Liberals and the theory of evolution?

Question

For those who believe in the theory of evolution, do you believe in a higher power?

If not, does it make you atheist? Please explain.

Dude, pretty simple formula. Don't like the question, don't click on it and most certainly don't answer it. You do understand, right?

BTW, thank you to those who actually answered the question. Conservative liberal, no hard feelings. I just had to throw that in there on the other question.

Darth; I'm not asking you to refute science with religion. Whats with people. It's a simple question. You people make me laugh.

I didn't realize I had to spell it out for certain people to understand the question.

Dude; ha. catchy.

Con Liberal; you contradict yourself in your statement. Evolution is fact. It's like a theory. What??????

Answer 1

Liberal here:
Of course I believe in a Higher Power, and I believe that the evidence for Evolution is so overwhelming that it's obvious.

Generally speaking, people who have serious questions are simply misunderstanding what the term means.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution

We purposely crossbreed plants and animals all the time, and obtain newer and stronger varieties. This is evolution - just humanly directed. Is denying that this happens by accident rational?

For people who are Catholics, (my faith,) the Church says this: "Though faith is above reason, there can never be any real discrepancy between faith and reason. Since the same God who reveals mysteries and infuses faith has bestowed the light of reason on the human mind, God cannot deny himself, nor can truth ever contradict truth"

(In other words, whatever is discovered scientifically, and determined as true, is a manifistation of God.)

"Concerning biological evolution, the Church does not have an official position on whether various life forms developed over the course of time. However, it says that, if they did develop, then they did so under the impetus and guidance of God, and their ultimate creation must be ascribed to him."

I'll take that as an overly cautious "yes;" seems completely logical to me. In all my schooling, I've never met a theologican who did not believe that Evolution was factual.

There are people, some scientists especially, who do not believe in a God or Higher Power. Those people would be considered atheists, but it would not mean that their science was necessarily untrue.

Concurrently, if there are religious people who deny Evolution is factual, and are wrong, that does not mean that their belief in a God is also incorrect.

The problem rests, not with an incompatibility between a God & Evolution, but with those who believe that there IS such an incompatibility.

Answer 2

Glen - This is a great question and I'll tell you why. Despite what some think, you have not asked a question about religion vs science. You have asked a question about two different belief systems. Both Christianity and evolution are belief systems based on historical events. Both require articles of faith since neither can be proven. I am amazed at the number of people espousing that the theory of evolution is fact. Theory can not be fact. That's the real scientific principle here that seems lost.

Science is not subject to consensus or belief. Either it's provable or not. Evolution is not. Christianity is not. However, one is considered a religion because it invokes a deity. The other, is simply a theory of man that can not be supported by the objective data. And contrary to comments I read, evolution is not just about adaptation and change. The theory postulates that all living things came from the same single cell source.

So to answer your question, I don't see how one can believe in a deity as framed by the religions of the world, and still espouse the contrary belief that everything 'evolved' from a single source. Of course, one could argue that God created the first cell and set the system in motion - but that's another level of speculation and faith altogether. I guess we all believe in something. Some just think what they believe, is objective truth.

Thanks for the thought provoking question.

Answer 3

I personally believe in the theory of evolution but do not believe in a specific higher power, so that would technically make me agnostic. The theory of evolution only explains how the first living organisms became the variety of organisms we have today, so I have no thoughts or ideas as to who/how/or what created the first living things and for that matter, nonliving things. I would say that among the community of people who do believe in evolution, you will find atheists and theists alike. Hope that answers your question

Answer 4

I absolutely believe in a higher power. I just believe the creation, as written in the Bible, is symbolic, not literal. First in creation, let there be light, that is correct. How then could a human, at the time the Bible was written, understand 13 billion years of creating the different forms of matter at an atomic level, the spectacular explosions of huge supernovae spreading these atoms throughout the Universe, coalescing to form our solar system, getting the spark of life, and growing into what we are today. Such events would not occur without intelligent design.

Answer 5

All things evolve and Co-evolve with one another. IF you truly understood what evolution is, you wouldn't have to wonder if someone can believe in evolution and still have faith in a higher power.

People who cry about the evils and Godlessness of evolution are taught what evolution is, by other people who truly do not understand it.
Evolution simply stated, is nothing more than a gradual change in a population, that is promoted as traits are preserved by environmental factors.
If you were the creator of life, and wanted that life to last longer than a few decades, would you not give it the ability to evolve?

With that being said, I am agnostic, and not because I study science, but because I have studied many religions.

Answer 6

Everything in the universe is created due to the power of gravity, what is known in scientific circles as the natural property of a smaller mass to be drawn to a larger mass.
Gravity created the early stars, which created the elements that make up our planet and solar system, and everything else evolved from there.
Whilst I think its pretty clear there is enough evidence to support the scientific theory of evolution, i'm just not sure on what I see as the mysterious power of gravity. A scientist would call it a natural property. A religion capable of embracing the science of origins might call it the hand of God, and science would not be able to refute this claim.
Personally, I guess I haven't decided yet; maybe i'm just hedging my bets ;-)

Answer 7

I believe evolution to be true. No, scratch that. I accept it as fact. I don't believe in god mumbo jumbo either. Does that make me an atheist? I won't brand myself an atheist or liberal because I do not adhere to atheist or liberal values, just my own values.

It is possible to accept evolution and god? Well that's up to you, but I'd call you a retard and a sheep for accepting verifyable science and unfounded, unconditional faith which basically tells me you'll believe anything.

Those who refute evolution are simply religious folk who cling onto the word of a decrepit book as though it will do them good.

If religion makes you a more tolerant, understanding person, fine. If you can learn something from Bible stories, that's good. But don't use that to discredit science.

Answer 8

Isn't it possible to believe that God does not necessarily work to our version or concept of time and space or is bound by our tiny little minds.
Why do people say evolution is not true, despite the overwhelming and irrefutable evidence that it is true, simply because they think that God is some kind of celestial magician who - I don't know -maybe - wiggles his celestial nose and POOF!!! - there was the world?

Isn't it just possible the we cannot fully understand how God operates? Isn't that what faith is all about? Or do we have to believe that God is bound by our meagre concepts or the universe and everything in it?

Every culture has its "Creation Story" that originated in times before mass media, scientific study and modern knowledge so appealed to the people it was originally intended for - we have moved on from those times and it is time to move on from that perspective. It is possible to believe in the wondrous infinity and power of God and still believe in the logical and rational notion of evolution. I don't see what the issue is.

Answer 9

I believe in God & in his son Jesus Christ. I also believe in evolution. I think that when the old testament was written you would have had a hard time trying to convince anyone that they came from slime! Also, nothing was known about evolution at the time of the bible. Even though I believe in evolution, I believe that the hand of God was in every stage of our becoming the beings we are today. Not hard to believe when you consider that we are talking about God to whom all things are possible.

Answer 10

Ok..believe it or not, unlike the conservatives, liberals hold MANY different schools of thought on MANY different issues.....some conservatives believe in evolution too.

I am a democrat, I wouldn't call myself liberal, you would.

I believe in Creation, by God...but I believe it was much longer than 2,000 years ago. I also believe that God may very well have created the world with a big bang.

I believe that Adam and Eve looked like cavemen (big jaws as they had no silverware) and that over time, our builds and bodies changed (or evolved). I believe humans were always humans (not fish or monkeys), but that we have changed over time.