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Evolution not God

Jose Fly

Fisker of men
Again, look at culture, religious practices, sexual practices et al. And then ask yourself the question, if it was "all about sex", why didn't they make it consistent with all the peoples the conquered?
Another dodge, just as I expected. Well Kenny, you've once again confirmed my impressions of fundamentalist Christians. And I suppose since I'll just give up here and not waste any more of my time chasing another one of y'all around, trying to get you to answer basic questions, you'll be patting yourself on the back, congratulating yourself on fending off another non-believer.

I'll just repeat....this sort of thing as a major factor in me never being a Christian.
 

Audie

Veteran Member
Another dodge, just as I expected. Well Kenny, you've once again confirmed my impressions of fundamentalist Christians. And I suppose since I'll just give up here and not waste any more of my time chasing another one of y'all around, trying to get you to answer basic questions, you'll be patting yourself on the back, congratulating yourself on fending off another non-believer.

I'll just repeat....this sort of thing as a major factor in me never being a Christian.
Won't say a major factor but its one of many for me.
 

Jose Fly

Fisker of men
Won't say a major factor but its one of many for me.
I've told this story several times, so I'll keep it short. ;)

I was a very inquisitive kid, the kind who constantly asked questions and gobbled up whatever info people gave me in response. Our church really, really didn't like that. I still remember being about 8 or 9 years old and while I was coloring a picture of Noah's ark, I asked our Sunday School teacher how the people who wrote the Bible knew the entire earth was flooded, since they didn't know that North and South America even existed. Keep in mind, I didn't ask questions in an attempt to argue or debate, I really was just curious and wanted to know. I guess that was the final straw for our church leaders, because they kept my mom after church and told her that I asked too many questions and she needed to teach me what it meant to have faith. To her credit, my mom told them I was a very curious little boy and she wasn't about to squash that.

As I grew older I started asking more, and better questions, and I quickly noticed that most of the time their reactions were like Kenny's here....dodge and avoid. When I turned 15, my parents allowed me to choose for myself whether to attend church. I chose not to. When my mom asked why, I was pretty blunt and told her that none of it made sense to me and it felt like whenever I asked questions to try and understand, the people at the church couldn't explain and acted like merely asking questions was a terrible thing. So if that's what the faith is, it wasn't for me.

Of course I'm simplifying a bit here, but hopefully you get the gist. When people ask why I'm not Christian, I tell them that it makes no sense to me, and no matter who I asked or what I read, it never did.
 

Audie

Veteran Member
I've told this story several times, so I'll keep it short. ;)

I was a very inquisitive kid, the kind who constantly asked questions and gobbled up whatever info people gave me in response. Our church really, really didn't like that. I still remember being about 8 or 9 years old and while I was coloring a picture of Noah's ark, I asked our Sunday School teacher how the people who wrote the Bible knew the entire earth was flooded, since they didn't know that North and South America even existed. Keep in mind, I didn't ask questions in an attempt to argue or debate, I really was just curious and wanted to know. I guess that was the final straw for our church leaders, because they kept my mom after church and told her that I asked too many questions and she needed to teach me what it meant to have faith. To her credit, my mom told them I was a very curious little boy and she wasn't about to squash that.

As I grew older I started asking more, and better questions, and I quickly noticed that most of the time their reactions were like Kenny's here....dodge and avoid. When I turned 15, my parents allowed me to choose for myself whether to attend church. I chose not to. When my mom asked why, I was pretty blunt and told her that none of it made sense to me and it felt like whenever I asked questions to try and understand, the people at the church couldn't explain and acted like merely asking questions was a terrible thing. So if that's what the faith is, it wasn't for me.

Of course I'm simplifying a bit here, but hopefully you get the gist. When people ask why I'm not Christian, I tell them that it makes no sense to me, and no matter who I asked or what I read, it never did.
I've heard similar srories
 

mikkel_the_dane

My own religion
I've told this story several times, so I'll keep it short. ;)

I was a very inquisitive kid, the kind who constantly asked questions and gobbled up whatever info people gave me in response. Our church really, really didn't like that. I still remember being about 8 or 9 years old and while I was coloring a picture of Noah's ark, I asked our Sunday School teacher how the people who wrote the Bible knew the entire earth was flooded, since they didn't know that North and South America even existed. Keep in mind, I didn't ask questions in an attempt to argue or debate, I really was just curious and wanted to know. I guess that was the final straw for our church leaders, because they kept my mom after church and told her that I asked too many questions and she needed to teach me what it meant to have faith. To her credit, my mom told them I was a very curious little boy and she wasn't about to squash that.

As I grew older I started asking more, and better questions, and I quickly noticed that most of the time their reactions were like Kenny's here....dodge and avoid. When I turned 15, my parents allowed me to choose for myself whether to attend church. I chose not to. When my mom asked why, I was pretty blunt and told her that none of it made sense to me and it felt like whenever I asked questions to try and understand, the people at the church couldn't explain and acted like merely asking questions was a terrible thing. So if that's what the faith is, it wasn't for me.

Of course I'm simplifying a bit here, but hopefully you get the gist. When people ask why I'm not Christian, I tell them that it makes no sense to me, and no matter who I asked or what I read, it never did.

Yeah, for me it start a bit later as I was not stopped from reading or trying to understand anything as I grew up in a secular country.
It was when I started asking how people knew what right and wrong was. Or how come there are so many versions of truth, evidence, science, rationality and so on.
Over time I learned that is not really about religion as such. Rather it is about different culture and understandings and mine is not special,
 

Jose Fly

Fisker of men
Yeah, for me it start a bit later as I was not stopped from reading or trying to understand anything as I grew up in a secular country.
It was when I started asking how people knew what right and wrong was. Or how come there are so many versions of truth, evidence, science, rationality and so on.
Over time I learned that is not really about religion as such. Rather it is about different culture and understandings and mine is not special,
That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing! :)
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
Another dodge, just as I expected. Well Kenny, you've once again confirmed my impressions of fundamentalist Christians. And I suppose since I'll just give up here and not waste any more of my time chasing another one of y'all around, trying to get you to answer basic questions, you'll be patting yourself on the back, congratulating yourself on fending off another non-believer.

I'll just repeat....this sort of thing as a major factor in me never being a Christian.
I love how you use broad brushes over nothing.

Sounds more like a personal issue to me while you dodge my questions..
 

nPeace

Veteran Member
"If/ then I apologize" is a shabby non apology as I'd think
any adult would know.

" Jesus had to relieve himself" is not in the Bible. We all have intestines.
Or sane people think so
That its not in the bible, though, means Jesus didnt.
By your clean minded thinkin'.
o_O :nomouth:
Jesus was a perfect man. Not sinful.
That is in the Bible.
Anything outside that is from someone's mind.
Is such a mind, thinking clean thoughts?
 

Zwing

Active Member
…as long as an idea is not overly detrimental to the survival of the species, it gets passed on.
Are you suggesting that “ideas” (or even “patterns of thinking”) are transmitted genetically? This would represent an extremely bold statement.
 

Nakosis

Non-Binary Physicalist
Premium Member
Are you suggesting that “ideas” (or even “patterns of thinking”) are transmitted genetically? This would represent an extremely bold statement.

Personality traits get passed on but I was specifically referring to culture.
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
Another dodge, just as I expected. Well Kenny, you've once again confirmed my impressions of fundamentalist Christians. And I suppose since I'll just give up here and not waste any more of my time chasing another one of y'all around, trying to get you to answer basic questions, you'll be patting yourself on the back, congratulating yourself on fending off another non-believer.

I'll just repeat....this sort of thing as a major factor in me never being a Christian.
Not a dodge at all. You simply “want” to view things in a way so that you can blame it on “fundamental Christians”. I am simply trying to make you think through the issue deeply.

I asked a question.. “If it was about sex, why didn’t they do that as a standard”. They didn’t so you have to ask the question as to why. It was you that actually dodged the question.

If it was about “genocide”, why didn’t they kill everyone every time. They didn’t… why!

When you look at those customs of each city and religions and their practices, you will find out why.

You just don’t want to dig into the “why’s” because if you did, you would have to change your views and then couldn’t “blame” fundamental Christians for your your position and thus justifying your avatar.
 

It Aint Necessarily So

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Evolution not God

Neither evolution is against G-d nor G-d is against evolution, please, right?

Regards
Evolutionary theory contradicts biblical creationism but shouldn't be an issue for other kinds of theists.

Your question about G-d isn't relevant to an atheist. Many who believe in that god are against evolution, thinking that the idea blasphemes their god or disrespects their beliefs.

Science isn't for or against religions or gods. It's indifferent to them. Why? Because science is empirical, and gods don't clearly manifest anywhere to be examined.

Furthermore, no scientific theory or law requires a god in it to explain how some aspect of reality works. One could stick one in, and many believers no doubt do, but inserting a god doesn't add any explanatory or predictive power to the science.
 

firedragon

Veteran Member
They way I see it working is that "right" choices means survival for the species. Those that survive pass down through culture and genetics those correct choices. Those choices wrong enough to cause early demise don't get passed down. Over time, the human brain gets wired via culture and genetics to feel certain choices are correct and other choices are wrong. So we get an inherent feeling for what is right and what is wrong.
Hmm. Good thought. But I would like to point out a few missing links in your thesis. Let me take a methodological approach and no offense intended.

1. Evolution operates primarily on reproductive success rather than mere survival. It's not just about surviving, but also about successfully reproducing and passing on genes to the next generation. An organism that survives but does not reproduce does not contribute to evolutionary changes.

2. The statement conflates genetic evolution with cultural evolution. While genetic traits are passed down through reproduction, cultural traits (such as learned behaviors, values, and norms) are transmitted through learning and socialization. These two processes operate differently and can influence each other, but they are not the same.

3. The concept of "right" and "wrong" choices is complex and context-dependent. Evolutionary pressures can lead to behaviors that enhance reproductive success, but these behaviors are not necessarily what we would consider morally right or wrong. For instance, behaviors that were advantageous in ancestral environments might not be considered ethical in modern societies.

4. The statement simplifies the process of how humans develop moral instincts and values. Human morality is shaped by a combination of genetic predispositions, individual experiences, and cultural context. It's not merely a straightforward transmission of "right" choices leading to survival. In fact you applied reductionism.

Brother. There are a few more I could point out but I shall stop there.
 
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Muffled

Jesus in me
No it's gods idea for survival of the
ones he happrns to like.
I believe it isn't a question of like but of how much evil God will allow. It isn't a people group because His favored people caught His wrath when they became evil themselves.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
Evolution not God

Neither evolution is against G-d nor G-d is against evolution, please, right?

Regards
I believe God said that He created everything. However it appears He did it transitionally since it wasn't all done in one day. It is possible for God to metamorphose things. I suspect with humanoids it is simply God liking variety.
 

Muffled

Jesus in me
G-d created the humans with the process of Evolution, right, please?

Regards
I believe there are differences. We use the word human to mean all hominids but the Greek mythology says it was the gods who first created humans and I believe they are referring to Adam and Eve who are clones and not the first hominids. God created man and woman but that could be any kind of hominid since there is no description. God does not say that the man and woman evolved from anything.
 

Dimi95

Прaвославие!
I've told this story several times, so I'll keep it short. ;)

I was a very inquisitive kid, the kind who constantly asked questions and gobbled up whatever info people gave me in response. Our church really, really didn't like that. I still remember being about 8 or 9 years old and while I was coloring a picture of Noah's ark, I asked our Sunday School teacher how the people who wrote the Bible knew the entire earth was flooded, since they didn't know that North and South America even existed. Keep in mind, I didn't ask questions in an attempt to argue or debate, I really was just curious and wanted to know. I guess that was the final straw for our church leaders, because they kept my mom after church and told her that I asked too many questions and she needed to teach me what it meant to have faith. To her credit, my mom told them I was a very curious little boy and she wasn't about to squash that.

As I grew older I started asking more, and better questions, and I quickly noticed that most of the time their reactions were like Kenny's here....dodge and avoid. When I turned 15, my parents allowed me to choose for myself whether to attend church. I chose not to. When my mom asked why, I was pretty blunt and told her that none of it made sense to me and it felt like whenever I asked questions to try and understand, the people at the church couldn't explain and acted like merely asking questions was a terrible thing. So if that's what the faith is, it wasn't for me.

Of course I'm simplifying a bit here, but hopefully you get the gist. When people ask why I'm not Christian, I tell them that it makes no sense to me, and no matter who I asked or what I read, it never did.
Even for me it is not the first time to see this kind of statements.Is it because your questions were probably honest and yet not answered?
 

Audie

Veteran Member
Even for me it is not the first time to see this kind of statements.Is it because your questions were probably honest and yet not answered?
What I see from christians- most of them being cretionists-
is that they just don't do honest answers.

For one example- how could there be a half million years' ice in Antrctuca if there was a flood 4000 yrs ago?

Answers include-
Ice is all post flood
Ice has " embedded age" but was made 4k yrs ago
Ice is stuck down so it cant float
Ice did float but settled back in place when water receded

Why would anyone but a fool believe anything they say?
 
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