Sam brings up the good point regarding the Bible and Science.
Think for a moment about the theory of evolution.
For all intents and purposes, it is one of the most successful theories in the history of scientific methodology, and yet the debate rages on.
why is that? it's not the technical explanation for biodiversity over geologic time spans that get conservative xians . it's the implications of such a theory that strikes terror into their hearts.
genesis tells the tale of god watching over mankind, and of mans centrality to the earth. man as a pinnacle of special creation.
evolution comes along and implies: not so. we are but apes, and there is much empirical evidence to back this statement up. this is a direct scientific blow to an anthropocentric worldview like that found in genesis.
but wait, there is even a better reason why so many xians rail again this well established theory.
if you want to skip all the critical exegesis with the rest of the bible, then simply study evolution and think about the implication to the whole bible because of what it does to genesis.
if we evolved from apes, and are but apes, albeit big brained and hairless, then what exactly was adam and eve? perfect apes? did they not share the common genome and ancestors with other apes, and all other living things, as per evolution? but then how could they have been perfect? and what about all the other thousands of human tribes and people on the earth at the time of the genesis account as illuminated by anthropology and genetics?
and if there were thousands of other humans alive at the time of the genesis account, then that means that most likely, you are not decended from adam and eve, but from one of many many many other thousands of hunter and gatherers. and if you are not genetically related to adam and eve, then that means you are not subject to their "inheritance" (a joke anyways), and you have no need for jesus as your savior in your life.
and what does this imply for the rest of the bible? well, if one of it's central themes is the fall from perfection, and then salvation through jesus , then it's screwed right from the outset thanks to science. especially if you are a JW . the entire doctrine revolves around this fall from grace and perfection, and the future reward of salvation and perfection again.
but we were never perfect! we were apes! so, if we were never perfect, then it doesn't matter that we "fell from perfection", and all in the subsequent bible about salvation through the messiah, and then jesus and heaven or paradise, doesn't mean anything because we never needed it anyways. we evolved the characteristics that we have. we die because evolution needs death. only the xians call it imperfection. of course they have no other evidence to support this claim aside from the laughable book of genesis.
and that is briefly why the implication of the theory of evolution scares conservative xians like JWs and other protestants. the implication obsoletes sin, and salvation and ultimately jesus if you were to follow the logic to it's conclusion.
and without jesus , there is no bible, and no xianity worth toiling ones life after.
if any of you want a rather brilliant, and IMO quintessential introduction to the theory of evolution by natural, gradual, cumulative selection, Richard Dawkins book The Blind Watchmaker is actually available for free online:
http://www.evolutionary.tripod.com/dawkins_blindwatchmaker_1996_full.pdf
TS
