What do Christians think of the remains of the earliest child ever found in Ethiopia?

Question

As you may or may not have heard, scientists recently discovered the oldest skeleton of a baby Australopithecus afarensis ever found. Australopithecus afarensis is our oldest known evolutionary ancestor, and have features belonging to both humans and apes. Here's an article if you want to learn more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1745806.htm

My question is, what do Christians think of this? How does this species that is so like us fit in with your view of Creationism? Do you think this species is really our ancestor? Why or why not? Please give as much explenation as you can.

Robert D, if you read the article, you will see that Australopithecus afarensis has many things that are similar to us and not to apes, such as the bone structure of their legs. Please do more than just look at the picture to make an assumption.

Faith Walker, I really don't understand what you're trying to say. I didn't accuse you of anything, I mearly sought your thoughts on this. Sadly, you did not answer my question. Pity.

Sandy, is it too hard for you to imagine that there might have been a stage in our evolution when we didn't have the brain capasity to question? Scientists believe that soon after we began walking upright, as little Lucy did, our brains began to grow, and with that, our ability for higher thought.

Worshipful Heart, if it was deformed, why have we found several differant skeletons all with the same deformity? And isn't "God did it" makeing up stories to explain things we don't know?

Beam G, evedently you don't understand much about evolution. There are many good books you could read on the subject.

Answer 1

I read this article in its entirety and a couple of others regarding the same thing.
I think that thee are a lot of other possibilities that scientists arewither not considering or not making public for the sake of an agenda.
This could be a species of ape that is now extinct, it could be fully human with some deformities or features that we have lost over time because of declingin nutrition and environmental issues.
There is a lot you can tell from bones but if all you have is bones, a lot is still left to the imagination. The fact is , these bones being "a missing link" is nothing more than speculation and filling in the gaps with one's imagination.
Lets stick with the facts and not make up stories to explain the facts- a simple "I don't know" will do.

Answer 2

I haven't heard of any apes turning into humans today? I mean evolution is still going on and so the next gen monkeys should have become humans by now.

I don't hear a lot on that. I wonder why? Of course there is evidence though that humans have become apes in many ways!! LOL

Thanks for your recomendation. I have read enough but none of the books give 100% guarantee on their theory. Just by putting matching bones together doesn't make theory real.

There are a hundreds of Dog Breeds. Now just because you found the bones of Chihuahua after thousand years cannot prove that today it has become a poodle because of evolution. Science might show you the bone structure with a close resemblence though.

So why don't we call apes, APES!!

Answer 3

Most evolutionists believe that this species, Australopithecus afarensis, is in our direct ancestry.

The term believe in the last sentence is key because there is no legitimate fossil pathway connecting the australopithecines with modern humans. Hence, it is deceptive and intellectually dishonest to make the bold claim that this or any other australopithecine is our ancestor.

I believe in the inerrant Word of God.

Answer 4

An interesting article. However, if you believe in creationsim, it won't really matter. The contention can be that this is a different species from the current day homo sapiens. In other words, you won't be able to turn over a life-long conviction because of a fossil discovery.

Answer 5

Belief in evolution is not mutually exclusive with a faith in Christ. As a scientist and a practicing Christian, I side with the scientists over the 6-day creationists.

Answer 6

Hey, that's a nifty article! I hadn't heard about this; thanks for pointing it out!

Not a Christian, though, so all I can tell you is that, Hmm, yeah, I believe that science actually works and that 99% of what they believe about this skeleton is actually true. I'm just funny like that, believing in information resulting from the scientific method...

Answer 7

What have the scientist proved to you that made you believe this stuff. You probably believed in Santa Clause when you were a child. You probably believe that the God of Abraham is not real, you also probably believe that this set of bones is 3.3 million years old. There is nothing in this world that would prove how old those bones are. Just think about it. Cars are only a hundred years old, personal computers are about 25 years old. There is no cure for Aids and Cancer, but we can tell you that that bone is 3.3 million years old and what the guy had for supper the night he died.........Not even a cure for the common cold.

Answer 8

There is a shocking difference between that species and Homo sapiens: namely Homo sapiens' ability to ask questions about its purpose on earth.

However related Homo sapiens is, genetically speaking, to any other creature that is living now or that ever lived, there is no accounting for this radical difference: the fact that we can ask, "Who am I?" "Where did I come from?" "Where am I going?"

If Little Lucy was swinging from the trees while thinking up her next theological thesis, then you'd be hearing me singing a different tune right now. But if Little Lucy swung from trees, picked lice off her brother, ate insects, and didn't consider the origin of the planet, then there's really little to talk about.

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Well, you did ask for my thoughts. You didn't ask me to predict your thoughts about my thoughts.

That said, no, it isn't hard for me to imagine larger brain capacity. But larger brain capacity does not equal metaphysical thinking. Larger brain capacity does not equal the ability to cry. These things don't just need more room in the head. What they need is a soul.

Answer 9

I've heard it before. Oh we found the missing link. Latter they will publish a small article that she had arthritus or when they dug her up she had her pet ape next to her. Or they could have taken an apes bones with the girls to make it look like a missing link. These missing links are always wrong in one way or another. As for apes being ancestors there is no proof other they have opposible thumbs. God just used simmiliar blue prints. A jet and birds have simmilial blueprints. They both have wings but are they the same. No there are many major differences.

Answer 10

yeah, i think she's our ancestor. i'm a christian but i believe in a combination of creationism and evolution. evolution is a proven scientific process and happens all the time, and the bible isn't really specific as to the time frame of its stories in the old testament (like one god day when the earth was created could have really been 10,000 days as we know it).