How did life begin?
Explain how evolution (the theroy of the best genes passing on to make better advancement in species) can atest to birth defects.
Explain why a kind and compassionate god would create birth defects.
Do you feel that there is some credability to the other side of the argument? Why or why not? (without listing mental aptitude please)
Would you say the other side has been benificial to society, a hinderance to society, or has not really affected society?
Were you raised with this faith?
Why do you continue to follow the path that you follow?
note - I am neither, I am a Taoist.
2007-09-26 20:25:29 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ok I try,
I'm not an expert in evolution, however, regarding to the passing of the best genes, it initally was the purpose of the strongest to survive, and therefore, ensuring the next generation will be better equipped to ensure the survival of the species.
Like in the animal kingdom, the weak, injured or sick herbivores, are among the first to be devoured by predators.
However, given the medical advances of the current world, much of the people living with defects were able to live out normal lives, like those born with Marfan's syndrome. Although I'm not saying we should weed out these people, the fact is that their imperfect genes are still being retained in the gene pool.
Moreever, genes are often affected by external influences, like mothers drinking or smoking heavily. The toxins are passed onto the children, resulting in things like stunted growth or other birth defects.
Being an atheist/agnostic, I say for sure what is in the God's design to allow people to be born with defects. Perhaps he thinks these people need to undergo more strenous challenegs, and that they might contribute more if they experienced more too, like Terry Fox.
If you check my previous answers, I've listed a few of some benefits that religion has brought to the world, and well as the ills. But no matter point of view one looks from, the idea od religion had always played a great part in development of today's culture.
I'm born a mainstream Buddhist/Taoist, but I now subscribe more to the philosophy, rather than the religion.
I remain open to any new evidence or tangible proof, for I think living with a closed mind is a dangerous thing to do
2007-09-26 20:40:18 · answer #1 · answered by Dumbguy 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
How did life begin?
i don't know. no one know.. we can just assume. there is the big bang theory, but as usual i take everything with a panich of salt.
Explain how evolution (the theroy of the best genes passing on to make better advancement in species) can atest to birth defects.
evolution don't mean the best genes survive. as the define of best genes vary in this world. some genes good in this way of surviving, other have there other ways of survive. we have to count in the nature envoirment changes and accidents (accidents do happen). the style of surviving, some have strong body, some form groups, some just hide themselves.
Evolution is like a multiple testing of genes. the mutation of different genes allow the living thing to explore to best way to survive in this world. some make it, some die and the genes mutate again and the tests go on and on.
Explain why a kind and compassionate god would create birth defects.
i don't believe in god. i don't blame anyone for birth defects (i have birth defects)
Do you feel that there is some credability to the other side of the argument? Why or why not? (without listing mental aptitude please)
i usually anlysis what other say before i come to a conclusion.
so far, not much credability for their claims
Would you say the other side has been benificial to society, a hinderance to society, or has not really affected society?
religion have their usage, whether it is good or bad, once the human being think that religion have no purpose in this world. the religion will be gone.
Were you raised with this faith?
no, i live in the country that have mutli-religions
Why do you continue to follow the path that you follow?
yes.
2007-09-26 20:51:02 · answer #2 · answered by shadower 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
[How did life begin?]
It began as simple self-replicating polymers that increased in complexity upto to the point where acquiring resources became gathering food and self-replication became the equivelant to mitosis. Increases in complexity over time resulted in single celled organisms, etc.
[Explain how evolution (the theroy of the best genes passing on to make better advancement in species) can atest to birth defects.]
In the area of genetic defects (rather than growth defects) it's more a matter of how meiosis and mitosis work. Genes aren't always copied correctly and may develop mutations resulting in birth defects. Likewise, a parent's donated germ cell (sperm/egg) may contain defects from the start, causing defect during development. Of course it may work to benefit the offspring, eg. increase in height. This is basically the base system that natural selection works with.
[Explain why a kind and compassionate god would create birth defects.]
A just god would not "create" birth defects, however if he decided not to interfere he may just be not fixing them. Of course there's the whole "fall of man" thing that brought "death and disease" into the world and apparently contaminated our genome (in exactly the same way as a chimpanzee's it seems) OR the idea that Satan may be causing defects.
[Do you feel that there is some credability to the other side of the argument? Why or why not? (without listing mental aptitude please)]
In the matter of birth defects? If you look at birth defects alone I suppose you could say they could only come from an evil entity or be the result of man's inherent sin. Personally though you have to ignore portions of reality to consider the "argument" credible.
[Would you say the other side has been benificial to society, a hinderance to society, or has not really affected society?]
In controlling the masses Christianity has done a great job. The people that have confessed that without the fear of God they would commit crimes against their fellow man without a second thought, these people NEED religion to keep them in check.
[Were you raised with this faith?]
Raised atheist? Not really. My mother's protestant and my dad's somewhat agnostic. I was taken to church and I went to a church school but I was allowed to make up my own mind. Religion was never enforced, only used as an example when stories with morals were told.
[Why do you continue to follow the path that you follow?]
Mostly because it seems more logical. I simply cannot believe that gods exist purely on faith no matter how well the idea is dressed up.
2007-09-26 22:23:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How did life begin? - Nobody knows. We have theories, but nobody knows where that original life came from.
Evolution isn't best genes being passed, that's natural selection. Evolution is a change in gene frequencies in a population over time - pure and simple. By that definition "evolution" is a fact - it doesn't mean that one species turns into another species, just that gene frequencies shift over time. Birth defects/genetic defects are mutations. Mutations occur all the time when DNA is being transcribed and translated. Some go unnoticed because they are in junk DNA. Some mutations are beneficial and end up being passed on. Some are harmful, but may end up remaining in the population as a recessive gene.
On a philosophical level, I've no idea how you'd explain birth defects. But if all life was completely perfect, it would be hard to appreciate life at all.
Other side of the argument to me would be intelligent design I suppose. There is a good deal of credibility. Some scientists support intelligent design with actual scientific evidence. And beyond that, I guess perhaps a belief system has credibility because people believe in it and are passionate about it. And as long as they aren't causing any harm by what they believe, more power to them.
I think it's good to have debate. It stimulates people to think and exercise their minds. It's only a hinderance when one side tries to completely squash the other side.
I wasn't raised as particularly anything.
At the moment, the path I follow is what makes sense to me.
2007-09-26 20:56:00 · answer #4 · answered by mimisbrunnr 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's a lot of questions.
1. I believe that the VERY first life form was formed by God. The first living cell was given that spark of life by God.
2. Actually, there are many different causes for birth defects: The environment, genetics, and the mother's bad habits, for example. Sometimes it's also a lack of nutrition that can cause birth defects. I don't feel it has anything to do with evolution, because if anything, birth defects are the OPPOSITE of evolution.
3. I don't believe God DID "create" birth defects. What I believe is that in the beginning, humans' DNA had a dormant gene that could lead to birth defects. Over the eons that have passed since, it has become very much active.
4. Well, of course. I believe in both evolution and creation, and I also believe that religious people have committed many atrocities in the past.
5. I try not to stereotype all those who don't believe as I do. Some of them are a benefit to society, some are not.
6. Yes, but I became a skeptic when I was five (I was that kid in Sunday school asking all the uncomfortable questions), and remained a skeptic in one form or another for twenty years.
7. Why do I continue? Because, simply put, I believe in it. God proves Himself to me daily. I'm going through a really stressful situation right now, and it's not affecting me a whole lot. I'm just not that worried. I know that whatever happens, we'll land on our feet. My husband, on the other hand, who does NOT share my faith, is going out of his mind with the stress. I think the only thing keeping him sane is my peace of mind. And where is my peace of mind coming from? God.
2007-09-26 20:39:58 · answer #5 · answered by The_Cricket: Thinking Pink! 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Life began as a result of natural processes set in motion and overseen by a Creator God.
Birth defects can occur from many causes, including genetics. Bad genes occur due to mutations, transcription errors,and just plain bad luck. This does not invalidate evolution. If the genes are truly bad, the zygote in which they are expressed won't reproduce and they won't be passed on.
Too long to explain fully. In short, human beings were given a choice and we blew it.
Yes, I believe there is credibility to the "other side" of the argument. For one thing, atheists are not generally speaking morons. If there were no credibility to the position, the argument would've been settled years ago.
As individuals, I think it is certain that some atheists have been beneficial, some have been detrimental, and most have had no discernible effect on society. As a philosophy, I'd say that atheism has been beneficial because alternate points of view are always beneficial. I'm afraid I couldn't get much more specific than that, though.
Nominally I was raised Christian. That means we went to church on Easter and Christmas if it wasn't too much trouble, and it usually was. In my opinion, I was not raised Christian.
I continue to follow it because I believe it to be true.
2007-09-26 20:44:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
God created life.
I do not hold to the belief of the THEORY of evolution. There is too much hard evidence to prove beyond a doubt that there is a Creator. http://www.icr.org
God did NOT create birth defects, that is a direct result of mankind's sinful nature & disobedience to God's will.
If you mean by "other side of the argument" do I think that evolutionists have some credibility? No I do not, I think that they have not examined ALL the facts to their uttermost conclusions.
I think that Christians have greatly affected society, in the beginning much to societies benefit, but as the sinfulness of mankind grows, and the things of God are removed then what remains is diease, hatred, mistrust, self destruction..and eventually total human self-annilation.
No. I was raised as an agnostic, scientic historian.
I became a Christian after YEARS of study, and research involving religions, history, science. In attempting to dis-prove the Bible...I found that there IS a God & that He can be KNOWN! I follow because I KNOW that Jesus Christ is the way the TRUTH and the Life! I know that humans are created beings & the we are eternal...and I KNOW where I want to spend my eternity,...how about you?
2007-09-26 20:44:38 · answer #7 · answered by maranatha132 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
1) See the science department. Particularly, read up on the science of abiogenesis (not evolution per se). I sure can't write up the details in a measly little internet post. Though this also all begs the question of what "life" is technically considered to be. By the way, your definition of evolution is wrong. Evolution doesn't work with "advancement" already in mind. You obviously haven't studied anything about evolution if you think birth defects are somehow unexplainable by evolution.
2) n/a, since I do not believe in deity.
3) No, I don't see credibility on the "other" side of the "argument". Because I see much better explanations for the things attributed to that side.
4) A hindrance when it comes to science, that's for sure. But people would have clung to some other ideology if it wasn't around.
5) My current one? No.
6) Because it accurately reflects who I already am, and has proved to provide me with a good personal blueprint for tangible results.
2007-09-26 20:33:01 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
A Christian is someone who believes in the divinity of Jesus. Catholics are Christian. They claim to be the original faith, but that's probably an exaggeration. Nevertheless, that is the religion from which most Christian sects originate. Born-again is what particularly fanatical Christians call themselves. They are usually from a charismatic sect like Pentecostal or Baptist. "Are you saved" is something fanatical Christians ask to annoy civilized people. They don't understand how arrogant and presumptuous this is, so we usually just try to ignore them. Jeesh, the Christians are pouring it on heavy with the persecution complex today. If you guys really knew what it was like to have your beliefs (or lack thereof) persecuted, you wouldn't be whining about insolent atheists. You'd be pissed, like the Muslims and atheists you see here.
2016-05-19 22:08:13 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So far the Big Bang theory, the RNA development inspired by water, mixed with just the right molecules plus sunlight. Millions of years is a very long time.
I think God is the genius engineer of evolution.
Some believe we choose our lives before birth. Suffering is a fact of life. How would we know joy without it? I cannot speak for the birth defects or for God. Everything does seem to happen for a chain reactive effect....
Most philosophies seem to be correct in combination and false when singled out as "superior".
The best historic events, scientific discoveries, and philosophies are built on mistakes that are later improved upon.
I meandered into this way of thought with the help of my upbringing and life experience.
Absolutely, and will be accumulating more as I go! :)
2007-09-26 20:37:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋