What's the contradiction between religion and evolution?

Question

I am a Christian, and I believe in evolution. I think that God had a hand in the creation, but I also think that the Bible is not meant to be taken literally. After all, in one story about Elijah when he sacrifices a lamb, he also talks to it. What to you think about this subject?

Answer 1

What if:

Creation and evolution are the same. The twenty-four hour day is mans earthly concept of time because it fits the physics of earth’s rotation in orbit around the sun, and the spinning of the planet on it’s axis.

What if:

One of God's days equals a billion or so of our years? To put this into perspective, compare a single atom to our solar system, then compare the average time required for the electrons (planets) to orblt around the nucleus (sun) and then think of the size/time relationship comparing our solar system to that atom. Then compare our tiny solar system, as an atom, to the immensity of the universe. Surely, universal time cannot be on the same scale as mans. If this concept is true, then six of "God's" days could equal billions of years of our earth time. When man interpreted and wrote "God's" word (bible) he had no accurate concept of the universe or different time scales. So six days, (mans interpretation of "God's” word) to create our earth could be correct form both “God’s” word (bible) and Darwin’s theory of evolution.

Answer 2

I think there is no conflict at all between the idea of God creating the earth and the idea of evolution. After all, if God created everything, he would also have created the mechanism for evolution, so you could argue that God created evolution, which is not such a preposterous idea if you think about it. If this is the case, which it very well could be (would not God also have created the bacteria and viruses which cause plagues and epidemics?), then those who vehemently argue for either creationism or evolution but not both, would thus be utter fools.

The Bilble cannot be taken literally because it makes no sense to do so. The six 'days' of creation could each very well have covered a time span of millions of years. There is no other way to explain the dinosaurs, and why Cain and Abel on that day of the murder were both not snapped up by some foraging Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Answer 3

Unfortunately if you don't take the Bible literally, how are you saved? The bible gives an outline as to how to get saved, through Christ. If you choose to believe that the creation story is not literal, why would you believe the Jesus story is? If the Jesus story isn't literal then maybe he didn't walk on water or rise from the grave. If he didn't rise again, then the method of salvation isn't paid for and there is no point to the entire book.

Its all or nothing, you cannot choose to ignore parts as myth and apply other parts as real events.

That is why it can't be real.

Answer 4

i agree with you. where exactly is the problem? if God is all-powerful, then I don't think that we can say that God didn't CREATE evolution. I don't see how people who rail against evolution are getting anything by it. Do they really think that the evolutionist view of creation is not impressive enough? did the universe ACTUALLY have to be created in 6 days to be an impressive feat? 6 days, 6 years, 6 trillion years, whatever, it impresses me.


btw - i heard someone say this and it made sense to me - Science answers the question HOW, religion answers the question WHY. you shouldn't use science to answer WHY or religion to answer HOW.

Answer 5

Evolution claims a scientific and natural origin for the universe and life within it, excluding the possibility of a supernatural origin, in essence-excluding God. You say you are a Christian, so how can these two extreme and naturally opposing beliefs coexist? I say the answer is they cannot, therefore the answer lies in your definition of "Christian."
People have lost the concept of what true Christianity is, considering themselves "Christians" simply by tradition and not because of deep beliefs or convictions. Your statement that "the Bible is not meant to taken literally" testifies volumes about the depth of your faith and conviction. The word "Christian" means to be "Christ-like"- and by definition implies a person whose attributes and actions remind others of Christ. Let's cut to the quick here- If you don't believe God's word, and you'd rather believe Darwin's hypothesis, please don't have the audacity to call yourself a Christian. There's enough confusion in the world already.The prophet Elijah also prayed (talked to God) and called down fire from heaven to consume an offering soaked with water before the eyes of the prophets of Baal. Ironically, so that the people of Israel would turn away from idols and again believe in the one true God. What miracle does He have to do for YOU to believe?

Answer 6

I don't think you can pick and chose which story in the Bible you believe in and which you don't. If you can't accept the entire Bible then the entire Bible is in question. Why would God inspire stories to mislead you? That doesn't mean you fully understand how some things could have happened. But, you most believe that God has the power to do anything He wants so why wouldn't it be true. You don't have to fully understand or comprehend something to believe in it, it's called faith.

Answer 7

There is no contradiction between religion and evolution. However, there is a contradiction between a literal Genesis and evolution, because Genesis says man was created in his final state.

Answer 8

I think that makes the most logical sense out of all the creationalism crap i've heard. unfortunately most christians i know want to believe the world was created AS IS in 7 days. lol

Answer 9

I think bringing the two together is a last ditch effort of theists to maintain belief in their dogma. There is zero evidence of any divine intervention involved in natural processes such as evolution.

Answer 10

I pretty much agree with you. Science and religion are 2 different things and it is not necessary that they be two opposing things.

Sansfear, where do you get off thinking you can tell us how to interpret books that you do not believe in anyway? Are you now a theologian?