For all Christians who hate & reject evolution theory, have you ever made an honest attempt to understand it?

Question

Or do you just dismiss it with silly statements like, "I did not come from monkeys" or, "just look around, only god can make a tree."

It's so frustrating seeing such blatent misunderstanding, especially when evolution really isn't saying anything about the origins of the universe, whether there is a god, or if we have immortal souls. Evolution can coexist with all these concepts, but based on all the nonsense I read, I suspect that most Christians don't even have a cursory understanding of concepts like natural selection, descent with modification, environmental pressure, etc. Yet, they malign and dismiss evolution as if they've really studied it, which clearly most haven't!

I was raised Chrisitan, with 10+ years of religious education. I read the bible, studied Buddism extensively, & did cursory investigation into other major religions. I really TRIED to understand religion before I dismissed it. Have you REALLY tried to understand evolution, or do you just parrot Christian dogma?

Tool2112 - you are a PERFECT example of my question. Thank you for being YOU!

Pamela V - you are an even MORE PERFECT example. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Answer 1

I spent twelve years eating at the trough of public education. For all intents and purposes, science class (regardless of the discipline) advocated (and enforced) a correct understanding of evolution.

And contrary to your comment about Christianity and evolution being able to coexist, I beg to differ.

The theory of evolution was proposed by those who were secular humanists, and who wanted to get rid of a belief in God. The two ideas, creation and evolution, are mutually exclusive. They cannot coexist. If you believe in the biblical account of creation, then you cannot believe that the Earth has been around for millions of years. The account in Genesis clearly states that God breathed life into the man who became a living soul. (Not primordial ooze, or a fish with legs, but man.)

There are those who postulate that you can mix the two, and have attempted to do so by employing "theistic evolution," where God put the parts in place and let them spin together over millions/billions of years. Others propose a "gap" theory, where in Genesis 1:1, the earth was created, but in Genesis 1:2, God judged that earth, and recreated it in Genesis 1:3, hoping that the time frame matches the scientific theory. Others will ask, "How long was a day during creation?" hoping that the answer is millions of years long each.

The problem boils down to this: Either God's Word is truthful in the details, or it isn't. And if it isn't why bother at all? Who gets to decide what is or is not true in it? Man? Then man becomes God, instead of the other way around.

Because there are no witnesses to what occurred during creation, anything that man comes up with is a theory, and unable to be proven through a scientific process, which requires the scientific method.

The scientific method requires:

# 1. Observe some aspect of the universe.
# 2. Invent a tentative description, called a hypothesis, that is consistent with what you have observed.
# 3. Use the hypothesis to make predictions.
# 4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations and modify the hypothesis in the light of your results.
# 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are no discrepancies between theory and experiment and/or observation.

But this is supposed to be based on observable facts. Evolution cannot achieve this using the traditional scientific method. What does that leave?

Faith. Just like those he criticizes for following myths, the evolutionist is practicing his faith. The evolutionist believes in the theory. They have their own scriptures, and apologea. And woe unto those who knowingly or unknowing tread on "holy" ground. They'll eat you alive. You'd think for all their vitriol, that you were in a church full of hypocrites.

Answer 2

Dude, just give it up. No matter how many times you try to correct them you will still get the same questions:

Why are there still apes around? Why have we stopped evolving? Where are the transitional species? Where are the fossils?

I see the same questions on evolution in here all the time. Clearly they show an embarrassing lack of knowledge on the subject. It is sad that our public school systems have let these people down so much. But no matter how much you tell them that they don't understand what they are talking about, they continue to give you the same ignorant questions. I think it's ironic how they even answered your questions with the exact thing you are complaining about.

Answer 3

I'm a Christian and I'll be the first to admit, I can't explain away all the evidence of evolution. I'm not sure what it all means, and I think I'm a fairly intelligent person.

Sometimes I think that it could be that God had a hand in it all along, sorta pushing evolution to what we are today. Other times I think that it could be the devil planting the evidence to fool us. Really and truly, I'm not real sure.

So this is what I do, I don't worry about it. I believe in the Bible and what it says. I believe it's God's word. It's not for me to question or scrutinize. So I'll just go on faith. If He wants me to understand it, He will open my eyes and show me. If not, He won't. That's as simple as I can make it.

I do believe that one day that we will all be shown the truth. For some, it will be glorious. For others, it will be terrible.

Answer 4

No parrot here- there is enough evidence for creationism- and that dinosaurs lived at the same time as man- what cracks me up - is all the missing peaces and all the changes in evolution that are no where to be found-If you look in the book of Genesis- you can see the order in which the different creatures we created and man was last- in that respect a bit of evolution fits-there is evidence that dinosaurs lived w man- near hill country there was a riverbed discovered w man and dinosaur prints- and there is evidence in the world about a great flood- check out creacionistas.com- it is in English and Spanish- D

Answer 5

Your last paragraph explains it all. You say you were raised Christian, however you did not say you were a Christian. You say you have a religious education, but do you know Jesus as Your Saviour. If you want to believe in evolution then by all means go for it no one is stopping you. As for me and my house we will served the Lord

Answer 6

Are you saying you have studied - as in: look for the thruth in - different religions? And you found them untrue? Do you think that to act with compassion and forgiveness toward others is wrong? Because "there is no proof"?

Could you immagine, if all Jews, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sihks, Hindus and others, who all have been given the teachings of compassion and forgiveness toward "the others", would live up to that? There would be peace on earth!! Do you want positive results or "proof"?

As for the theory of evolution everything is based on assumptions. Nobody can go back in time and bring "proof". Here is what I believe:

Homo sapiens apparently did exist as well as other sub species of homo sapiens. The Genesis story pretty well parallels evolution theory. The time span does not, unless you consider that God’s “time” is not the same as we know it. His “days” should be considered as time periods (for lack of another description). Read that account AGAIN, word for word, in Genesis.

Thus God created this planet and its species, including homo sapiens, over 5 time periods. All “creatures” were created “AFTER ITS KIND” and able to “multiply” (procreate).

Then in the sixth time period Adam was created “AFTER OUR IMAGE”! Not “AFTER ITS KIND”. Adam was created as a single new being. He was as “perfect” as all creation before him. But, he was given “God’s spirit” (a soul). Gen. 2:7-9, 16&17. HE was created to live indefinitely within his special environment, the Garden of Eden. That’s why he was informed that it would be fatal for him to eat from the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”. Gen. 2:17.

Eve was an afterthought so Adam would not be all by himself. Gen. 2:21,22

Meant to live indefinitely, Adam and Eve did NOT NEED to procreate! They had no sense or ambition of sexuality. Gen. 2:25. They were naked but not ashamed – innocent, without sin.

God gave them the power of choice, to obey his instructions or not.

After eating the forbidden fruit – also known as the “original sin” - they were sexually “activated” (Gen. 3:7-11 & 16) (they were ashamed! They covered them selves up!) and God had to change His plans for them. So Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden in order to KEEP THEM AWAY from the “tree of live” which could have sustained their life (and that of now possible offsprings) indefinitely - Gen. 3:22-24.

They were now condemned to live their life in the outside world and procreate like the “creatures” (Neanderthals & Co.) created before them. (Gen. 3:16) They now also were destined to die like them.

And we evolved from there.

Answer 7

I was building my motorbike when two god-botherers came wondering down the drive and started preaching some rubbish to me. After about a minute I said " Look mate (I live in Australia), I like motorbikes but i don't come knocking on your door telling you to get a motorbike do I". After a pause of about 30 seconds they just drifted away without another word,

What do I glean out of this? That they are probably indoctrinated, ignorant and don't have an understanding of what they are preaching let alone any other perspective.

At the end of the day 'each to their own' but don't come hassling me I have enough **** to contend with already!!!

Answer 8

I would love to understand it. I mean, I never liked science and I don't care if we've evolved, really. I'm just not that type of person who's interested in that kind of stuff, usually.
But I would honestly love to understand evolution, so I know what I believe about that. I know that I would still believe in God, it would just change my views on how creation happened.

I think it is best to examine things like that, and I like it that you believe religion can coexist with these concepts. That's where I stand. I may not know much about science, but I know that science can only say so much about the supernatural.

Answer 9

I have taken many courses and read many books, although they were all from a creationist viewpoint. I just cannot fathom that life can come from non-life. If you would like to talk this over with me, please feel free to e-mail me. Although being a Christian takes a lot of faith, I am definitely always in favor of challenging and examining my faith in order to make it stronger and to learn more about other faiths, although I believe the Bible to be absolute truth.

Answer 10

I am the opposite of you.
I really have tried to understand evolution.
Microevolution is just fine but macroevolution is ridiculous and is not supported with any facts just theories.
I have been raised in a public school and studied many sciences and religions but Christianity is the only religion that holds truth and I love science but not false science.
And sorry but everything I believe (science / religion) is based on facts so that excludes evolution and other religions.