Christians/Atheists, please read with an open mind. Science vs Religion...Big Bang/Evolution/Creation...?

Question

Religion vs Science. I want to give a viewpoint and ask for inputs.

I keep hearing that Science and Religion do not mix. I disagree. I actually think that Science and Religion have the same outcomes. But, since people are unable to think about mixing them, they feel as though they have to choose one or the other.

Consider this...

Big Bang - Science says that the Universe was created by a large explosion that spread matter, dust, gaseous clouds, etc. throughout space. A gaseous cloud gathered dust and formed into a solid and eventually into a ball of dirt and water that we now call Earth. This took billions of years. Could it be possible that this is how God created the Earth? The bible says it was a day, but maybe a day to God can not be measured. Maybe its equal to billions of years. Is it not possible that God created a huge explosion that eventually formed the Earth and that was how he created things?

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Evolution – Science says that man evolved from lower life forms into a being that walks upright and communicates. This took millions of years to develop and happen. The bible says that God created man…once again…in a day. Again, don’t think of a day as what we know it today. A day could be billions of years to God. Could it be possible that this evolution of man was how God created him? The bible never says that he snapped his fingers and suddenly man appeared. It says that He “created” him. But first, it says He created all the beasts in the water, and the birds in the air. That was the FIFTH day. Only until later, the sixth day, did he create animals that roamed the land and on that same day, He created man. So…could it be possible that man evolved from an organism in the water that eventually crawled onto the land and developed arms and legs through this creation process?
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Could this process, which took millions of years, be the way that God created mankind? He made the beasts in the water, and the next day he made the ones that crawled on the land…and THEN he made man. During this time, could it be possible that dinosaurs walked the earth, and that mankind was developing into beasts that walked upright?

According to the bible, after Cain was cast away for killing his brother, Abel, he met other people. Could it be possible that those were others that had evolved during this creation process?

The bible talks about how Adam and Eve were nude…but then learned of their nudity and eventually covered themselves out of shame. This sounds just like descriptions of early cavemen. Early man was naked and eventually learned to cover themselves. And the bible never says what Adam and Eve looked like.

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. I think it could be possible that all of this creation process could be the development of mankind and Adam and Eve are representatives of this creation process, and might not even be a single man and woman.

God told Adam and Eve to go forth and work the land. Somewhere during the times of cavemen, they learned to work the land and grow things for their survival. Is it possible that this is part of the same process that Science calls “the development of mankind” and “learning to use tools”? But that the bible talks about as Adam and Eve going forth to work the land and populate it?
If you can learn to open your mind, and view things in both Scientific and Religious contexts… I think you will understand what I am trying to say. And we can all begin to live together a little better.
Do you think any of this could be possible? Or do you still feel that you have to choose one…Science or Religion?

If you dont want to read it, then dont.

That means you dont have to leave some idiotic comment either.

I know its long. No one is putting a gun to your head and telling you that you have to read it.

So, impart some good wisdom...or go look for another 35 year old man pretending to be a 14 year old girl and asking about sex questions...you would probably be able to answer those much easier.

Thanks.

And thank you to those that read and choose to make an appropriate comment.

Answer 1

I think you make very good points. The word for day in Genesis is originally 'yom'. It can be translated 'day' or 'a period of time'. Literalists do not believe it can be a period of time because they call upon other usages of the word yom as being day in other scriptures. Theistic evolutionists do not see the conflict literalists claim in the translation. If it means both, then it means both. Those who enjoy arguing will dismiss your point of view, but I agree with you. I do think Adam and Eve are special starting points. There is the view point that their story is the story of humans moving from a world of hunting/gathering (Eden) to the hard work of farming. It is a provacative concept, but I am still inclined to think there is more to it. I think God had a special relationship with them and I think they disobeyed and the world changed. It is nice to see others with a similar viewpoint, I look forward to more from you.

Answer 2

Vol,

I'm sure you'll get a variety of answers. Most people have an opinion, and there are different impressions of what "science" and "religion" are.

Most great pioneers of science have been very religious men.

Evolution is often called science, but science is different: it seeks to expalin our surroundings.

Evolutionary Scientist D.J. Futuyma said there are only 2 options: Creation and Evolution. That would imply that everything else is an attempt to combine the 2 theories.

Evolution suffers from several huge problems:
1. Where did all the energy come from?
2. As a corollary, where did all the matter come from?
3. How do you organize inanimate matter into life? The Law of Biogenesis says that you can only create life from existing life. Some scientist say that this is "a small step", but good luck creating self-organizing, self-replicating, self-repairing complex machines, which are far more complex than any supercomputer.

The "billions of years" you speak of were assumed, to support the evolution theory, which requires billions of years.
Without those billions of years, evolution can't happen.

The Big Bang suffers from many problems, including a need for "dark matter" which has been refuted by the calculations of at least 1 published science paper.

Rather than thinking about how God could have done it, why not focus on what God said He did?

White Hole Cosmology, by Russ Humphreys and others, proposes that Relativity allows for time dilation (the clocks would be moving much faster) as one moves away from the Earth. Therefore, 1 calendar week on Earth could be millions of years way out there. All that's required is that we be near the center.

You have many valid questions, but it seems it would be better to divide them into a half dozen or so questions.

David
Mechanical Engineer

Answer 3

Well it's interesting that Science says that things evovle to adapt. Animals evolve certain characteristics that are necessare. Humans have the ability to worship and praise God (animals do not). Does this mean that we 'evolved' that mentality because we needed it in order to worship a true and living God? On the other hand, I would venture to say that God has the power to turn what would be a 6 billion year process into 6 days. The only way you can't believe in God is when you limit his power, knowledge and such. I believe that God was %100 neccesary in order for life to begin. With all due respect, whether in the Bible it refers to 6 days (litteral) or 6 days (a day meaning a *longer* period of time) is wrather irrelevant. There is a God either way. Remember, the only way you can not believe in a God is if you limit him by saying that 'he couldn't do this or that' or saying that the concept of God is unreal. Or course God is unreal-he is God! How can our human minds percieve of an infintie universe, much less, and infinite God?

-SCIENTISTS: I am not saying we should not explore and discover. If you look at the earths location in this Solar System and in the Galexy you would notice that Earth specifically (significantly more so than any other planet) has the best visibility of the stars, such a view could not be attained from the moon! Also our solar system is located specifically in a nearly trafic-free section of the Milky Way in between the spiraling arms that make up our Galexy. What is this saying? We have been put in a specific spot in this universe where we can best observe the space around us- God's way of allowing and telling us to discover and learn for ourselves.

Also, keep in mind that while at one point in time the total star count was thought to be 1,022, the Bible stated that the number of the skies were innumerable and endless. How does it now the great lengths of the universe? Simple. He created it.

Answer 4

Wow, that was long :P I'm commenting at your request, but unfortunately there isn't a lot I can say either way. I believe that what you have stated is most definitely possible, but the problem is there is no way to know. Atheists are always going to criticize you for trying to make your beliefs "fit" with science. I personally don't think you are trying to force it to fit, you are just trying to see if its even possible. The Bible is incredibly, frustratingly vague, but I think that's because it was written by man. We always F things up, if you hadn't noticed. I also think the Bible, generally speaking, is metaphorical and allegorical. Adam and Eve are possibly a symbol of the beginning of human life. Look, there isn't a definitive answer here and there never will be. You have every right to believe exactly as you wish. And you didn't force anybody to read this, I can't imagine why someone would even suggest that. People are douche bags. Talk to you soon, my dear!

Answer 5

Religion has always sought a reasonable retreat when faced with the truth and evidence revealed by science. This time is not different. The problem is that some fundamentalists want to make a final last stand and go down fighting to save a literal interpretation of the Bible.
They will lose eventually but they might destroy science learning in the USA for over a generation trying to win.

The problem is that Adam and Eve, the Garden and their version of original sin becomes a myth if evolution is right. Or it is turned into a lame accommodation which is not relevant in your version.

In either case the end result is the same. You might as well set the bible aside as fiction and read it as a classic collection of ancient stories.
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Edit to Some Dude. Of course the Catholics accepted Big Bang, it was originally proposed by a Jesuit monk in 1927 to give God a time and place to create the universe. It is a Catholic Creation Theory. Before the Big Bang Model Newtonian physics was working on the constant universe theory. The idea was that the universe had always existed just like it was. The Monk was George Lemaitre.

Answer 6

The marriage between science and religion is far more difficult than the marriage between science and spirituality. Your interpretation of the bibble is really good, but looks at the old testament from an entirely symbolic point of view (which, by the way, is the way catholics do).
If I can find a flaw, it will be that to really make amends between science and religion, the first step must be taken by the religious leaders in accepting scientific facts as opposed to dogmas.
And about the people with smart comments, usually being atheist does not necessarily means that someone is smart or knows very well what's wrong with religion. Just read most of the posts, they have no idea what they are talking about.
Good luck

Answer 7

First off, I consider myself Spiritual and not Religious. The way you are asking this question is very interesting and I like it. Gives me something to think about. Yes, it is very possible. (openminded) I suppose I just don't "want" to believe that we were some creature that crawled onto the earth. LOL That, truely does not ring true to me. However, I have nothing to refute it at this time.
I do believe that there is no "time" that we could even fathom that equals God(s) sense of time. I believe that our time is much much much slower than God(s).
We all do evolve. I.e...people are taller now, etc. There is a major, time involved, contradiction as to there being Adam and Eve and then suddenly there are a lot more people. Where did these people come from? Adam and Eve surely didn't have them all! This "explosion" you speak of, I relate to as God(s) mass "exploding" into individual sparks of "us". Which is exciting, because that definately makes us each a minute peice of God. IDK! I'm definately going to give you a Star. LOL
In your defense and to others here: God put us here to experience for him. Learning is how we do that. He gave us free choice to learn about him. Sticking your head into one book and one religion is not what he asks. He asks that you learn about him. You will know what rings true and what doesn't. At one time I was caught up in the Dogma of religion and it was killing me. Literally. Since I have stepped outside of that box, it has given me a wonderful sense of freedom and has brought me closer to God(s) than anyone can imagine. Never, Never to say that any ONE's belief/religion is wrong. There are just bits and peices that I do take and then I move on. It's called an Opinion and I have a God given choice to take that opinion or leave it. This scienific addition is just another OPINION to learn from.

Answer 8

I agree with you, I have thought the same thing for a while now. The dumbest comments on here are those saying that if the big bang happened, then there was no need for a god. YES, THERE IS, IF GOD CREATED THE EXPLOSION. DUH.

Did you ever notice that those whose minds are too tiny to imagine anything outside their own experience are still using the same tired arguments against the existence of God? You'd think by now they could have come up with some new material.

Answer 9

My biggest problem with that theory is that no baby can live without being taken care of even for a short time. every species would have to have been created in an adult form which is impossible
And where is the in between development of all these species in life. When they find an alligator they claim that this alligator died thousands of years ago but it looks just like the present alligator. no added limbs or different snouts to show or support evolution matter of fact no species have been found to go through any of these "steps" they claimed that they found monkeys that walked upright. They need to keep this into consideration, many people in the bible lived to be hundreds of years old, look at Abraham. Has anyone of these scientist thought of doing an experiment on a 900 year old man ? what the brain would look like ? what the spinal cord would look like? NO. therefore science is , and will always be inconclusive, they change their minds on their theories continuously, someday I hope they finish their circle and come to the Truth that GOD CREATED THIS EARTH.

Answer 10

I believe that God created the world in 6 days and on the seventh day he rested. Although, That is what some people tbeleive. They beleive that God created the universe but it still took millions and millions of years.

Even though science likes to say that the world eveolved from a big bang which spread matter all through out space i find that very hard to believe. Things just couldn't have gone from nothing to where they are now... just look at the intricate design of the world... how things are just so. That couldn't have evolved like that... it needs a divine hand in it all.

The theory that you are trying to convey is that God created the world but it still took a long time to get to where it is. Your trying to say that God still was involved in the evolving of mankind. It is a plausible reason, if you don't want to accept the Bible as the whole truth. It can explain to those who don't believe that the flood in Noah's time actually happened, the presence of fossil fuels and other fossils.

As i have been saying all along... I believe that God created the world in six days, and that there is no other way in which it could have happened. You don't have to agree with me but i still beleve that there is no other way in which the world came to be.

Answer 11

All you are trying to do is merge two small aspects of each system. There are so many fields of science that do not depend on the evolution of species or the origin of life. Also I think Christianity has very little to do with Creation. I like giving sermons at church (I'm not the pastor) but I never speak about Creation because there are really no important doctrines or creeds in there. In other words whether Adam and Eve existed or not, or if there was a global flood, does not pertain to your salvation. You do not say, "I believe in Adam and Eve and Jesus Christ" or "I believe in Noah and Jesus Christ". Adam and Noah do not redeem us of our sins. And I do not really believe in original sin (that we need redemption only because of what Adam and Eve did).... I don't really care about the sins of the past or how life came into being, I know life exists so I don't waste my time wondering how or why. I only concern myself with what I need to do now.

But to get back to the issue, I do not think science and religion are revelant. Science is concerned about the natural world, the laws of nature. Religion is concerned with the supernatural world, things that go against the laws of nature perhaps. Walking on water, for instance. I know entirely that we cannot walk on water, and all my scientific knowledge convicts me of that. However I think it is entirely possible for a supernatural being to walk on water. So science and religion can co-exist, but they should not be used to prove or disprove the other. For instance I don't use the Bible to prove that people can walk on water. Its nonsense to think religion and science can totally mix.