Comments on: Design or Descent? http://www.blog.beyondthefirmament.com/2007/11/28/design-or-descent/ Understanding Science and the Theology of Creation Sat, 19 May 2012 15:35:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: tom http://www.blog.beyondthefirmament.com/2007/11/28/design-or-descent/comment-page-1/#comment-322 tom Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:57:03 +0000 http://www.blog.beyondthefirmament.com/2007/11/28/design-or-descent/#comment-322 Sort of thinking out loud here... So God spoke everything into existence. We call it the tree of life, right? What if DNA was the language of God at the molecular level and the word was a tree, a phylogenetic tree? Sure it's nonlinear, but how can creation in any way be linear, and why should we limit God to linearity? It's not at all deceptive. Maybe it's an unfolding of the word God used, and its revelation to us today is as it was to Moses -- that there is one God, one Word. Sort of thinking out loud here…

So God spoke everything into existence. We call it the tree of life, right? What if DNA was the language of God at the molecular level and the word was a tree, a phylogenetic tree? Sure it’s nonlinear, but how can creation in any way be linear, and why should we limit God to linearity? It’s not at all deceptive. Maybe it’s an unfolding of the word God used, and its revelation to us today is as it was to Moses — that there is one God, one Word.

]]> By: GJG http://www.blog.beyondthefirmament.com/2007/11/28/design-or-descent/comment-page-1/#comment-313 GJG Sun, 02 Dec 2007 19:50:22 +0000 http://www.blog.beyondthefirmament.com/2007/11/28/design-or-descent/#comment-313 Thanks Cliff for the comments. It's very true what you say, especially your comment about how the evidence against evolution can appear convincing to the untrained eye. In fact, defense lawyers have mastered these very same techniques to muddy the waters and create reasonable doubt in an otherwise solid case. It's like, "Your DNA is on the victim, the victims blood was found all over the clothes you wore that day, and we can place you at the scene of the crime during the time that the crime was committed - but we still do not know exactly how you entered the victims house." A really good lawyer would try and convince the jury that unless the presecution can demonstrate exactly how the accused entered the home of the victim - they don't have a case. But the fact is, the positive evidence IS THE CASE - and the negative "evidence" is not really evidence at all. The details that still require explanation are immaterial to the forensic question of whether or not the accused murdered the victim. By the way, I put the "Evolutionary Creation Video" on YouTube and GodTube under the name, "A Natural History of Creation". I plan on posting news of this on my blog shortly. Take care, GJG Thanks Cliff for the comments. It’s very true what you say, especially your comment about how the evidence against evolution can appear convincing to the untrained eye. In fact, defense lawyers have mastered these very same techniques to muddy the waters and create reasonable doubt in an otherwise solid case.

It’s like, “Your DNA is on the victim, the victims blood was found all over the clothes you wore that day, and we can place you at the scene of the crime during the time that the crime was committed - but we still do not know exactly how you entered the victims house.” A really good lawyer would try and convince the jury that unless the presecution can demonstrate exactly how the accused entered the home of the victim - they don’t have a case. But the fact is, the positive evidence IS THE CASE - and the negative “evidence” is not really evidence at all. The details that still require explanation are immaterial to the forensic question of whether or not the accused murdered the victim.

By the way, I put the “Evolutionary Creation Video” on YouTube and GodTube under the name, “A Natural History of Creation”. I plan on posting news of this on my blog shortly.

Take care,
GJG

]]> By: Cliff Martin http://www.blog.beyondthefirmament.com/2007/11/28/design-or-descent/comment-page-1/#comment-311 Cliff Martin Sun, 02 Dec 2007 16:06:00 +0000 http://www.blog.beyondthefirmament.com/2007/11/28/design-or-descent/#comment-311 Gordon, The difficulty here is that is takes a commitment of mental energy and background study to develop the basic understandings of biology necessary to follow the train of evidence favoring common descent (which you present so well). Once an individual commits him/herself to gain that understanding, the train of evidence is completely overwhelming. But Christians who perceive that they have nothing to gain, and much to lose from this full investigation of the data have an automatic disincentive to engage in it. This explains why an extremely high percentage working biologists (Christian and non) hold to evolutionary theory, and an extremely high percentage of evangelical and fundamental Christians do not. In my immediate circle of Christian friends (probably numbering about 1000) I know of only two or three who fully understand and accept the evidence for evolution. On the other hand, I know of none in this group who fully grasp the significance of the evidence but who still reject evolution. When I read the Creationist line of argumentation against evolution, it can be completely convincing to someone with a limited understanding of the sciences. It is easy to build a case against evolution for those predisposed to reject it. I understand why most of my friends reject evolution. Your latest video, “The Evolutonary Creation Video” may be useful in dispelling the perception that Christianity is incompatible with science. Hopefully, some will be spurred on to a more informed, honest and open consideration of the facts. Keep up the good work! Gordon,

The difficulty here is that is takes a commitment of mental energy and background study to develop the basic understandings of biology necessary to follow the train of evidence favoring common descent (which you present so well). Once an individual commits him/herself to gain that understanding, the train of evidence is completely overwhelming. But Christians who perceive that they have nothing to gain, and much to lose from this full investigation of the data have an automatic disincentive to engage in it.

This explains why an extremely high percentage working biologists (Christian and non) hold to evolutionary theory, and an extremely high percentage of evangelical and fundamental Christians do not. In my immediate circle of Christian friends (probably numbering about 1000) I know of only two or three who fully understand and accept the evidence for evolution. On the other hand, I know of none in this group who fully grasp the significance of the evidence but who still reject evolution.

When I read the Creationist line of argumentation against evolution, it can be completely convincing to someone with a limited understanding of the sciences. It is easy to build a case against evolution for those predisposed to reject it. I understand why most of my friends reject evolution.

Your latest video, “The Evolutonary Creation Video” may be useful in dispelling the perception that Christianity is incompatible with science. Hopefully, some will be spurred on to a more informed, honest and open consideration of the facts.

Keep up the good work!

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