Why are many christians afraid to learn?

Question

To put it another way, why would any christian who honestly wants to disprove evolution to others NOT want to make an informed opinion by examining the precise workings of and arguments for it first?

Afterall... if they could learn to understand how it works first, rather than just spouting whatever misconceptions first came to mind, they might actually be able to make valid criticisms that could be taken seriously.

It comes around in other ways too, though not as often. Religious folks seem reluctant to hear of anything that might oppose their existant beliefs..... but the key point is that they won't even put their beliefs to the test by examining the data available in an objective light?

At least I do them the (unearned) favour of admitting to any consistancy that might exist in their beliefs and even occasionally giving a valid objective response to uninformed criticisms by athiests.

I try to learn in order to better counter.

They don't even seem to try.

[ And yes, I know that there is no reasoning with them. I found that out long ago. I'm just uncertain how this unreasonable nature can still occur... and whether it is an aquired or hereditary condition. ]

[ Excuse the typo in the previous edit. ~~ I would like to note that if anyone actually has any questions regarding evolution... that they are free to e-mail me. I am fairly qualified to answer them... I'd like to think my BSc in Palaeobiology from University College London is worth more than the paper it is written on. ]

[ Daisy... to single you out in particular here, why do you suppose I put the word "many" in the title of the question? ... No, it is a rhetorical question, and I will tell you why: To avoid making an absolute statement that could be proven false with a single exception. What is apparent though is that, regardless of exceptions, the general rule regarding christians and the reluctance to set foot outside their nonsensical comfort zone is valid as applicable to the majority of those identified.

I do pride myself on trying to be more precise, fair and reasonable than most people... irrespective of beliefs.
Doesn't mean I'm a nice person though... ]

[ Earl... You have the wrong subject... Failed at the first hurdle... pillock. I'm talking palaeontology and biology here... not physics. There are numbers involved, sure, but they aren't important for understanding the consistancy of the process.
Furthermore... It IS observable... if one cares to spend a few weeks looking down a microscope at bacteria. The footprints of its passing in the fossil record in many respects aren't so blatant, but are wholly consistant and sure as heck don't have any better explanation out there.

So... mr Earl... If you are quite finished with your pathetic Argumentum Ad Hominem, I'll get on to checking serious answers... I don't have the time to waste on aggressive retards. ]

Answer 1

You do pose a very good question. I find even within my faith that people sometimes don't even read the bible. This I can only attribute to our differances. Everyone is differant. I myself like to study, I never want to stop learning, I also find joy in learning. I guess this makes it a little easier for me. You will find these same people do have a desire to learn if you ask them a question about something that interest them. Now this statement also is a good one for my Christian brothers and sisters. Whats important to you, what do you study and have knowlegde of? Thank you for you open and honest answer. AKA question. LOL. I'm very interested to know what others have to say to you also. Take care.

Answer 2

You stated that Christians are deliberately uninformed. However, I think you are guilty of the same thing. You are sweeping Christians with a rather broad brush, here.

In any event, evolution is an unproven theory. That is true; even though many people consider it to be absolute truth, it's actually not been proven conclusively yet. There are numerous books explaining the inconsistencies in the evolution argument; if you go to your local library you'll surely find at least half a dozen. Try reading up on the subject from that POV and you may find that even though you disagree with the Christians' beliefs, you might have a little respect for them, anyway.

Keep in mind, also, that since evolution is unproven as of yet, that doesn't automatically mean that creationism is correct either (altough I personally do think that it is). There may be entirely different circumstances that we haven't even considered as of yet.

While I have the utmost respect for scientists, we have to remember that they are human beings, just like the rest of us. There was a time when the greatest living minds believed that the earth was flat, and that the sun revolved around the earth, only to learn later that both of those "facts" were 100% incorrect.

I just suggest that we all remember that we don't have scientific proof on either side of the argument, so let's stop being so critical of one another for holding a different opinion. Because, after all, it is only OPINION that we are talking about here. No one, not even the most highly skilled scientists, no for sure exactly how we came to be.

Answer 3

A BS isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Now GO do a DISSERTATION on Evolution for a PHD

I want to see you make the postultaes, come up with the proofs and justify your never before seen concept.

Tell us something new and PROVE IT

That's what you have to do for a PHD

All you're doing is repeating stuff from a text book you have no idea about how it got there.

I do know how it got there. I was a researcher and book writers are lazy lame creatures working on grants who copy down other lazy lame creatures inccorect statements!

Rarely do you find a book author picking up a telelphone and asking a scientist a question

Show us the proofs

Where is the MATH

Where is the E=MC2

Where is the APE times C2/Pi=MAN

We want to see your mathematical proofs

We want to know the formual by which you know which directions genes are going to fuse based upon the protiens, enzimes and rise in temperature.

We want to to tell us when it's definately going left and definately going right.

Until then, you have no science. You have speculation. Rhetoric.

Answer 4

I like to aplaud you, first of all, for framing your question correctly and avoiding generalizations by saying 'all Christians'.

As for your question, I think it's false to assume that Christians are afraid to learn. Quite the opposite, on top of juggling everyday necessities, many Christians attend Sunday service and sometimes even additional bible studies throughout the week. These times are spent studying up the biblical text because we believe we can always learn something new from it. This is true even for the Christians who are born into a church family, went to catholic school and can identify the verse of any bible related quote. Now if you think about that, someone whose known the bible all their life and still drilling into the bible to learn new things, it speaks a different story.

I think your frustration is not with Christians but with the general population. Not everyone is as fortunate as you to have a BS in biology/evolution. In fact, wikipedia states post-secondary, or college degrees for the American population to be 27%. Which means, everyday you'll meet two people who has never attended college, and the one person who has attended,probably isn't an evolution expert. This is fact, regardless of Christian or non-Christian. The fact that you've met 'many Christians' who don't know evolution enough to discuss it has nothing to do with their belief and everything to do with our national education numbers.

It sounds like you're trying to prove that Christianity is false. However, you need to first understand that Christians do not try to prove that we are right. Christians live by faith, the very definition of the word implies lack of proof. You cannot put to faith what you already know. If I simply 'knew' God and all the mysterious of the world, there's no need for faith. This does not mean we believe in the ridiculous or the absurd. Although we go by faith, there's usually a personal story that for that individual 'proved' God and re-affirms that he's on the right track. Christians often have a hard time explaining this personal experience to someone who has not experienced it themselves. So you see, there's really no reason for a Christian to understand evolution and defend it rigorously because that is not the reason why most Christians believe.

Now, about your evolution argument. I am, by no means, an evolution expert. But I started out as an agnostic myself, and science does intrigue me. For me, I see no conflict between creation and evolution. In theory, it's possible for all life to be created and then live in the world of natural selection. 'Evolving' overtime as the weaker genes are eliminated and the stronger genes thrive. I was listening to a recording online, and although the speaker (whom I assume is Christian), was mainly focused on astronomy and God, he did raise an interesting point relating to evolution (link include). His point was, we've observed many extinctions of species in our days, but not once have we observed the creation of a new one. I know we've 'discovered' new species now and then, but how do we know these species didn't already exist for a long time, and we just found them? As opposed to coming into existence recently. Assuming that he is right (but once again, he is an astronomy expert, not a biology expert) I ask you to consider, if we've constantly observed extinction but never observed new formation of species through evolution, is it then likely that species have been created rather than evolved?

Answer 5

Funny, the last time I tried to have an intellectual exchange of ideas with someone over evolution, my very character was attacked because I said I was waiting for proof beyond a certain point in the evolutionary tract. Every piece of evidence seems to be from a point in time when humans were already human. I want proof from farther back. Until I get such proof, I will continue to believe that God created us and evolution is just one of His tools. I've listened to your arguements on evolution, but have you ever tried to even give consideration to creationism? I bet you haven't. So, who's afraid of learning? The person willing to listen at least to the arguement for the other side, or the side who refuses to even give their opposition a grain of sand's consideration.

Answer 6

there may well be some Christian who can not clarify some info, perhaps there are some that are afraid, others do not want to be confronted... all those are opportunities, specific, yet what you may not understand is that faith isn't a in all risk rely in line with medical motives ( to place it that way) there's a sparkle of God on your heart that opens it to have faith issues that seems loopy for others, do not attempt to understand the spirit with your recommendations because of the fact they don't mixture, they'd agree till one factor, then they pass aside, because of the fact God is so great, so great, that our little, constrained recommendations would be unable to appreciate, I honor your thinking, because of the fact a minimum of you're being truthful with regards to this, if there is a few thing on your spirit that's not conformed with your recommendations, if there's a lacking "link" on your heart, attempt Jesus, tell him: "in case you're genuine, ensue to me, in case you ensue to me, i will have faith", and don't cut back your self on your recommendations, remember there is medical teach that we are extra that purely flesh and bone, what's that different area? is it soul? is it spirit? no you're able to convince you of not something, yet you would be able to locate you have been incorrect all this time, in case you purely provide it a huge gamble.

Answer 7

You make a good point. I personally feel that the job of science is to help us understand the method God used to form His creations. Neither one seems able to disprove the other - possibly both are correct, as far as they go. Does this make me a heretic?

Answer 8

I disagree... I think now more than ever Christians are digging and researching and learning, outside our own comfort zones. Who are you to judge a whole race of people, as if you have all the answers. Many Christians know more about evolution than many non-theists. Furthermore, faith supercedes the mind... faith is not thinking, it is believing, Christians are not easily swayed because we have chosen to believe in the God that we serve. Why do non-thesists care so much? What is your purpose for preaching? We know ours!

Get a PhD and then we can talk!

Answer 9

Right on Bizz and Happy 2! I don't think its because we can't or wont, its because we are tired of being attacked over and over and belittled every time we try, so we don't, we just go on believing and quietly praying for those who seem to want to do nothing but argue and ridicule.

Answer 10

Because they don't like testing their faith, it will show them just how fragile it is. People able to take in information and dissect it, and make an opinion on it, see how it applies to their own thoughts or beliefs and if their beliefs are validated or broken down by this new information are few and far between, on both sides of the equation, likely.