Why doesn’t some clever atheist think of a formula for allowing Christian beliefs and evolution to coexist?

Question

Compromise, people, compromise. Middle ground, happy medium etc, etc. Surely someone on this godforsaken planet can think of a way to give Christians the ability to accept evolutionary theory and their beliefs without making them feel as though they are betraying their god and also without breaking any of the rules that make science what it is? So many of the proponents of evolutionary theory today come across as arrogant, cold, pragmatic bastards intent on destroying Christian values. They’re never going to accept if it’s put like this. And can’t you see the benefit if evolutionary theory is packaged in a nicer way specifically for Christians? After a few generations, then we can bring out the heavy artillery…

Answer 1

Why would an atheist be concerned with legitimizing Christian beliefs at all?

I think it's the Christians who need to compromise. After all, they're the ones who are wrong, and as time goes on, it will only become more and more apparent just how wrong they are.

Actually, what they need to do is admit that they've already compromised. You know, every singe innovation of science is challenged by "religious" interests who feel threatened by it; but then, a generation later, they're out there reaping the benefits of that innovation along with everybody else. If nothing else, it's hypocritical.

Christianity has only continued on at all by acknowledging that science has been right about some things, although it usually takes its sweet time - the Catholic Church waited until the 20th century to admit that Copernicus was right re: the heliocentric theory...lol. So if Christianity is going to last another hundred years, you'd better believe it will be a modified Christianity that admits evolution, etc is a reality. And all the troglodytes arguing against it today will be remembered with the same mixture of pity and contempt that we now remember the Flat Earthers.

Answer 2

The purpose of science is not to proselytize. It is to uncover the truths of the physical world. "Packaging" is what some religions do to try to win converts they might alienate by a more direct exposure to their doctrines. This is inherently dishonest.

There are scientific initiatives that attempt to empirically explain where supernatural beliefs come from but so far religionists have not regarded them as friendly overtures. On the other hand, many Christians have attempted to reinterpret scripture to accord with geologic and evolutionary theories, which is harmless enough, as long as the science is driving. Essentially, you just tack: "This is how God did it," onto the beginning of a few sections. But "God" is not a scientific proposition. It's scientifically irresponsible to place an unproven premise next to a proven one. So I don't see how a "compromise" could work. The subjects are unrelated. It would be like putting a nice speech about environmentalism into a wedding ceremony, do-able but irrelevant.

Answer 3

I dont think that its the responsibility of scientists or atheists to present the theory of evolution to Christians in a nice pretty package. They should receive the facts just like everybody else. They say the delusional and facts of reality dont mix - well thats just to bad for the delusional.

There are many scientists and/or regular christians that believe in evolution and the bible at the same time. Its called theistic evolution. Usually (as with everythig else in the bible)
Christians have to interpret genesis in a complety different way. Ohh days dont mean 24 hour periods they mean billions of years time periods. And Light is the Big Bang etc.....
Hey, whatever works - denying evolution in this day and age is just ignorant.

Answer 4

The issue is that many creationists refuse to accept facts. They do not do any research into the validity of evolution they just arbitrarily dismiss it because they don't want to know the truth. I spent about 3 hours researching it and found enough information to convince anyone willing to learn. I could put it in the terms a 3rd grader would understand and a creationist Christian would still deny it as a fact.

Answer 5

Actually, some Christians have thought up theistic Evolution. But, in the words of Jacques Monod "Selection is the blindest, and most cruel way of evolving new species, and more and more complex and refined organisms …
It is a process of elimination, of destruction. The struggle for life and elimination of the weakest is a horrible process, against which our whole modern ethics revolts. An ideal society is a non-selective society, is one where the weak is protected; which is exactly the reverse of the so-called natural law. I am surprised that a Christian would defend the idea that this is the process which God more or less set up in order to have evolution.

Answer 6

Evolution and creationism are not incompatible. Christians have to limit creationism to essentially the big bang and stop pretending that molecular machines (bacterial flagella)=irreducible complexity=intelligent design and therefor disprove evolution. Science creates more questions about the origins of matter and reality than it answers. As long as you stick to the pre bang stuff, its cool and don't infringe on the scientific method by trying to get crazy theories taught as science.

Answer 7

Actually, a Catholic devised a way for the Big Bang Theory and God to Coexist. He called it "The Big Bang Theory." Lots of Catholics have jumped on board, including the Pope... it's those darn Protestants that consider science the enemy of faith.

Answer 8

Yep its a quandary.

If you speak the cold stark truth, your message won't be accepted by people who rely primarily on emotions for belief.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks that I run into, is the indoctrinated impression that the world will have no meaning and individuals wont have a purpose if God doesn't exist.

Religious belief attaches itself, through indoctrination to a person's sense of value, and because of this, anyone questioning faith as beneficial, is always seen as offensive and cold.

Kids are brought up to believe that their purpose in life is found in God, they spend the rest of their lives trying to discover what that purpose is, and in many cases, why God hasn't revealed it clearly. This causes depression and unreasonable behavior in defense of the existence of God.

I try to overcome this by using their tools of the trade. Personal experience. I let them know that I was once a full blown born again Christian, who believed with all my heart and couldn't imagine life having meaning without God. But now am sooo much happier since adopting the cold hearted, tangible evidence requiring stance.

It is just better in the long run, for me personally and for mankind as a species.

Answer 9

Done.

I'm still waiting for the clever bible-thumper to explain why some parts of the bible are quotes from God and the other parts are ignored. What else can you do with contradictions?

Answer 10

There is no secret to people of different beliefs coexisting. It is simple.

Keep your beliefs to yourself....nobody cares outside your little family circle anyway.

Stop trying to force your beliefs on to others either by proslytizing, missionary outreach, knocking on my door, sending me requests for donations.

Stop trying to mix your religious beliefs into public arena.

Stop yapping about what you believe unless you are asked....again, nobody cares.

Religion should be kept in the home and the church.

There would be peace on earth, good will towards men............