Posts by jp1692

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

jp1692

Cofty: Why is this "the real question"?

Fair enough. I suppose because the question of life's origin is the one that really hinges on whether or not there is a creator. The issue of organic, biological evolution per se, and the questions concerning it, do not necessarily threaten or contradict belief in creation by a divine being.

As you observed Cofty, there are scientists--mainstream evolutionary biologists even--that are also Christians. (I don't happen to be one of them.)

Again, I'm acknowledging that my previous comments may be taking the thread in a direction other than the one you originally intended. Sorry if that is the case.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

jp1692

Cofty: Which is outrageously anti-scientific. It is literally impossible for evolution to happen that fast and contradicts everything we know about the history of life on earth.

Well of course it is unscientific. But that is what many people believe nonetheless. I'm reporting, not supporting. (For the record and the sake of context, I am one nanometre shy of complete atheism.)

NOTE: The many people that believe unscientific things would obviously not be among the "we" you are referring to in the above quoted comment.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

jp1692

Cofty: millions of christians manage to live with the tension between their faith-based beliefs and an acceptance of the facts of science.

This is an interesting observation. Anecdotally, and from my experience, I believe there are a couple of reasons for this. One, many people just don't care that much. They don't even realize there are inherent conflicts and contradictions between different ideas and beliefs they hold. And if you point it out to them they don't care enough to consider it because none of it matters that much to them. (This is true for all kinds of differing beliefs, not just religious ones). Most people just aren't that interested in doing the hard work of thinking things through.

For others, they have struggled with the conflict and have come to accept that sometimes there are things about which we will never have answers; and they have learned to live with ambiguity and unresolved conflicts. It certainly helps if they have abandoned a literal interpretation of the Bible as is clearly the case for many mainstream denominations of Christians.

It is one sign of a mentally unhealthy worldview that we must have an answer for everything. Black-and-white, all-or-nothing thinking is not good in any frame or context.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

jp1692

Actually, Christians DO accept that evolution happens. In fact, they accept a much more aggressive and rapid form of evolution than most biologists.

Christians (of the fundamentalist stripe that hold to a literal interpretation of the Bible) believe that all of life's diversity came about after the Noachian Flood four thousand years ago. In contrast, evolutionary biologists believe that the same diversity of life is the result of ten million years or more of evolutionary processes.

The real question is not: Does life change over time? Clearly it does.

The real question is: How did life originate in the first place?

Knowing Cofty, these comments and questions of mine may be taking the thread in a direction other than the one he intended.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

jp1692

Wake Me Up: once you accept that life evolved, you dismiss Adam and Eve ... [and] ... The whole house of cards collapses

Wow! What a stunningly concise deconstruction of the fundamental flaws of the the Abrahamic religions' beliefs when examined in the light of a scientific, evidence-based worldview.

20

How do I delete my posts?

by The Doc 58 in

it's been 9 years and it would be nice to get them off the internet.

.

jp1692

Beware of the Streisand effect!

39

Are Jehovah's Witnesses a cult just as evil and dangerous as Islam?

by cookiemaster in

i know you might think i'm exaggerating but if you really think about it, maybe i'm not.

these two religions originate with the same ancient belief system.

islam is a dangerous middle eastern cult that seeks to control every aspect of its members' lives.

jp1692

Snoochems: this just comes about by people's belief that all religions are created equal

Who believes that? I personally don't know anyone that believes that.

Who is the "you" that you are addressing/referring to you your posts Snoochems?

39

Are Jehovah's Witnesses a cult just as evil and dangerous as Islam?

by cookiemaster in

i know you might think i'm exaggerating but if you really think about it, maybe i'm not.

these two religions originate with the same ancient belief system.

islam is a dangerous middle eastern cult that seeks to control every aspect of its members' lives.

jp1692

Snoochems: I just got to the inevitable part of any discussion on the topic of Islam where "THE CRUSADES" is mentioned to somehow justify what Islam is putting the world through in the 21st century.

Who is trying to justify acts of terrorism committed by fundamentalist Muslims?

17

Does Christianity Promote Self Hatred?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

i think that christianity's teachings pose a very unproductive world view and are a danger to our survival.

their teachings that man is sinful and worthy of death and in need of a savior to rescue him and free him of his sinful tendencies or else feel the wrath of god.

these things that condemn man as sinful are his own powerful drives given to him at conception which he now must deny due to indoctrination and consign to his shadow(jungian).

jp1692

Duh!

39

Are Jehovah's Witnesses a cult just as evil and dangerous as Islam?

by cookiemaster in

i know you might think i'm exaggerating but if you really think about it, maybe i'm not.

these two religions originate with the same ancient belief system.

islam is a dangerous middle eastern cult that seeks to control every aspect of its members' lives.

jp1692

Cookiemaster: Christianity was just as barbaric as ISIS in the past

Did someone just mention the Spanish Inquisition? Three hundred and fifty-six years of fun and games in Catholic Europe.

Don't get me started on the Crusades ...