Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Creation and Evolution
I want to talk today, dear readers, about an issue that has re-surfaced in a big way in America...the question of "creationism." Creationist Christians believe, if I understand correctly, that God created the earth about 10,000 years ago and that the Bible accurately outlines the total history of mankind. Creationists do not accept scientific evolution as an accurate explanation of the history of the earth, because it describes the development of the earth as a series of evolving species leading to mankind's appearance on earth. Before I comment, you need to know my personal position. I am a practicing Christian who began my journey as a Calvinist but became a Roman Catholic in my early 20s. I firmly believe in personal salvation, in God's intervention in the life of every human being, and in the triune godhead that includes Jesus. I do not believe that God is vindictive, that He condemns anyone forever because of personal acceptance or rejection of manmade theological explanations of God and his requirements. Nor do I believe in the validity of any religion that encourages violence or self-destruction or that accepts doctrine that shuts out anyone honestly seeking union with God. So, dear readers, what are we to make of this Creationist-Evolutionist dispute in America? Must we choose a side? Do we need to involve public schools in the debate? Is the personal acceptance of Creationism the necessary rejection of modern science? I accept that God knows the answer to these questions. I also believe that He has not rejected science because He would be rejecting the development of medicines and engineering and many other discoveries and developments that make life better for His children. Jesus cured lepers and the blind just as doctors today cure cancer. Jesus fed five thousand just as today agricultural science feeds millions. But, how did God intend for humans to understand His infinite power? Did He inspire men and women to write about Him in mythic ways so that His omniscience could be easily understood? Or did He lay down the story of creation exactly as it happened by inspiring men to tell His story of creation in Genesis? I don't know any of these answers. But, if we want to believe that humans as we know them were created 10,000 years ago, I can't really disagree -- if the belief is based on biblical and physical evidence, on language, on elementary engineering mastery of the environment and on culture recognizable as human. No one who spends more than a few minutes reading about ancient Egypt can dispute that in this region in a period that started about 4-5,000 years ago mankind's cultural and scientific and religious knowledge exploded. But the scientific evidence for a physical world created 5-10 billion years ago is so overwhelming that Creationists should embrace it or become irrelevant. God exists...and...He created science just as surely as He created Genesis. Can we separate these two concepts - Creation and Evolution - and accept both as explanations of parts of the infinitely complex whole of God's revelation of Himself to man. Let us live in peace together as God's children.
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Casey Pops this is a wonderful article. A subject matter that for the most part we just don't touch anymore.
ReplyDeleteI was raised in the Presbyterian Church. I even "cheated" my sister out of being president of the Junior Choir by voting for myself instead of her-she didn't speak to me o a couple weeks. But becoming a true "believer" and embracing "faith" came later for me during my military career. Someone once said - "You'll never find an atheist in a foxhole" was so very right. It's too bad that after the foxhole was gone so was the believing in God.
I believe that God has a plan for each and everyone of us. The plan changes, gets altered by life's circumstances, but at critical times in our lives and at the end of our life we are just where the plan had us to be. I can go down the path God laid out for me, miss a turn, but somehow he gets me back on track.
Did humans walk out of the sea one day, I don't think so. Have we been around for only 10,000 years , I don't thin so either. Is the Bible a history book, No it's the story of God and his work.
Things evolve gradually because of environment and surroundings. But they don't evolve into totally new species. Scientists tell us that man is only 5 chromosomes more complex than the monkeys. What they fail to tell is what is contained on those chromosomes.
Science tells us that some 160 species of animals, insects, and plant become forever extinct each and every day. Extend that 160 per day over 10 years!
The Theory of Evolution is in my mind a hope, a wish, or a dream for those who can't believe in something they can not touch, feel, see, or explain. There are things in this world,our galaxy, or the universe that have no explanation yet, and may never have.
Let's all learn to have faith. It's the most valuable thing one can have, for in the end it will be all you have.
Thank you so much Casey Pops.
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ReplyDeleteI believe in evolution and that there is a God. I think they can co-exist.
ReplyDeleteFirst I believe in the "big bang theory" don't panic. God, said it and bang it happened.
ReplyDeleteNow as far as some evolution I suppose I can go along with it because, butterflies are caterpillars then in a cocoon then a beautiful butterfly. Frogs are tadpoles and become frogs. Mosquitoes can swim to start with then become a mosquito. That is the way God, created them and it's still done the same way today. Okay!!
Now when it comes to humans NO, we were never monkeys. Although I have to admit some people act like them. If we had been monkeys that's the way we would still be coming into this world. There would have been no need for God, to say to the first humans be fruitful and multiply. He would have told the monkeys to be fruitful.
Also the scientists are coming more and more to realize that the Bible, is true. It hasn't been to long ago, scientists were figuring out time and they were short so many hours. When one of them remembered hearing at S.S. about the sun standing still. They got the Bible and found where it was and added those hours but it was to many now. Then the man thought about it and said there was a time when the sun was to go back so much time, and when they checked that out and subtracted what the scripture said. It was perfect with their calculations.
I'll stick with what God, says over any scientist, every day.
I agree with anonymous, there are many things we will never have the answers to, but it doesn't mean they aren't real. It just means we don't know how they came to be.
I believe what God's, word says, and faith takes us to Him.
Very well written article Casey Pops.