I really can't understand why people can't just accept that God could have made life that evolved. Why do they have to be mutually exclusive ideas?
I believe in God. I believe God made humans. I believe that the biblical creation story, is just that, a story. Just like every culture has a creation story, this is the creation story of the Jews. I believe that many Bible stories are just stories not factual events. I do not believe that the Bible is a scientific text book. That doesn't mean I can't learn from bible stories. It doesn't mean that the Bible is not a holy book.
I don't understand why some religous people can't accept that maybe God was smart enough to make earth and life and know that we would come to be someday. What is time to God? Our lifetimes aren't long enough to see the evolutionary changes but we can see evidence in DNA and fossils. It's all just a blip to God.
God didn't make chickens with wings so we would have something tasty to eat with a spicy sauce. I'm sure at some point in history chickens could fly. I don't think God would make creatures with unneccesary appendages. Look at how different the animals on Tasmania and Australia are, doesn't that illustrate natural selection?
Religion is not science and it shouldn't be. They are separate realms. One is of faith and the other is of fact. Galileo is the perfect example of why the religion should stay out of scientific endeavors. I think that history will look at Creationism the same way we now look at the thought of Earth being the center of the universe.
I believe in God Who is "I AM WHO AM" of Exodus 3:14. It is the term Christ designated Himself when He told the Jews of His existence before Abraham was born, who had died 20 centuries previous to that occasion. "I AM WHO AM" is the most exact and comprehensive name of God, Eternal, Self Existent, Infinite, without beginning and without end, or change, and the source of all other beings. You might be correct in saying we don't believe in the same God because the "I AM WHO AM" of Exodus does not fit what you wrote above especialy the part I highlighted.
Actually, I AM WHO I AM fits perfectly with the parts you highlighted. But it doesn't fit with a god who is a terrible designer. If there is only one god then surely that god must be perfect as a designer and good.
But your god, you claim, created, personally, human beings who come with terrible design faults. Your god is either a bad designer or evil (or both).
My god is perfect and good. Your god is not.
One of my best friends and mentor, a man in his mid 80s, is now travelling in Ireland, his home country. He delights in attending Catholic Mass there. Last I heard, Ireland has held firm in rejecting abortion and staying away from the EU...is that correct?
Most of Europe rejects abortions. Some countries reject them totally, some reject them after the first trimester (most notably Germany).
Ireland has been a member of the EU since the 70s and we use the Euro currency.
Catholic mass in Ireland is an experience he wouldn't want to miss.
But understand that Ireland teaches evolution and that the Catholic Church, who own most of the public schools here, is at the forefront of doing so. The Protestant Church of Ireland, who own most of the remaining public schools, also teaches evolution. I live in a Protestant neighbourhood, but there is a Catholic school down the road.
Ireland is very Catholic and Irish Catholicism is a part of this country.
But it bears almost no similarity to the religion you apparently follow, which, to me, seems closer to American evangelicalism except without the love for G-d's chosen people and the openness for research.
In Ireland Catholicism is a symbol of standing up against the establishment and of preserving one's heritage.
And it is so much a part of Irish culture that it is being made fun of. (This is from Ireland's favourite television show.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbkz_QE38pw
Many people outside Ireland don't find it funny. But Irish Catholics do.
More Ted:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T5snc_LYSY
Warning: seriously bad language, including _two_ distinct "f"-words!
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