionary. I'm making the assumption that there's a much stronger evangelical presence in America than in Europe. I think you see more of a defensive stance to the atheism in America; a product of being proselytised by dogmatic fundamentalism. Whereas in Europe its more or less a matter of an objective understanding of a particular belief structure being incompatible with what one knows about the physical nature of reality.

SugarRush · 05-21-2009, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SATCHMO

What of theistic evolutionists? Those that believe that evolution is god's chosen mode of creation. Not that I believe in an anthropomorphic god, but I believe I fall into this category.

Although I personally don't know much about people like this..I'm confused on exactly how this works. Don't most Christians believe that God created the world in 7 days and the earth is only 4000 years old? If so how can Christianity possibly be compatible with evolution? Do you mean to say you're one of those people who only believe in microevolution but not macroevolution?

Guybrush · 05-21-2009, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SugarRush

Although I personally don't know much about people like this..I'm confused on exactly how this works. Don't most Christians believe that God created the world in 7 days and the earth is only 4000 years old? If so how can Christianity possibly be compatible with evolution? Do you mean to say you're one of those people who only believe in microevolution but not macroevolution?

You could try not to interpret the bible so literally, yet still believe in God. I don't think that sounds so hard. As I wrote, it's pretty much the norm with christians in this country.

SugarRush · 05-22-2009, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toretorden

You could try not to interpret the bible so literally, yet still believe in God. I don't think that sounds so hard. As I wrote, it's pretty much the norm with christians in this country.

Then what is that supposed to interpreted as?

Guybrush · 05-22-2009, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SugarRush

Then what is that supposed to interpreted as?

Just general wisdom and guidance. You know, like the fable about the lion and the mouse.

If you read it, you'll see it's possible to get some wisdom from it without having to seriously believe that the event took place and that lions and mice talk to eachother.

~~The Unfan~~ · 05-22-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SugarRush

Do you mean to say you're one of those people who only believe in microevolution but not macroevolution?

There is no difference between the two. "Macroevolution" is just what happens when lots of "microevolution" happens.

Is it a pizza before you put it into the oven?

Guybrush · 05-22-2009, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Unfan

There is no difference between the two. "Macroevolution" is just what happens when lots of "microevolution" happens.

Is it a pizza before you put it into the oven?

A lot of christians sort of accept that some evolution occurs - that gene (or allele) frequencies change from generation to generation and so on or that bacterias can pick up new genes in a test tube. It's very easily scientifically proven and basically done every day .. yet they refuse to accept that species morphology can change radically over evolutionary time.

I don't know how they manage to do it, but some still do .. I guess it takes a special kind of stubbornness.

05-20-2009, 10:23 AM	#1 (permalink)
SATCHMO Al Dente Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4,847	What of theistic evolutionists? Those that believe that evolution is god's chosen mode of creation. Not that I believe in an anthropomorphic god, but I believe I fall into this category.