Saturday, October 31, 2009

God, Man and Blue-Green Algae

Science, not religion, had become my teacher. The Universe took billions of years to create our planet as we know it today NOT Monday through Saturday with a rest on Sunday. Complex life took hundreds of millions of years to evolve from simpler life forms, from primordial single cells to blue-green algae to fish to amphibians to dinosaurs to mammals. Man, with the most complex brain of all, evolved by the same mechanisms as everything else, just another species going forward. To the Universe, we are no more significant than that blue-green algae. That all men and women are descendents not from lower primates but from Adam & Eve, was the Christian explanation before Science had a clue. To believe, at this time in history, that all life began simultaneously and in essentially the same forms that exist today and that the incestuous relationship of Adam & Eve's offspring produced the common ancestry of us all defies common sense and the scientific evidence.
I discussed this issue with a Presbyterian minister recently and he admitted to me (I'm sure not to his parishioners) that he didn't believe in the biblical explanation of creation and instead believed that evolution was God's method of populating the planet. We were interrupted at that moment and unable to continue the exchange so I didn't get to challenge him on that but let's examine his opinion. It's an opinion I've encountered before from those who were educated enough not to try to deny the overwhelming evidence of the fossil record which supports evolutionary theory yet still believed the world was created by a supreme being. If God chose evolution more or less as we know it, he must have been content with just algae for a million years or so, then amoebas for a million more and so on at this inexplicably languid pace until FINALLY, he allows Man to make an appearance. Gee, could we really be that important after such a long wait? As Man evolved, differentiating himself from the lower primates, from ape-like to Neanderthals to Modern Man, God put no demands on him in terms of loyalty or servitude, no threats or warnings about needing to believe in Him or risk third-degree burns in Hell. No, that would come much later in history when presumably, Man's brain was sufficiently advanced to understand the concept with the ability to make an informed decision as to which Master to follow. If he chose God and lived by His commandments then he might enjoy everlasting life in heaven after death, although an exact description of the place and how it all works has never been revealed. But, if he chose the Devil as his Master, he would spend eternity with Mr. D in a state of perpetual combustion. The stark absurdity and utter unbelievability of the biblical explanation of the beginning of life and its system of reward or punishment should be blatantly obvious to anyone who has ever stepped foot outside a church.

5 comments:

  1. To play devil's advocate to some of your points, practitioners of science have made some fairly educated explorations into the past of the planet, and the theory of evolution is well supported scientifically. As any good scientist knows, however, these are likelihoods, not facts. Science cannot "prove" anything, however, and to believe in evolution is a faith akin to that of devout Christians. Also, God by very definition is an entity we cannot understand. Generally, those who acknowledge his potential existence (as you do in how ardently you argue against his supporters) will agree that if he exists he is a being that is not constrained by the laws and logic of the universe that constrain us. As such, he cannot be studied or examined, thus cannot be touched by science (yet; the Hadron Collider may help, assuming it isn't sabotaged by the future). So, believing that his hand guides those things that seem to happen by chance is no more or less valid than believing in chance alone.

    Thanks for the read; I hope you take my comments in good humor. Take care!
    http://www.notruthcontained.blogspot.com

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  2. Thanks for your post Stephen, I enjoy discussion...your point about a God as an entity, force, etc. that no one could imagine is a valid one but the Bible defines it as one in whose image WE are made and they even said Jesus was God's son and who makes moral judgements and metes out rewards and punishment and provides a place after death (heaven) if we've been good....my next blog on the subject will mention how I feel Hitler and Ghandi share the same after death fate...no punishment for the one, no reward for the other...sad but true (according to my thinking any way)...I'll read your blogs tomorrow...thanks again
    James

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  3. Wonderful post!The debate is as old as the human evolution it self!May be one day science would be able explain the existence or non existence with empirical evedence!May be God never answers your question! He teaches you live with them!!This may lead into another controversy!!Any how you made me think!Thank you.
    I must follow you.Follow me too..
    www.lifeartstrainer.blogspot.com

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  4. Another wonderful blog. I disagree with Stephen above, although I recognize he is just playing devil's advocate. Evolution in and of itself is just as much a fact as gravity, cells, DNA, and atoms. The theory is the HOW. (For instance, the most accepted theory of the evolution of man is the savannah theory, but I personally see some merit in the aquatic theory as well.)

    When I'm going for shock value while arguing for humans not being more evolved than other species, I always say, "You are not more evolved than the bacteria in your mouth."

    Aaaat any rate, excellent blog post!

    Kim

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  5. Thanks Kim...I've enjoyed yours as well!!

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