Think of the challenge facing researchers who feel that life arose by chance... Ultimately, they hope to build all the parts needed to construct a "simple" cell.... If scientists ever did construct a cell, they would accomplish something truly amazing-but would they prove that the cell could be made by accident? If anything they would prove the very opposite, would they not?
Origin of Life
by cofty 405 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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slimboyfat
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cofty
That is about constructing a cell. It doesn't say that science could perhaps make new life.
They are very dogmatic that the term "spirit" refers to an ethereal animating force that originates with god alone.
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slimboyfat
Oh dear. Not content with misrepresenting your own OP, you now deny the plain meaning of WT comments on the feasibility of scientists creating living cells from non-living matter.
You claimed that for JWs there is a theological not simply a technical barrier to scientists creating life. However JW publications as far back as I remember have always talked about life arising from non-life as a technical and statistical problem, not a theological impossibility. Anyone acquainted with the blue Creation book, the Creator book, or their various brochures on the topic knows this.
Where did you get the idea that JWs teach there is a theological barrier to scientists creating life in the laboratory? I guess it is possible they taught this at one stage but I don't know how far back you would have to go.
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cofty
the feasibility of scientists creating living cells from non-living matter.
It does not say "living cells".
What is the "spirit" the returns to god at death according to the Watchtower? It is the impersonal force that gives life to all living things. It emanates from god and returns to god. It was compared to electricity with god as its unique source. How can anything be alive without spirit in WT theology? Spirit comes from god alone therefore scientists can NEVER create a living thing from rocks. They might make a cell but it would be lifeless.
"Spirit" is inaccessible to science.
For the same reason Satan can never create life.
Anyone acquainted with anything they have ever written knows this.
Not content with misrepresenting your own OP
Liar
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slimboyfat
Can you show me where the WT has said that creating life from non-life is "theologically" impossible for humans?
Read it for yourself, page 6. It's talking about humans making life from non-living matter. It's the whole point of the discussion.
https://download-a.akamaihd.net/files/media_books/d0/lf_E.pdf
See also the Creator book page 37 that talks about scientists attempting to create life from non-life. It does not say it is theologically impossible. Instead it asks the question:
If the gas mixture represents the atmosphere, the electric spark mimics lightning, and boiling water stands for the sea, what or who does the scientist arranging and carrying out the experiment represent?
JWs argue that the chances of life arising from non-living matter spontaneously are remote, they do not say it is theologically impossible. They allow for the possibility that scientists may manage to do it some day, but they argue this only goes to prove that intelligent beings need to set the conditions for it to happen.
Your thread is based on a misunderstanding of what JWs teach.
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cofty
The brochure is a pseudo-scientific argument from complexity from beginning to end. It doesn't mention the deeper theological reason why scientists could not make life.
What is the "spirit" the returns to god at death according to the Watchtower? It is the impersonal force that gives life to all living things. It emanates from god and returns to god. It was compared to electricity with god as its unique source.
HOW CAN ANYTHING BE ALIVE WITHOUT SPIRIT IN WT THEOLOGY?
Spirit comes from god alone therefore scientists can NEVER create a living thing from rocks. They might make a cell but it would be lifeless.
"Spirit" is inaccessible to science.
For the same reason Satan can never create life.
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slimboyfat
Where does the WT say scientists will only be able to make "lifeless" cells? It makes no such distinction. It says that life arising from non-life is a "challenge" for scientists but If they manage it it will be "something truly amazing".
Can you quote where JWs have ever taught there is a "theological" barrier to scientists creating life from non-living matter? That's what you claimed above but I am not aware that they ever taught this, Maybe they did teach this at one stage I don't know. Their recent publication have no problem with the idea. In fact they incorporate it into their argument for an intelligent .creator.
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cofty
HOW CAN ANYTHING BE ALIVE WITHOUT SPIRIT IN WT THEOLOGY?
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slimboyfat
Why do you assume that life created by scientists would be without spirit?
You claimed JWs teach there is a theological barrier, not merely a technical barrier to scientists creating life.
WT literature actually says the opposite: that creating life is a technical challenge but that scientists may be able to do it one day. And if they do JWs argue it only goes to show that intelligence is needed in order to create life.
I wonder where did you get the idea that JWs teach there is a theological barrier to scientists creating life? Did it ever state this in the literature? I am looking at the older books but I can't find any comment on those lines.
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cofty
Why do you assume that life created by scientists would be without spirit?
Spirit is the impersonal force that gives life to all living things. It emanates from god and returns to god. It was compared to electricity with god as its unique source.