Why do people think that disproving evolution somehow proves their religious beliefs?

Question

This board seems to be plagued by people denouncing evolution and claiming that in light of evolution's "failure", their beliefs stand proud and true.

So why do some religious people seem to think that disproving a pretty solid theory about life will somehow make everyone automatically believe in their creation myths? It's like saying that because something isn't blue then it MUST be red. Why do these people think in such black and white (or blue and red) terms?

Fruitcake: "Evolutionists" aren't intent on disproving the Bible, just the idiots that try to use it to disprove science.

Additionally, you didn't "turn it around" you completely changed the argument. I'm saying disproving one doesn't make the other true by default.

Do you people know how to keep on topic without going off on one?

Evolution does not "oppose" Genesis, it just means it shouldn't be taken 100% literally. And besides, that is completely irrelevant to the question at hand.

KC: Evolution has _nothing_ to do with belief in the subject, it is about evidence not faith in Darwin or something equally proposterous.

And that book, by Richard Behe. He's an idiot that has been proven to be incorrect in a court of law and has even revoked a number of his own arguments. I wouldn't take anything he says about this "debate" scientifically.

Obviously I meant Michael Behe, not Richard.

Answer 1

I'm not sure why. I've wondered about this myself. Black is of course the absense of color and white is the presence of variuos colors in specific percentages. And then there are all those other colors of course. What about yellow, green and purple?

I know lots of people who believe in evolution who are also very religious. I know lots of religious people who think that the much of the old testament in the bible are morality tales and myths.

I read not long ago that there is a mental condition which makes people believe in just two conditions, with no inbetweens. I can't remember what it is called, but the medical people who found it thought it might be a reason why some become ultra religious or ultra anti religious.

Me, I have no idea.

Answer 2

As a Christian, I can believe that the Bible is not a science textbook and so the age of the universe might be very old. Also, the story of Genesis might very well be a parable. But with all that swept aside, there is still a more fundamental underlying problem.

Evolution is like a roulette wheel. We know the probabilities but we don't know what the next spin will bring. Christians will say that God controls the outcome while unbelievers will substitute random chance for God and then say God isn't needed. There is this mentality that develops that feels like it can explain life but it explains it by way of chance.

I've heard many people in these forums say that evolution provides meaning and purpose to their lives which tells me that they have given evolution godlike qualities. Evolution has morphed into a substitute for God.

Answer 3

I don't beleive all the things the scientists come up with... science is the observation of nature.... nature is on a healing cycle... when nature heals nature changes, when nature changes scientific results change... any how about evolution... evolution is a primary natural activity... I don't just mean different kinds of bugs or animals and such... those occur sometimes... it's the evolution that occurs when it's here that matters.. social evolution... there's an animal, there's a nature to the animal.. it live in packs, the bull mates with many females... the geese mate for life.. and so on... that is nature's way... nature seeks to make balance.. harmony, peace with itself.... the evolution of humanity.. or should I say the interupted evolution of humanity.. If we look at the destruction the catholic church made on it's rise to power, we would see that they purposly destroyed spiritual people and the civiliazations that evolved around them... that's nature's work... they caused an extinction of spiritual people... leaving nothing behind except catholic propaganda in the for of religions, politics, medicines, education... nothing left of the natural world... but today things are changing nature is getting it's second shot at balancing... spirituality is on the rise... religion on the down side, nature is healing.... There are answers in nature that science is unable to understand these answers can come to us from nature... nature loves to talk to people and a lot of us have been hearing, the better it heals... the more we'll learn...

Answer 4

Thinking in "black and white terms" could also be said of proponents of the theory of evolution. Evolutionists tend to believe it is evolution and nothing else. So, the brush you are painting creationists with could be turned around on evolutionists as well.

Disproving evolution does not prove religious beliefs anymore than disproving creationist beliefs proves evolution.

It's simply that people believe different things. One does not prove nor disprove the other.

Although evolution appears to be "a pretty solid theory" to you, it does not seem like one to me.

Is it so bad to have a lot of theories of creation for people to consider?

Below is a link to a book by a bio-chemist regarding evolution. If you are daring enough to read it and step out of your own "black and white" thinking, it may educate you further on evolutionist theory.

Answer 5

You must first understand that the Theory of Evolution is just that - a theory. It has not scientific truth, because it has not been "Proven". A good Teacher or Instructor will tell you that before he/she begins teaching this theory. SO, how do you disprove something that IN FACT has not been proven or disproven? Although, to be fair and objective - and I hate to say this, the inverse is true as well. I personally believe that they can and do co-exist, and both have done pretty well in propagating life on this planet. In other words, I know that God made evolution, and evolution has been doing a job well done...

Answer 6

God is not stupit, He wouldnt create things and then come back and change them. His creation was perfect from day one. He knew what He wanted and HOW He wanted it to be. The reason we dont have ape-like humans is because of the mass extinct (not evolution) that took place when dinosaurs were roaming the planet, that was before Adam and Eve. It's been many years since we've been in this form, why dont we grow things or change somewhere in our bodies if evolution is true? isnt evolution supposed to be continuous?

Answer 7

Pray to your god of Evolution if you'd like! And Darwin and Sagan are his prophets! Oh, wait, they're dead (and now know the Truth!) I'll stick with the God Who created the Universe and all that is in it, thanks!

Did *your* god created something out of nothing so something else could evolve from it? Hm-mm? Well, did he?

A theory doesn't trump God, Creator of the universe!

Sunlight refracts into all the other colors of light. Did evolution create *that* phenomenon?

StingRay: Better read your Bible some more! Dinosaurs were contemporary with mankind before the Flood; although they were called Leviathan, Behemoth, etc. Until the fall and expulsion from the Garden, there were no deaths, disease, extinctions or disasters!

Answer 8

The theory of evolution opposes the Genesis story. It is the first story of the bible. I think that those who believe in the bible are threatened by a theory that disputes the very beginnings of the bible.

In response to a comment added by the asker. I get your point about literalism. I think those who denounce evolution are bible literalist and this idea threatens their idea of creation as laid out in Genesis. I shouldn't have spoken so broadly. It was rather late...

Answer 9

I think you are in for a big surprise.

It's basic ignorance when one person proclaims what others believe, such as you have done. It is week that you focus on the most ignorant Christians' point of view but resort to name calling when you are outmatched by knowledgeable people.

Answer 10

By some mental process that seems logical only to the delusional. These guys want creationism taught as an alternative science, but what exactly is it? One sentence; God did it? And the rest of the 'subject' attacks evolution. Sounds very constructive, hey.