But I own that I cannot see ... evidence of design and beneficence on all sides of us. There seems to me too much misery in the world. I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created that a cat should play with mice.
-- Charles Darwin
2006-08-15 08:58:31 · 31 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
nope darwin was a very smart man and he was right.
2006-08-15 09:06:32 · answer #1 · answered by Doomsday 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If you believe that statement is evil, then it is evil to ask questions of the world around us, or really, to use our brains at all. Even some of the most religious people in history have made similar statements questioning why there is misery in the world, and wondering why God lets bad things happen to good people. Darwin is just reporting his own observations and trying to make sense of the world around him. Even if you don't accept his conclusions, and believe there is a God in Heaven judging all of us, I don't see how God could find that statement evil, unless God does not want us to use the brains He gave us.
2006-08-15 16:08:17 · answer #2 · answered by rollo_tomassi423 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
People see things in different ways. I look at the PandaCam at the National Zoo and think, "How can anyone not think there's a Creator? Look at how cute and loving they are. Look at their wonderful balance and how hard their coloring makes them to spot in a tree."
A friend of mine said, "How can anyone believe a God created them? If he did, he only designed them well on the outside. These animals eat a food that isn't very nutritious, lots of it, and can only mate once or twice a year and raise one kid."
Another example: Some people found religion after 9/11. Some others lost faith in any God entirely.
Just because people respond to things differently and come to different conclusions about whether there's a God or Gods doesn't mean they're evil. It's simply that we all have different kinds of minds and get to see different things. We all get to think and speak (or at least, we should) so we can all express our truth.
2006-08-15 16:08:57 · answer #3 · answered by GreenEyedLilo 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. Darwin was pointing out the contradiction in the belief in a benevolent God that would build creulty into the world. Like a cat playing with a mouse.
Have you ever seen a cat play with a mouse? It usually ends with the cat tearing the mouse apart alive. Not a nice thought.
2006-08-15 16:04:25 · answer #4 · answered by mikayla_starstuff 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That's not nasty, that's a very interesting observation. Have you seen killer whales playing with a seal? They fling that poor creature, still alive mind you, around over and over. Darwin's objection was that it didn't seem to be designed by a beneficient and omnipotent God. You might argue against him, but how is it evil?
2006-08-15 16:17:38 · answer #5 · answered by ThePeter 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What is the whole quote? What did you leave out with the ...?
My view of the world is much different than Darwin's. I see beauty, grandeur, wonder, achievement and hope -- in nature and in man's accomplishments. What a wonderful world. Yes, there is misery, but were working on it. I believe that man will prevail and there will be heaven on Earth.
2006-08-15 16:13:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I guess a child doesn't starve to death every minute. I guess there aren't countless wars happening right now all over the world. I guess women aren't raped. I guess children aren't abused and murdered. No tidal waves ever hit the poorest areas imaginable and cats really don't play with mice before killing them.
the truth is evil is a new take
2006-08-15 16:05:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
He is saying that he can't see how the Creator is loving because he created a cat that plays with a mouse and injuries it without sympathy. I think what he should have said is, what do i need to learn from this... It seems that he is very compassion, but to his demise doesn't believe God is All-loving and compassionate. I disagree of course.
2006-08-15 16:12:26 · answer #8 · answered by Muse 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
OK well I'm sorry but Charles Darwin was a great man in his discoveries i think your the idiotic one that obliviously doesn't know the wonders Darwin discovered.
2006-08-15 16:22:08 · answer #9 · answered by lucyj 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
what's evil and nasty about that? he was saying that based on the evidence he saw, there could be no loving and all-powerful God. If one looks at all the evil in the world, it becomes very difficult to believe that there is an all-powerful god who hates evil, because either he is all-powerful and can prevent evil from happening but doesn't, or he wants to stop evil from taking place, but can't.
2006-08-15 16:06:15 · answer #10 · answered by C_Millionaire 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why is it that some people think of God as a great big cosmic santa claus? It is not God's duty to benefit you or any animal. it is His duty to run a universe as He sees fit. From my observations, God has created living things so that they can eat one another. There are many painful ways to die and many creative ways to kill. each animal is part of the plan to keep life going, and each creature has its duty to eat what it can and its time to be torn apart by predators.
2006-08-15 18:05:48 · answer #11 · answered by Stand-up Philosopher 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋