Can't religion and evolution be merged as one?

[Irelandrulz2]

So people say either God made the universe, or the universe made the universe.

Well can't in fact there be a God, and yet the universe made the universe.
So in this instance, lets imagine that God made the big bang or whatever made the universe. Then from then on with Gods help we evolutionism into what we are now?

This is my personally opinion and I look forward to replies from fellow religious people.

 

[Tristesse]

Sure, you can believe that, but without evidence don't expect anyone else to believe it.

 

[Irelandrulz2]

Sure, you can believe that, but without evidence don't expect anyone else to believe it.

But the whole point in religion is about faith/non-proof. I find it a highly respectable theory if you believe in a religion and want to understand how the universe was made in a scientific theory.

 

[Storm]

So people say either God made the universe, or the universe made the universe.

Well can't in fact there be a God, and yet the universe made the universe.
So in this instance, lets imagine that God made the big bang or whatever made the universe. Then from then on with Gods help we evolutionism into what we are now?

This is my personally opinion and I look forward to replies from fellow religious people.

Absolutely. Have you never heard of theistic evolution?

 

[Irelandrulz2]

Absolutely. Have you never heard of theistic evolution?

No I haven't, that's kinda why I posted this thread. That's really eye-opening however.
Thanks!

 

[Storm]

You're quite welcome.

 

[Revoltingest]

Merge evolution & religion?
Hmmmm.....Yes! But there's some asymmetry.
Religion can incorporate evolution.
But evolution cannot incorporate religion because faith based matters are untestable.

 

[Tristesse]

But the whole point in religion is about faith/non-proof. I find it a highly respectable theory if you believe in a religion and want to understand how the universe was made in a scientific theory.

I know it's about faith. I don't know that I would call it a highly respectable theory, as you pointed out, there's no evidence for it. I do however appreciate that you're able to mesh the two and try to gain a better understanding of our universe.

 

[Tarheeler]

I've never had a problem with merging evolution, or any other scientific topic, with my religious beliefs. It simply isn't an issue.

 

[Storm]

Merge evolution & religion?
Hmmmm.....Yes! But there's some asymmetry.
Religion can incorporate evolution.
But evolution cannot incorporate religion because faith based matters are untestable.

Excellent point. Science, at least currently and for the foreseeable future, cannot consider God.

That said, I'm firmly of the opinion that science sheds light while theology gropes in the dark. Any healthy theology must therefore adapt to science.

 

[Storm]

I know it's about faith. I don't know that I would call it a highly respectable theory, as you pointed out, there's no evidence for it. I do however appreciate that you're able to mesh the two and try to gain a better understanding of our universe.

Irelandrulz can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think he meant "theory" in the scientific sense. Rather, that theistic evolution is a more respectable theological theory (in the looser sense) than YEC, for instance.

 

[Tristesse]

Irelandrulz can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think he meant "theory" in the scientific sense. Rather, that theistic evolution is a more respectable theological theory (in the looser sense) than YEC, for instance.

Well, yeah, I definitely agree with that.

 

[Irelandrulz2]

Irelandrulz can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think he meant "theory" in the scientific sense. Rather, that theistic evolution is a more respectable theological theory (in the looser sense) than YEC, for instance.

Yes you're quite right.

Tristesse - Theories are meant to be what you think... so therefore no theory can be respectable nor unrespectable. Unless of course they are proven theories which are then not called theories.

 

[Tarheeler]

Excellent point. Science, at least currently and for the foreseeable future, cannot consider God.

That said, I'm firmly of the opinion that science sheds light while theology gropes in the dark. Any healthy theology must therefore adapt to science.

Irelandrulz can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think he meant "theory" in the scientific sense. Rather, that theistic evolution is a more respectable theological theory (in the looser sense) than YEC, for instance.

Well put.

Science is a great tool to understand the physical world around us. When done right, experiments and observations can give us repeatable results and solid answers to many questions. And it should operate without thought or acknowledgment of religion.

But it can only explain the physical world. In order to understanding everything else (assuming it does exist ) we have to rely on our personal experiences and observations. And those have to be able to adapt to knowledge that is concrete and provable. Otherwise we go from trying to understand things to hiding from knowledge.

 

[Tathagata]

Can't religion and science be merged as one?

Depends on which religion. The Abrahamic religions, no (theistic evolution is philosophically absurd).

However, in Buddhism, evolution is possible. The Buddha was the first man to come up with an evolutionary theory.

The Buddha: "It is by a process of evolution that sankharas come to be. There is no sankhara which has sprung into being without a gradual becoming. ...The combination of thy sankharas is thy self."

the Buddha: "To that extent the world re-evolved. And those beings continued for a very long time feasting on this savory earth, feeding on it and being nourished by it. And as they did so, their bodies became courser, and a difference in looks developed among them." [Agganna Sutta]

So people say either God made the universe, or the universe made the universe.

Nobody says the universe made the universe, that's absurd. Thats a contradiction because the universe would have to exist before it could make itself. What people do assert is that the Universe has always existed forever, no beginning and no creator.

Well can't in fact there be a God, and yet the universe made the universe.

No. Absolutely not. If the Universe is self existent and not created, then how can a God create the Universe?

 

[rusra02]

So people say either God made the universe, or the universe made the universe.

Well can't in fact there be a God, and yet the universe made the universe.
So in this instance, lets imagine that God made the big bang or whatever made the universe. Then from then on with Gods help we evolutionism into what we are now?

This is my personally opinion and I look forward to replies from fellow religious people.

Yes, (false) religion and evolution have fused together, and many professed Christians are avowed evolutionists. However, evolution and the truth are incompatible. The Bible is true when it says God created animals and plants according to their kinds, and that man is a unique direct creation by God. Evidence we can see supports this. Despite (loud) protestations to the contrary, evolution is an unproven theory that the evidence doesn't support. The Bible and evolution cannot be reconciled. If evolution is true, the Bible is false, and if the Bible is true, evolution is false.

 

[Storm]

Depends on which religion. The Abrahamic religions, no (theistic evolution is philosophically absurd).

May I ask why?

 

[Tathagata]

Yes, (false) religion and evolution have fused together, and many professed Christians are avowed evolutionists. However, evolution and the truth are incompatible. The Bible is true when it says God created animals and plants according to their kinds, and that man is a unique direct creation by God. Evidence we can see supports this. Despite (loud) protestations to the contrary, evolution is an unproven theory that the evidence doesn't support. The Bible and evolution cannot be reconciled. If evolution is true, the Bible is false, and if the Bible is true, evolution is false.

Correct. This is exactly why Theistic Evolution is impossible, at least in the context of Christianity or any other Abrahamic faith. Only Deists can support Theistic Evolution.

.

 

[Madhuri]

But the whole point in religion is about faith/non-proof.

Some religions...

 

[Storm]

Correct. This is exactly why Theistic Evolution is impossible, at least in the context of Christianity or any other Abrahamic faith. Only Deists can support Theistic Evolution.

Well, that's clearly false. Many Christians, mistaken or otherwise, support it.