Question about Evolution?

Question

The reason evolution is a dangerous idea for Christians is that they are than left with the fact that man and animals are related. That animals might even have ‘souls’ since man is just another animal.

That's a dangerous idea for most Christians.

Most people who believe in evolution are even worse in this aspect; They do not follow their own reasoning to any form of actionable conclusion. For example: If man has fundamental rights, and man is an animal, than why don't animals have the same fundamental rights? Are a man’s rights dependant on being 'special' or dependant on the dignity that all life deserves? Or...?

So, my question to people who believe in evolution is; How has it actually changed the way you treat living things or is it just a way to tease Christians?

Answer 1

How much soul does a fruit fly have? Here'e my back-of-the-envelope calculation: A human has 100 billion neurons, a fly only 1 million. A human lives about 1000 times as long as a fly.

So one human is worth about 100,000,000 flies. Would you rather 100,000,001 flies die, or one human?

Answer 2

I don't believe that evolution is a problem (dangerous idea?) for reasonable Christians. There are plenty of religious people who rightly see that evolution is good science, backed by an overwhelming amount of evidence. The Catholic Church even accepts evolution.

As to whether or not animals have the same "fundamental rights" as humans, I'm not sure you can compare the two. Don't get me wrong, animals should be given the same kindness and respect that we afford people of our species. However, when it comes down to it, we have to admit that some forms of existence are more valuable than others. Surely the life of a human being is worth more than that of a rodent. I'm not sure why you think evolution would put us all on a level playing field as far as "rights" go.

As to your last question, it hasn't really changed the way I treat animals at all. I feel all sentient life deserves respect and has a fundamental right to live. I've always felt this way and acted accordingly. Evolution isn't going to tell us how we should behave towards other species and we shouldn't expect it to. It's a scientific theory that acounts for the variety of life we see on this planet, nothing more, nothing less.

Also, I'm not sure how one would use evolution to tease Christians. Do fundamentalists use creationism to tease atheists?

Answer 3

Well, I believe in evolution, and I'm a Christian. Evolution makes more sense to me. Cause, first off, if not for the idea of evolution, how come there are dinosaur fossils? I mean, were they around when Adam was created from the earth? Now, I'm not saying that creationism is bull, but I can see it integrated into the idea of evolution. And, yes, I do believe that animals do have a soul of some form. However, they are also on the Earth to serve a purpose. Some live up to that purpose, some don't. But there's also the idea that we need to survive, and that unfortunatly means that sometimes something else may die.

And to answer Centurion's question, we evolved from a species of primate (or monkey). Just as some animals have evolved from other animals, and still have other species around.

Answer 4

The question of a soul is an interesting one, I think having emotions can not be a benchmark, as I have a very loving dog, who exhibits a wide range of emotions.
Animals can learn also and can suffer through loss.

Viruses are the most capable predator of man, maybe they are the chosen ones!

treating animals poorly is merely due to dominance, not enlightenment.

Personally I will stop to avoid hitting birds and other animals on the road, and I am happier to let a spider continue to live its life rather than kill it.

I have reduced my consumption of meat over the years, but animals still die for me to eat.

I actually do not know anyone who teases christians face to face.

Answer 5

you bible banging loser. i recognize and except evolution because it's true. we were not just made and woman did not come from a mans rib. there is substantial evidence to support the conclusion of evolution. we have a 4 percent difference in DNA than a chimpanzee. take our appendix, it serves no purpose to our body, but in other mammals such as rabbits who's body structure closely related to our own. there appendix serves a purpose into witch to grind up vegetation. if you believe that humans came first and animals later than why are no bones in with other dinosaur bones. i could give you multiple reasons to show you that evolution in not a theory but a law. it has been proved and so has human evolution.

by the way, a soul is something that religion created there is no evidence into witch prove that any living thing has a soul.

sorry to be rude but, you people disgust me so much. you are the reason dumb *** bush is ******* up America. so you need to go to school and not to church one day and then maybe you can learn something for real, not just stories out of a book written by man.

Answer 6

I went to Catholic school. I was taught creationism in religion class and evolution in science class. I choose to believe in evolution.
I won't tease Christians for believing in creationism....not until they tease me about believing in evolution!
My views have not changed the way I treat living things. I am a carnivore, I believe in killing animals for food. We live in an ecosystem where there are predators and prey. Yea for me, unless I jump into shark infested waters, I usually weigh in on the predator side. Do I kill bugs? YES...they bite me. If I walked into a lion's den and messed with the lion, it would try to kill me too.
Fundamental rights are a human concept, we need them to keep our society in order. If we didn't have a fundamental right to life, then it would be okay to go around killing each other.
If that mosquito has a fundamental right to bite me, because I'm it's food and it's just trying to eat...then I have a fundamental right to try to stop it from doing so.
So anyway, I don't know what animals you're speaking of....I don't believe in hunting for sport, if that's what you meant....but I don't really see where how I treat animals has anything to do with whether or not I tease Christians?

Answer 7

We are evolved animals that can reason and think at a higher level than other animals. For good or bad, we allow ourselves the privilege of deciding the fate of all other life forms because we believe we are superior and have that right. Just because we know that all life sprang from the same origins doesn't mean we have to treat all life as equals.

Answer 8

Firstly, my believing that evolution occurred has NOTHING to do with Christians, and everything to do the facts that (a) after learning its processes, it makes complete sense to me (b) I too have seen fossils in museums (c) I trust that a globe full of intelligent scientists probably have a fairly good idea of something which they have found evidence for and studied with such rationality and care.

Secondly, understanding evolution has not changed the way I treat animals; in fact, it may have changed the ways I view humans. It seems all the more arrogant, narrow-minded, and egocentric to think that humans, of all species, are "blessed" or particularly special in regards to divine prophecy; similarly, it seems more unnecessary to believe in ancient, contradictory myths and vague deities to explain our importance and presence when it seems clear where we came from. Furthermore, it is inspiring and amazing to consider that while we evolved like everything else, we have reached a point where we have actually developed *self-consciousness*, in addition to outstanding technology, and that through this self-consciousness we have become aware enough of our own mortality to create things like religion to explain that which we can't and to provide us with a comforting story of an afterlife! We are such amazing creatures to have done all this =)

Answer 9

Evolution is not a dangerous theory for true christians. Because a true christian knows that they can back themselves up with the bible, which--curiously enough-- scientists are slowly finding out that all sorts of facts in the bible are true. meanwhile, Scientists can't even prove their own theory that the ideal circumstances for creation of the smartest animal, just happened to pop out of nowhere, honestly ... the proof is in the pudding people.
I don't know if you've ever even picked up the bible but anyway ...

Answer 10

I don't remember ever not believing in evolution. I mean, I'm sure I didn't come out of the womb with it implanted, but I think it always just made sense to me. So, it hasn't changed the way I think at all.

It also never made sense to me why God wouldn't use evolution. I mean, maybe he really can just speak it and there it is, but I think he would want to cultivate his creation, cook it slowly, you know? He does not live in a world of time. It only makes sense that he would start with the tiniest thing and keep building, to me I mean.