(Some posters I ignore, )
It wasn’t a lack of “patience”, as much as it was anger, that led to your denigration. Threepwood presents sound arguments against CD, that you would prefer to go away. That ires you so, you attack the individual.
What would Bahá’u’lláh say, I wonder?
And you even promote abiogenesis, trying so hard to remove God completely from His creation. Would Bahá’u’lláh agree?
Excerpt From
Do the Baha'i Writings on evolution allow for mutation of species within kingdoms but not across kingdoms?:
Evolution as discussed in Bahá'í Writings
As one reads Bahá'í writings on evolution, one comes across a specific line of argument presented by Abdu'l-Bahá that indicates that man from the beginning of its existence has been a distinct species. Adbu'l-Baha uses the analogy of a child growing at womb of mother repeatedly in presenting his arguments. For example we read in the following passage,
"But from the beginning of man's existence he is a distinct species. In the same way, the embryo of man in the womb of the mother was at first in a strange form; then this body passes from shape to shape, from state to state, from form to form, until it appears in utmost beauty and perfection. But even when in the womb of the mother and in this strange form, entirely different from his present form and figure, he is the embryo of the superior species, and not of the animal; his species and essence undergo no change. Now, admitting that the traces of organs which have disappeared actually exist, this is not a proof of the impermanence and the non-originality of the species. At the most it proves that the form, and fashion, and the organs of man have progressed.
Man was always a distinct species, a man, not an animal. So, if the embryo of man in the womb of the mother passes from one form to another so that the second form in no way resembles the first, is this a proof that the species has changed? that it was at first an animal, and that its organs progressed and developed until it became a man?
No, indeed! How puerile and unfounded is this idea and this thought! For the proof of the originality of the human species, and of the permanency of the nature of man, is clear and evident" [4]
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(The) tree analogy has been used in discussions by materialists on evolution. Neo-Darwinism visualizes a tree-like structure, where it is stipulated that human species and other animal species are branches within its model. It is by using this model that they come to the conclusion that humans evolved from the animal.
What Bahá'í writings seem to indicate is that each kingdom has its own separate tree. Within each kingdom one can assume that mutations happened, but mutations between kingdoms is deemed an impossibility.
The impossibility of mutation between kingdoms is specifically mentioned in the Bahá'í scripture.....
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Conclusion
The Bahá'í writings on evolution seem to indicate separate paths of evolution between the mineral, vegetable, animal and human kingdoms. These teachings do not negate the possibility of mutation or transformation within each kingdom. But it seems to state the impossibility of mutation or evolution between kingdoms. This has important implications for study of human development. First one cannot use examples of mutation in animal kingdom to infer a mutation
from animal kingdom to human kingdom. Hence this model would be in conformity with most scientific evidence, since most of the proofs cited for evolution involves the mutation paths with animal and vegetable kingdoms. Secondly it puts emphasis in spiritual evolution of humanity. In regards to human's physical attributes it stipulates that we are the same species, thus providing a scientific and moral grounds for elimination of prejudice. Here the different types, or "species" of humankind are its spiritual attributes. The evolution and differences in physical attributes of humans are deemed non-essential and irrelevant to the development of human race. Also to the individual human, it places the emphasis on development to spiritual development where the responsibility of transforming or mutating to a higher form is within the reach of all individuals irrespective of race sex or national origin. Thirdly it provides a holistic prospective for humanity. By looking at whole of humanity as one tree, as Abdu'l-Bahá reminds us in the following passage, one needs to acquires spiritual morals and values that requires us to spend our focus in assisting and regenerating whole of human race.
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[4] Some Answered Questions P. 184
Interesting...the animal kingdom is described as distinct and separate from the “human kingdom”. (Never heard of the human
kingdom.)
