Fighting Evolution Is a Major Distraction

This letter comes from CP of Western Australia. We would normally not have published this, because it violates the feedback rule against submitting a comment or question without checking what we say first via our website search and extensive Answers. But there has been nothing else that complies with our rules, so we publish this to give readers an idea of the sort of intellectual ‘laziness’ among our critics. The replies are cursory, simply because we have covered these issues at length on this Web site.

I believe in evolutuion but I sympathise with creationalists need to believe that there is more to the universe than the finite, quantifiable, physical reality that scientists provide us with. The truth in the lessons of the bible, particularly the teachings of Christ, is a far more powerful truth when it comes to answering the qusestion of how we are to live moral and ethical lives, but we do not need to see the Bible as a description of the physical world to knwo these truths. In fact fighting evolution theory is a major diatraction from the real work of christianity which is to promote love and understanding and to learn to see into the hearts of others. My faith in the teachings of christ comes from from the goodness I see in other people and the joy I feel when I do good works for others. I don't need to believe in a literal interetation of the bible nor I is my faith threatened by evolutionary theory when I hear God speak through my heart.

Thank you for listening,

CP, Western Australia

I believe in evolutuion …

You got that part right – it is a belief system! See “Presuppositions in the Classroom.”

… but I sympathise with creationalists need to believe that there is more to the universe than the finite, quantifiable, physical reality that scientists provide us with.

What scientists do you mean? Many of the AiG staff are Ph.D. scientists, as are many other practising scientists as well, as were the founders of most branches of modern science—see Creationist Scientist Biography Page. And our perceived need is irrelevant; what matters is whether it is true.

The truth in the lessons of the bible, particularly the teachings of Christ, …

As usual, this ignores the fact that Christ believed in a ‘recent’ creation—see “Jesus, Evangelical Scholars, and the Age of the Earth.”

… is a far more powerful truth when it comes to answering the qusestion of how we are to live moral and ethical lives, but we do not need to see the Bible as a description of the physical world to knwo these truths.

How so? The Bible does not make such an artificial distinction. Indeed, Jesus told Nicodemus (John 3:12): ‘I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?’ If Jesus was wrong about earthly things (like a recent creation and a global Flood [Luke 17:26–27]), why should we believe what He says about heavenly things? And in the passage above, Jesus taught about the moral issue of marriage by connecting it with the fact of the creation of man and woman as Genesis says! The Sabbath Commandment, another moral issue, was given explicitly because God created the heavens and earth in six normal-length days (Exodus 20:8–11).

In fact fighting evolution theory is a major diatraction from the real work of Christianity which is to promote love and understanding and to learn to see into the hearts of others.

Really? So you think that believing that we are rearranged pond scum, the result of a struggle for existence, ‘nature red in tooth and claw’, is not a distraction from promoting peace and love? See “Why Does Creation Matter?”

My faith in the teachings of Christ …

Evidently not the ones where He affirms Genesis as straightforward history!

… comes from from the goodness I see in other people and the joy I feel when I do good works for others.

How do you decide ‘goodness’? If we are just rearranged pond scum, how do you know that your sense of ‘goodness’ isn’t just an illusion in your brain that conferred some survival advantage on your ape-like ancestor?

I don’t need to believe in a literal interetation of the bible …

Perhaps we shouldn’t believe a literal interpretation of your letter either? Perhaps what you really mean is that the Bible is totally true and that evolution has no basis in fact? Why not? If the Bible can’t be understood plainly, then why should any language? After all, God intended the Bible to instruct us, which entails that it should be understandable (see 2 Timothy 3:15–17). It would be worth your while to study “Should Genesis Be Taken Literally?” so you can understand where we are coming from.

… nor I is my faith threatened by evolutionary theory when I hear God speak through my heart.

The problem is, which god? If not the God as He reveals Himself in the Bible, then it’s not God at all, so your ‘faith’ has no object.

Thank you for listening,

You’re welcome, but please pay us the same courtesy, and review the articles mentioned above.