Why is it that the Genesis 1 account makes so many believers feel like they should reject evolution? That is the key question in this article, and I will suggest to stop doing this. Do not instantly fear as if I would necessarily feel uncomfortable with the idea of creation. I believe in the creation as described in Genesis 1. Yet I think evolution
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But I think we're in agreement about this...
There's just no point in trying to turn the bible into a science text book or building up scientific theories around theological premisses...
Science needn't be set in conflict with theology...
Science can get on with its own business, based on the collection of data to test out theories...
And that's a really practical and useful discipline...
And theology can get on with *its* own business, which includes the exploration of the nature of the Holy, and our relationship to the Holy, and conclusions based on encounters or faith...
Both disciplines should just be left to get on with their own objectives.
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jcmmanuel believes that Creationism and Evolution are one and the same, and the setting up of those dichotomies is putting up a false dichotomy, because the Genesis account is True (whether spiritually, allegorically, literally, etc.). But this is an assumption predetermined by faith. Nothing in any of what is observed by the sciences has pointed way to the Christian God as of yet.
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One of my main issues with the theory of Evolution is a simple one, maybe, but I'm a picky person. :)
Why is the Genesis story then told in the way it is? If we're to assume it's a metaphor or a representation of the science that really happened, why not just write it that way? Assuming that it is a representation (a parable, so to speak), why is it not clearly marked that way?
That is a question I would love to have answered, but nevertheless, I remain with an open mind.
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IMO, of course.
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Feel free to correct me on anything, however! I don't claim to be spurting out facts.
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And so I find that quite problematic, if the Fall account is literal, because I honestly believe living creatures have been dying for hundreds of millions of years, and long before human beings had even evolved?
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I have no idea, since I never got told anything like that at Church. I find it strange beyond measure that people actually see a conflict here.
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The problem may arise if theology attempts to be scientific, and fit science and rational data into pre-conceived theological parameters.
Or, indeed, if scientists like Mr Dawkins attempt to intervene in theology...
If religious people insist on being fundamenatlist and literal then they start creating all kinds of problems for themselves...
But I'd argue that they are creating unnecessary problems by requiring the texts to be literal or prescriptive, and therefore trespassing on science, when the original authors had little knowledge of science and were just trying to tell people about their encounters and faith in the divine.
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