Is the Theory of Evolution Harmless to Religion?

[Sunstone]

In the apartment above mine lives a dog. Everyday, the postman comes and the dog everyday barks at the postman. This has been going on for years. But the dog has never learned that the postman is harmless.

It occured to me today that some of the people who oppose the theory of evolution on religious grounds might have something in common with that dog. That is, they might never have learned that evolution is harmless to their religion. Still, they "bark" at it.

But is this true? Is the theory of evolution harmless to religion? Or, does it really undermine religion, as so many people think? What do you think? And if you think it does undermine religion, precisely why does it undermine religion?

 

[michel]

In the apartment above mine lives a dog. Everyday, the postman comes and the dog everyday barks at the postman. This has been going on for years. But the dog has never learned that the postman is harmless.

It occured to me today that some of the people who oppose the theory of evolution on religious grounds might have something in common with that dog. That is, they might never have learned that evolution is harmless to their religion. Still, they "bark" at it.

But is this true? Is the theory of evolution harmless to religion? Or, does it really undermine religion, as so many people think? What do you think? And if you think it does undermine religion, precisely why does it undermine religion?

Evolution is a truism. I don't believe that it is harmful to Religion at all, but the, I don't live in a country where a guy gets beaten up for calling vreation 'mythology'........

The problem with the dog above you is that his owner is lacking in that he hasn't taught the dog not to bark. Even old dogs can be 'trained'. Hence, in the same way, if it wasn't for the paranoid way that religion insists on promoting something which is totally unbelieveable, there would be no problems (well in that area anyway).

 

[Sunstone]

...if it wasn't for the paranoid way that religion insists on promoting something which is totally unbelieveable...

Why do some religious leaders promote the notion that the theory of evolution is at odds with their faith? Is it simply that they are "paranoid", or does evolution really compete with their faith in some vital way? If so, exactly how does evolution contradict their faith?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

When evolution was proposed, all christian leaders went bananas.
To day only the extreme right fundamentalists still fear it.
Every one else sees that it is no threat, it in fact, solves some difficult questions for them.
It is of course harmful to those who think it is.Those who are defending an untenable position.
It proves them to be fallible to their followers



Terry_______________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.

 

[michel]

Why do some religious leaders promote the notion that the theory of evolution is at odds with their faith? Is it simply that they are "paranoid", or does evolution really compete with their faith in some vital way? If so, exactly how does evolution contradict their faith?

I think, to the 'literallist', the notion of evolution contradicts the idea that God 'deposited' Adam and Eve in the garden of eden. The 'upset' comes from the thought that humans could have evolved from other creatures. That's my take on it.

As far as I am concerned though, Genesis is a 'Fable' *listens to all the sharp intakes of breath*.........:help:

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Why do some religious leaders promote the notion that the theory of evolution is at odds with their faith?

Because, for some religious leaders, the theory of evolution is at odds with their faith.

 

[Scuba Pete]

You must spread some Karma around before giving it to Sunstone again.

What an excellent thread and some real stuff to cogitate on.

 

[Nick Soapdish]

I believe the escalation of the topic in recent years is reactionary by many on the religious side. They feel threatened by the agnostic skepticism that dominates academia and the general attitude that you must be dumb if you believe in God.

 

[mr.guy]

Maybe this crosses over, but on the subject of dogs (aka the poodles who live next door), some are mouthy, stupid little pricks.

 

[Buttons*]

I go to a "Christian" school where they teach that the bible is all literal, or you dont believe it, and therefore arent a real Christian. cut and dry.... i dislike they way they attack things... especailly other people, religions, and evolution. The "proof" they have against the evolution theory is all false... plus, its only a theory. My logic says that if the Bible was really that great, people wouldnt need to keep enforcing the subject "you MUST believe what we say" Evolution DOES have merit, and there IS proof! *frustration!*
(we talked about it in my Christian Humanities class today)

 

[Green Gaia]

Is the theory of evolution harmless to religion? Or, does it really undermine religion, as so many people think? What do you think? And if you think it does undermine religion, precisely why does it undermine religion?

My religion has no problem with it.

 

[Pah]

I've always felt that for some Christians, if the creation part of the creation story is not to believed in toto it casts doubt on "original sin". If "original sin" falls, then, considering the purifications in Jewish custom and scripture, there is little need for the salvaltion of the crucifix.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

As Deut. noted, it's only harmful to one's faith if evolution is at odds with that religion. For example, my religion (or at least my individual interpretation of my religion) has no teachings that conflict with evolution. When I belonged to a conservative church, however, it was almost unthinkable to be faced with the concept that some people thought and taught different things than I was 'allowed' to believe. Quite honestly, I still don't understand why it's crucial to some belief systems to demand that their version of events is the only way things could have started. If your religion, for instance, teaches that the universe was created from the eye-sleepies of Galactic Gnomes, why is that something one would focus on? Isn't the main message of the Galatic Gnomes ("Drink more Dr. Pepper and give what you have left over to Feathers!") more important than semantics?

 

[Scuba Pete]

Feathers,

Deut has long contended that evolution disproves Christianity, so it's not unthinkable that he would make such a statement. Of course, this might be an oversimplification of what the man actually believes, and he may agree with my assessment or not.

In reality there is nothing in the scriptures (Old or New) that decries the belief of evolution.

 

[greatcalgarian]

The problem with the dog above you is that his owner is lacking in that he hasn't taught the dog not to bark. Even old dogs can be 'trained'. Hence, in the same way,

Not really true. Some barking dogs are born that way, and no way of training, except through torturing conditioning, can change the way they behave. They are watch dogs evolved over thousands of years, and their only purpose in life is to bark at stranger. It is not possible to undo the thousand years of evolution result within one life cycle.

So this may be the reason why some fundamentalists kept barking at evolution even though evolution is harmless.:biglaugh:

 

[greatcalgarian]

When the earth was proposed to be round instead of flat, the effect is the same as when Darwin brought forward the idea of evolution.

These idea contradict some direct interpretation of the bible, and some Christians simply cannot grow out of the learning they are accustomed to and hence developed the phobia and antagonistic attitude towards evolution. Look at the Catholic led by the Pope. It takes quite a number of Popes before evolution was accepted, and ways to explain away any contradiction between evolution and bible passages were attempted.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Deut has long contended that evolution disproves Christianity, ...

And where have I ever contended such a thing?

Of course, this might be an oversimplification of what the man actually believes, ...

No, it's a petty and pathetic distortion, the only question is whether or not the distortion is intentional.

Of course, this might be an oversimplification of what the man actually believes, and he may agree with my assessment or not.

No, I believe that irrational anger and pettiness have colored your perceptions.

In reality there is nothing in the scriptures (Old or New) that decries the belief of evolution.

This is particularly true if scripture is accepted as primitive allegory and "belief in evolution" is adulterated to mean as little as possible. If, however, one insists on a literal interpretation of Genesis, one must reject, at least in part, the findings of evolutionary theory.

 

[ladylazarus]

Evolution is compatible with the theory of intelligent design, but not with biblical creationism, as 6,000 years would not be sufficient time for evolution to take place.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Evolution is compatible with the theory of intelligent design, ...

Evolution is the theory of unintended consequences - the very antithesis of intelligent design, which is why the "design" is so pervasively unintelligent.

 

[ladylazarus]

Evolution is the theory of unintended consequences - the very antithesis of intelligent design, which is why the "design" is so pervasively unintelligent.

Are you familiar with the theory of intelligent design? I'm no proponent of at all, but it is compatibile with the theory evolution (it kind of makes me shudder to both call them a theory -- we really need better terminology). Intelligent design is just the Deist theory of how the universe was created.