Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Bible and evolution
The Bible and evolution..are they compatible? Can you, as a Bible-believing Christian, have your Bible and your evolution too? Must you carve out and dismiss parts of the Bible to do so, or do modern scientific discoveries fit nicely with the Genesis creation account? The Bible says that God created man in his own image in one day, but many believe in the "monkey-to-man" or "goo-to-you" theory of evolution. Lets hear what you think.
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As a scientist I do have an opinion on this. First of all let me state that I do not believe in the Big Bang theory or that humans evolved from monkeys.
ReplyDeleteDarwin's theory of evolution was mainly focused around the concept of survival of the fittest. Only the strongest species survived over time, and animals "evolved" to fit their circumstances in order to survive. I do believe that God has allowed for animals and humans to "evolve" over time to live and survive in our current circumstances. For example, caveman to the modern man. I do believe that this has all happened with His hand upon us guiding the process.
I read something a few years back that talks about the depth of the ocean, the thickness of the atmosphere, etc. Some scientists have proven that those are set just right in order for us, animals, and plants to survive. I think this research fits nicely with God creating everything.
As for proof of dinosaurs living with very little to none of evidence that humans lived with them as well. I have two different thoughts on that one. My first thought is that Genesis does mention God created the Earth is 7 days. We do not know what 7 days meant, whether it was a 24 hour period or longer. Now I realize I might get some heat about this from other Christians, but I believe that if dinosaurs lived without human presence, then a day was not a 24-hour period, but maybe years or decades. This would explain how dinosaurs lived without humans. My other explanation would be that dinosaurs lived in a different part of the world than humans lived at the time.
No matter what evidence people choose to examine, I believe that it does line up with the creation account. After all, the Big Bang theory couldn't have happened by the way scientists like to say. They say that a big ball of matter exploded. Well where did that matter come from? After all, the first law of thermodynamics that scientist swear by is that matter is neither created nor destroyed, just converted from one form to another. To me this just helps prove that God was there from the beginning and created matter as a starting point.
I hope this makes sense and answers your question.
What? A scientist who doesn't believe in the Big Bang Theory? I thought that was mandatory for teaching science:) Just kidding. I know there are scads of scientists whot do not believe that hogwash either. First there was nothing, and then it exploded:)
ReplyDeleteSo, do you believe that "Adam" was a caveman in the sense that we think of cavemen? Cave drawings, discovering fire, knocking Eve on the head with a big piece of wood for serving him up an apple?
All of those conditions being 'just right" for life on Earth is called the anthropic principle. Pretty amazing when you stop and think about it.
Dinosaurs are a real stumbling block aren't they? I do think humans lived at same time, but post-flood world was no longer conducive to their survival. Many changes after flood. Totally different world before and after. Bible tells us that the world that was then was destroyed. Atmosphere different, no more protection from solar radiation, etc. That is why you see lifespans begin decreasing rapidly after flood.
I think a day was a day back then, just as it is now. A 24 hour period. Hebrew word used for day (yom) is consistently used for a 24 hour period.
I agree, law of thermodynamics preclude universe from being infinitely old. If not infinitely old, then must have had a beginning. If had a beginning, had to have a beginner.