Is it ok for a Catholic to believe in evolution?

Question

I'm Catholic and believe in evolution. There's a lot of proof and they have all the skulls that show it.

Answer 1

It's OK for anyone... I'm glad to see you're approaching this logically. (Now we gotta start working of your other beliefs, *everything* to do with the supernatural and mystical.)

Answer 2

I only agree only to the extent of microevolution. There is absolutely no evidence whatsoever of macroevolution, and those who say so are misuing examples of microevolution to "prove" it.

TRUE science will not and cannot conflict with Church doctrine, because Church doctrine is absolutely and totally true. However, the question is "is Darwinistic evolution true science?" The answer, in my humble opinion, is "no." The Vatican statement that Evolution was "more than a theory" was very unfortunate, and makes me very sad.

Per Vatican Council I: God created everything “in its whole substance” from nothing (ex nihilo) in the beginning.

I'll point out that keystones of the evolution hypothesis are not proven (and perhaps unprovable) thru the use of the scientific method, which is what they claim to venerate.

Despite this secular dogma assertion there is no other answer possible and anyone that doesn't swallow evolution hook, line and sinker is just an ignorant rube who can be safely ignored.

Again, truth never contradicts truth. So perhaps the fist step is asking is there anything truth at all to the evolution hypothesis?

Finally, after 150 years or more at least some scientists are saying, "no".

I'm not arguing we should fill in the gaps of evolution with God, I'm saying we need to throw out the whole stinking hypothesis (its not a theory since theories have evidence) because its just bad science.

See this page:
"Is Evolution an open question for Catholics?" http://www.theotokos.org.uk/pages/creation/gjkeane/openques.html

Also see: http://www.remnantnewspaper.com/archive-2005-0630-evolution.htm

As a scientist, I am confronted daily with Evolution as a...religion almost, several questions for you:

On a purely scientific level, can possibly work, given the second LAW of Thermodynamics?

"Naturalistic Evolutionism requires that physical laws and atoms organize themselves into increasingly complex and beneficial, ordered arrangements. Thus, over eons of time, billions of things are supposed to have developed upward, becoming more orderly and complex."

However, this basic law of science (2nd Law of Thermodynamics) reveals the exact opposite. In the long run, complex, ordered arrangements actually tend to become simpler and more disorderly with time. (Also known as "chaos"). There is an irreversible downward trend ultimately at work throughout the universe. Evolution, with its ever increasing order and complexity, appears impossible in the natural world. Has the 2nd Law been circumvented? No!!

It simply makes no sense, especially in light of E=mc2, which can equate energy and mass, making the Laws of Thermodynamics (which relate to energy) applicable also to matter.

Some want to present evolution as some indisputable fact when it is not. I do not agree with this attitude and believe that those who want to silence criticisms of the theory are doing a diservice to science.

What we must do is to separate Evolution from the philosophical claims of the atheist who want to serve us Nietzsche's "God is dead" mantra in a silver platter.

The claims of the atheists is that Evolution proves God false, but this is false.

CONCLUSION: Natural science offers no evidence that would contradict the plain and obvious sense of Genesis 1-11, the consensus of the Fathers of the Church, or the magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church on creation and the origins of man and the universe.

Answer 3

Traditional Catholic belief and evolution aren't opposed to each other. Evolution is something that happens. But God still created the universe, and there was still a first set of parents. The story of creation is really a story about God's all powerful action of creating the universe. Note that the Big Bang Theory is the leading theory of how the world was created, and God could have been the cause of that.

Answer 4

To tell you the truth No its not o.k and ill tell you why! Believing in evolution means that you believe that everything happened from a huge bang.... And Darwin(the man who believes evolution) does not believe in Christ. Evolution seems so believable it is easy to fall into Darwin's belief. If you believe in God and evolution you are sitting on the fence waiting to see which side you will get more rewards. Just please don't give up your faith for Christ and fall into the devils trap. I don't mean to be so harsh but its true!! Don't you want heaven? the place where you'll never be sad or upset or angry! Where there's roads of gold and a crystal sea! Where There will be pleasing sounds to your ears? don't give up Christ and follow sin! Sin leads to hell a dark miserable place! Just talk to God he'll help you with what path to take. Also a great chapter to read in the bible is Revelations!

Answer 5

It's not proof, It's "evidence".

Technically, nobody should believe in evolution. It's not a cult for anybody to believe. It's just a thought-out scientific explanation to explain the diversity of life. Therefore, everybody could listen and learn about evolution. It doesn't disprove God, it doesn't do anything

"...new findings lead us toward the recognition of evolution as more than an hypothesis..." - Jean Paul II

Answer 6

Yes.

The Catholic Church said belief in evolution was okay over fifty years ago.

The Catholic Church does not take the stories of creation in the Bible literally. Catholics believe the book of Genesis tells religious truth and not necessarily historical fact.

One of the religious truths is that God created everything and declared all was good.

Catholics can believe in the theory of evolution. Or not. The Church does not require belief in evolution.

On August 12, 1950 Pope Pius XII said in his encyclical Humani generis:

The Teaching Authority of the Church does not forbid that, in conformity with the present state of human sciences and sacred theology, research and discussions, on the part of men experienced in both fields, take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, in as far as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent and living matter - for the Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are immediately created by God.

Here is the complete encyclical: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_12081950_humani-generis_en.html

The Church supports science in the discovery of God's creation. At this time, the theory of evolution is the most logical scientific explanation. However tomorrow someone may come up with a better idea.

As long as we believe that God started the whole thing, both the Bible and modern science can live in harmony.

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

What do you mean? It's always okay to believe in evolution, because it is in fact true. Whether or not that would make you no longer a catholic I don't know. At any rate atheism is superior to religion, for about the same kinds of reasons that evolution is superior to intelligent design, so being catholic is a lot more wrong than believing in evolution.

Answer 8

Many people believe that evolution and the Catholic-brand of Christianity do not necessarily come in conflict; many other people believe the opposite. What's important is what you believe, it should not matter what other people think.

Answer 9

Yes, it is quite acceptable for Catholics to believe in evolution.

Answer 10

The Catholic Church has offically accepted Evolution. What's taking the protestants so long?

Answer 11

Yes. I believe in evolution.