Why must there be a debate between creationism and evolution?

Question

Why can't it be a mix of both? Perhaps evolution is how the human mind can best comprehend God's creation?

Answer 1

Or perhaps creation was the only way people could comprehend the way everything got here, before science taught us otherwise. Or, perhaps, creation is a poetic expression of evolution. Or, perhaps, God set the universe in motion and let evolution take it from there.

In other words, yes, there is certainly room for both. You'll certainly find forward-thinking Christians embracing both ideas.

While I think the creation story is silly, there is indeed room for accepting both. Just look at the Catholic church. It accepts evolutionary theory.

Answer 2

It could, and one popular attempt at this is called Intelligent Design. There are problems with mixing Creation with Evolution on both sides:

If we say god used evolution for creation, then we have a lie, or at best, a metaphor in Genesis, and essentially have lost "Original Sin" and the reason for blood sacrifice. This scenario raises hard questions about sacrifice and the need for Jesus to die and be resurrected.

From the science viewpoint, there is no indication that a divine force had anything to do with evolution i.e. there are no blanks that require supernatural intervention. Adding "god" to the mix is just as rational as saying that unicorns guided evolution...

Basically, the debate is there as the validity of any religion is riding on the outcome.

Answer 3

Two of the first three answers made the "why" quite clear. Because people choose to believe that evolution disproves the story of creation. They cite the evidence for evolution as proof that God doesn't exist and that the bible is a lie. As long as that belief is part of evolutionary theory, people that believe in creation will debate it.

I agree that it is possible that what we know about evolution can give us insights into how God actually went about creating the universe...but people don't stop at the evidence, they engage in speculation about what that evidence means and when that speculation excludes God, those that believe in him will continue to object.

Answer 4

It can be a mixture of both, in your house.

But in this religiously free country, it cannot be in the public schools. Because my tax dollars pay for others' children to be educated and creationism is a religious belief, not a scientific theory.

So the debate is occurring because a few of the religious want a chance to indoctrinate other peoples kids. Sorry, I won't sit back and tolerate that.

Answer 5

In truth there can be no debate, because evolution has evidence supporting its claims, and creationism has none.

If we use evolution's standards for proof, creationism doesn't have a single thing to say.

If we use creationism's standard, then your "debate" is nothing more than a shouting match.

Answer 6

"Scientific" Creationism is merely a pack of lies to defend the already discredited Doctrine of Biblical Literalism. There is no conflict of evolution with belief otherwise.

Answer 7

There should be no debate since there's lots of evidence for evolution, but not one iota for a god or gods.

Answer 8

creationism is just nonsense...
if you allow that in you must allow every other crackpot theory too... regardless of evidence
that would be the end of science

the facts clearly show that evolution is a real process

Answer 9

I've never understood why religious people can't combine the 2. It certainly seems the only logical (I use that term loosely considering the religious mind) alternative considering the massive amounts of evidence available.

Answer 10

Evolution contradicts the Bible. Plain and simple.