Despite bible thumpers whining we keep finding transitional fossils

[Flash]

It’s a common tendency to anthropomorphize God/gods. IMO that’s illogical and limits an all powerful entity to human failings.

Sure, an all powerful being can “experiment”, trick or otherwise do all sorts of illogical things but why would it? It’d be illogical to do so.

Human sacrifice does not seem logical (or necessary) either, but it is the basis for Christianity.

[Cypress]

Probably all knowing, all powerful, (but who could experiment if he wanted to).



I know some of those people. Some believe those 6,000 years could have included evolution as part of the creation process (although most don't).

The point of the thread is that over the years on this message board and others like it, religious conservatives have routinely expressed skepticism, incredulity, even outright disbelief in the evidence for biological evolution.

Anyone who has posted on this board for more than three years knows exactly what I am talking about.

A prehistoric whale with legs is exactly the kind of transitional fossil that provides direct evidence of evolution.

[Cypress]

Nice try except that the book of Genesis only says " nowhere does it hint that man means human by our concept. So sorry.

According to Christian doctrine, Adam and Eve are our ancestors and we are stained with their original sin. I have never in over half a century of life heard a conservative Protestant minister say that Adam was a different species of hominid

[Doc Dutch]

Human sacrifice does not seem logical (or necessary) either, but it is the basis for Christianity.

What the Romans were doing was punishment, not sacrifice.

Besides, compared to even 19th Century mankind, the ancient world was full of fucking savages.

[Doc Dutch]

According to Christian doctrine, Adam and Eve are our ancestors and we are stained with their original sin. I have never in over half a century of life heard a conservative Protestant minister say that Adam was a different species of hominid

Me neither. Genesis says Adam was made in God’s image and that we are all identical to that image.

[Cypress]

Agreed given those conditions.

Relatedly, an all knowing, all powerful God could toss out a figurative handful of sand and seed knowing that life would spring forth, grow and die.

Since evolution is based in large part on random genetic mutation, I have always had a hard time reconciling that with intelligent, purposeful design. Randomess and purposeful design are hard to rationalize together.

On the flip side, I am perfectly comfortable with a metaphorical reading of Genesis, and with the understanding that there is mystery in the creation of the universe which may forever remain beyond our limited comprehension

[Doc Dutch]

Since evolution is based in large part on random genetic mutation, I have always had a hard time reconciling that with intelligent, purposeful design. Randomess and purposeful design are hard to rationalize together.

On the flip side, I am perfectly comfortable with a metaphorical reading of Genesis, and with the understanding that there is mystery in the creation of the universe which may forever remain beyond our limited comprehension

IF the Universe was random, I’d agree, but it isn’t. Given the laws of this universe were set at the moment of the Big Bang, then all matter would have to abide by those laws which means the actions of all matter would be predictable.

Not a problem for an all powerful, all knowing entity. A little harder puzzle for us naked apes to figure out.

[Cypress]

Me neither. Genesis says Adam was made in God’s image and that we are all identical to that image.

pretty much traditional Christian doctrine

I think it was crystal clear by both thread title and context that my post was speaking to conservative biblical literalists.

Not to Quakers, Unitarians, transcendentalists, Christian humanists, or anyone who thinks Genesis is either allegorical, or that Genesis is referring to the evolution of Homo Erectus on the African plain.

[Flash]

What the Romans were doing was punishment, not sacrifice.

Besides, compared to even 19th Century mankind, the ancient world was full of fucking savages.

The Romans were punishing but according to Christian doctrine God sacrificed his son to save humans. Why couldn't an all-powerful being just declare humans free of sin?

[Cypress]

IF the Universe was random, I’d agree, but it isn’t. Given the laws of this universe were set at the moment of the Big Bang, then all matter would have to abide by those laws which means the actions of all matter would be predictable.

Not a problem for an all powerful, all knowing entity. A little harder puzzle for us naked apes to figure out.

Nice work.

The fundamental questions are: why is there order rather than chaos? Why is there something rather than nothing? What is consciousness? These are questions which science, philosophy, religion can all legitimately participate in.

[Doc Dutch]

pretty much traditional Christian doctrine

I think it was crystal clear by both thread title and context that my post was speaking to conservative biblical literalists.

Not to Quakers, Unitarians, transcendentalists, Christian humanists, or anyone who thinks Genesis is either allegorical, or that Genesis is referring to the evolution of Homo Erectus on the African plain.

Agreed. Isn’t that what was decided at the First Council of Nicaea?

Also agreed the OP was about Biblical literalists.

[Eagle_Eye]

According to Christian doctrine, Adam and Eve are our ancestors and we are stained with their original sin. I have never in over half a century of life heard a conservative Protestant minister say that Adam was a different species of hominid

Guess you went to the wrong churches. Did they handle snakes also?

[Cypress]

The he is an idiot. Even his church teaches

I am not Catholic. This is the standard way bogus innuendo about me and other posters gets circulated: some tool makes a categorical claim which is presented as definitive and factual, but is actually totally unfounded and based on guesswork and hyper-speculation.

[Doc Dutch]

Nice work.

The fundamental questions are: why is there order rather than chaos? Why is there something rather than nothing? What is consciousness? These are questions which science, philosophy, religion can all legitimately participate in.

Thanks.

My guess goes to an ancient question: What is the purpose of life? Is there a purpose? If God exists, why did God create the Universe?

Humans are egocentric enough to think it’s all about them, but this is a far bigger Universe than mankind could ever use before the Universe ends in about 22B years…which tells me humans aren’t the main focus.

If there’s a purpose, maybe it’s just a puzzle. School kids don’t learn very much if they are given all of the answers. They need to figure out the answers for themselves if they are meant to learn and grow. Teachers help guide them, but it’s like the old maxim about leading a horse to water; it’s still up to the student to learn, not for the teacher to learn for them.

[BidenPresident]

My outlook is very simple. By my beliving in God I lose nothing. If I am right I go to heaven. If I am wrong then I die and that is the end.

Same for me. I believe the earth is held up on the back of a tortoise.