05 Mar 05
Originally posted by Paul DiracI used to be a young earth creationist, until I realized I was putting too much stock into the English translation. In Hebrew, the word 'yom' can mean a literal day or an age, so evolution is quite compatible with Christianity. In fact, the Bible's creation is exactly how evolution went.
I take it you are a Young Earth Creationist. There is an article starting on page 28 of the April, 2005 Astronomy magazine that I think would be of interest to you.
Also, pertaining to an earlier post in this thread, you ought to look for the book Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality at your local public library, in the religi ...[text shortened]... espouses Biblical inerrancy, but it will nevertheless challenge you to dig deeply into The Word.
So to say you don't believe in God because of evolution is rather dimwitted. Evolution needed a kickstart, and that was God.
05 Mar 05
Originally posted by DarfiusThe article in Astronomy that I referenced says, "Impacts big enough to sterilize Earth occurred often during the planet's earliest days. If life began during that violent era, it probably started several times and was wiped out again and again."
...So to say you don't believe in God because of evolution is rather dimwitted. Evolution needed a kickstart, and that was God.
Now, they are not saying life definitely started multiple times, and got wiped out, they are saying "If...".
Do you dismiss even the theoretical possibility that such a scenario played out in the early days of the solar system, on the basis that God surely would not be so inefficient as to kickstart life when He knew full well that a major impact at a later date was going to heat the planet so much that it would wipe out the organisms?
05 Mar 05
Originally posted by Paul DiracFirst of all, I'd like to point out that that hurts your position more than mine, because you'd rather believe life spontaneously started several times rather than once--'If'--of course.
The article in Astronomy that I referenced says, "Impacts big enough to sterilize Earth occurred often during the planet's earliest days. If life began during that violent era, it probably started several times and was wiped out again and again."
Now, they are not saying life definitely started multiple times, and got wiped out, they are sayi ...[text shortened]... mpact at a later date was going to heat the planet so much that it would wipe out the organisms?
Secondly, a lot of the impacts were comets that also brought water to the planet. And no, I don't dismiss the possibilty, but I would need proof.
05 Mar 05
1 edit
Originally posted by DarfiusFair enough. I will grant you that life doesn't seem to have left any convincing traces on any of the other solar system bodies that we have placed spacecraft onto or in close proximity to. There was some excitement a few years ago about a meteorite found in Antarctica. Some scientists think it originated in an asteroid impact on Mars. A few scientists thought some structures in the meteorite looked like remnants of small living organisms ("fossils" if you will), but I personally never found the photos I saw to be very convincing to that effect.
First of all, I'd like to point out that that hurts your position more than mine, because you'd rather believe life spontaneously started several times rather than once--'If'--of course.
Secondly, a lot of the impacts were comets tha ...[text shortened]... And no, I don't dismiss the possibilty, but I would need proof.
05 Mar 05
Originally posted by Paul DiracThe only thing that makes the Bible a contradiction is the own human mind.
I take it you are a Young Earth Creationist. There is an article starting on page 28 of the April, 2005 Astronomy magazine that I think would be of interest to you.
Also, pertaining to an earlier post in this thread, you ought to look for the book Steve Allen on the Bible, Religion, and Morality at your local public library, in the religi ...[text shortened]... espouses Biblical inerrancy, but it will nevertheless challenge you to dig deeply into The Word.
05 Mar 05
1 edit
I believe that the only proveable claims are that I exist and that my perceptions exist.
I believe that other people are similar beings to me and not robots or hallucinations. This is a belief - this means I think it's probably true, not that it's definite.
I believe that to try to make any claims about what a god is like is futile, because gods, if they exist, are supernatural and all we have to explore reality is nature. In addition, gods are typically thought of to be extraordinarily powerful if not infinitely so, and their minds are thought to be impossible to understand by humans, so there is no way to know anything about them.
I believe the scientific method and logic are extremely useful methods by which to approach problems and things which I want more evidence for so that I can decide what I think it most probable. I believe Occam's Razor is one of the very useful logical tools available to us.
I believe Christian Young Earth creationism is very improbable based on the fact that it would break the mass/energy conservation law and so much evidence points against it.
05 Mar 05
1 edit
Originally posted by RBHILLI believe that I am a construct of matter and energy, intricately moulded by evolution that has taken billions of years to reach this current state and that may continue for countless billions to come.
What are your beliefs and why do you believe that, who or what are your influances?
I believe that the universe is evolving, I do not know how the universe began or where it will end, I do not even know if either of these things has happened or will happen.
I believe that every person on this planet is made up of parts of all sorts of other things which may have been any number of previous constructs. For example, a carbon atom in the DNA chain of one of the cells in my heart may have been part of the shell of a beetle 1000s of years ago. Before that it may have been part of a large piece of sandstone when the dinosaurs were alive. Who can tell? But originally it was probably part of the stardust of the universe, effectively that's what we all are, a collection of stardust and when I die I will happily become part of that random chemical journey once more.
I do not believe in the supernatural, the soul, god etc. I see these things as attempts to fill a hole in understanding. I hope one day for a definitive answer one way or the other, but in the absence of any proof I choose to deny the existence of the supernatural.
I believe in freedom, tolerance, gentleness, forgiveness and compassion.
I do not believe in any form of physical confrontation ever, killing in the name of peace or putting money before humanity.
Although I sometimes stray from it, I try to continually put reason above all things. Except maybe music. 🙂
I believe this was a good thread to start, well done RBHILL and I believe in the EDIT button to correct spelling mistakes 🙂
06 Mar 05
I believe Christian Young Earth creationism is very improbable based on the fact that it would break the mass/energy conservation law and so much evidence points against it.
One need not believe in a young earth to be saved. Even when I thought it was true, I knew it wasn't a salvation issue.
However, as I said in a previous post, evolution is quite compatible with the Creation account, especially because the Hebrew word 'yom' can mean a 24 hour period or an Age.
I think you might find this site interesting, Thousand:
www.godandscience.org
06 Mar 05
Originally posted by DarfiusThere's too much material there for me to read it all. From what I saw at first glance it looks like stuff I've seen before and which is not convincing to me. Thanks for the suggestion though! 🙂
[b]I believe Christian Young Earth creationism is very improbable based on the fact that it would break the mass/energy conservation law and so much evidence points against it.
One need not believe in a young earth to be saved. Even when I thought it was true, I knew it wasn't a salvation issue.
However, as I said in a previous post, evolution is ...[text shortened]... d or an Age.
I think you might find this site interesting, Thousand:
www.godandscience.org[/b]
06 Mar 05
Originally posted by AThousandYoungYou're welcome. I do hope you find time to read it. I find the combination of odds for the universe as we know it to be mind boggling. The lowest number is 10^37 (number of electrons to protons being equal to keep electromagneticity stable). And all of the odds can only be taken into account after you accept that the universe kickstarted itself (?!).
There's too much material there for me to read it all. From what I saw at first glance it looks like stuff I've seen before and which is not convincing to me. Thanks for the suggestion though! 🙂