What would it mean to your religious beliefs if evolution were true?

[an anarchist]

I'm curious about how creationists became so. When did you adopt this view, and who told you about creationism?

Probably like most other creationists, I was being taught all the Genesis stories by the time I was a toddler. Family is protestant so that's how I was raised. If I was raised in different circumstances, I'm not sure I'd be a creationist. I've read the Bible a few times and have developed my own faith and interpretation that is far from what my family believes, yet I'm still a creationist so idk.

 

[danieldemol]

I'm spiritual but not religious, and don't believe in a God that intervenes in the material realm, so it wouldn't change my current beliefs.

In my opinion

 

[ppp]

Years ago I asked a pastor this question. What he told me was the Joseph would have been the rightful king of the Jews had they not stopped having kings. Said it gave legitimacy to Jesus's claim that He was the rightful King of the Jews. So one account it traces Jesus's kingship from God and Mary, and the other account was to cover his legal bases or something like that. Truth be told I haven't thought about it much since I was offered that explanation

Fair enough. It was off topic anyway.

 

[exchemist]

Probably like most other creationists, I was being taught all the Genesis stories by the time I was a toddler. Family is protestant so that's how I was raised. If I was raised in different circumstances, I'm not sure I'd be a creationist. I've read the Bible a few times and have developed my own faith and interpretation that is far from what my family believes, yet I'm still a creationist so idk.

Yeah but that still doesn't account for it on its own. I too was read bible stories when I was a kid, and had later heard Genesis read in church, at the Easter Vigil for instance.

But I also read science books and learned about evolution. I had a great picture book illustrating typical animals and plants in each of the geological periods (Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian etc) so plenty of trilobites, nautiloids, dinosaurs etc. Did you never read or see anything like that? And we used to go to the Natural History Museum in London to look at the fossil bones of some of these creatures. And nowadays there are TV programmes about all this of course.

My parents - confirmed in due course by the parish priest - explained Genesis is an allegory of creation (i.e. a somewhat fanciful story but with a real message behind it) and not something be taken completely literally. So I never had any trouble reconciling the two.

I find it amazing that some people in the developed world are still, somehow, not taught about the age of the Earth and the development of life, when they are of school age. How tragic and damaging it must be to be taught instead that science is lying.

 

[F1fan]

Probably like most other creationists, I was being taught all the Genesis stories by the time I was a toddler. Family is protestant so that's how I was raised. If I was raised in different circumstances, I'm not sure I'd be a creationist.

That's interesting. Are you saying you have no executive function (a term that means you can make your own decisions as an independent human) that allows you to reject this conditioned belief, and accept what science reports instead? You seem to understand and acknowledge you hold this religious view due to being indoctrinated as a child.

I've read the Bible a few times and have developed my own faith and interpretation that is far from what my family believes, yet I'm still a creationist so idk.

Have you read any science that explains how nature functions?

 

[F1fan]

Yeah but that still doesn't account for it on its own. I too was read bible stories when I was a kid, and had later heard Genesis read in church, at the Easter Vigil for instance.

But I also read science books and learned about evolution. I had a great picture book illustrating typical animals and plants in each of the geological periods (Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian etc) so plenty of trilobites, nautiloids, dinosaurs etc. Did you never read or see anything like that? And we used to go to the Natural History Museum in London to look at the fossil bones of some of these creatures. And nowadays there are TV programmes about all this of course.

My parents - confirmed in due course by the parish priest - explained Genesis is an allegory of creation (i.e. a somewhat fanciful story but with a real message behind it) and not something be taken completely literally. So I never had any trouble reconciling the two.

I find it amazing that some people in the developed world are still, somehow, not taught about the age of the Earth and the development of life, when they are of school age. How tragic and damaging it must be to be taught instead that science is lying.

There are places in the USA that have allowed students in public schools to be exempt from science classes or tests that cover evolution due to religious freedom arguments. I'm not sure it is still a thing any more.

 

[exchemist]

There are places in the USA that have allowed students in public schools to be exempt from science classes or tests that cover evolution due to religious freedom arguments. I'm not sure it is still a thing any more.

That is a great pity, if it is still the case.

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

As an atheist it makes no difference to my (lack of) religious beliefs.

That's about how I had to see it.

What I am utterly flabbergasted to see is that so far, the vast majority of votes on the poll say that discovering evolution were true would have zero impact on their beliefs.

And yet a lot of those same believers reject evolution -- not on the basis of science, (as can be seen from their arguments) but on their beliefs.

Very odd.

 

[Colt]

When I was a Christian, I was a theistic evolutionist; meaning that I believed in God, and that the processes of the natural world had been set in place to accomplish his ends. In other words, there was no conflict between my faith and any of the currently accepted scientific theories. As a result, it very much perplexed me when Christians who found out I was not a believer would start talking about evolution and the Big Bang Theory - or more accurately, what their church had falsely taught them about evolution and the Big Bang Theory. For them it was an important theological point. For me, evolution was no more meaningful to my belief in a god than heliocentrism.

How much would the theory of evolution being true impact your beliefs. And why?

Ive always been a theistic evolutionist. Seems obvious to me. I’ve Kai known that the Bible isn’t accurate.

 

[an anarchist]

Yeah but that still doesn't account for it on its own. I too was read bible stories when I was a kid, and had later heard Genesis read in church, at the Easter Vigil for instance.

But I also read science books and learned about evolution. I had a great picture book illustrating typical animals and plants in each of the geological periods (Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian etc) so plenty of trilobites, nautiloids, dinosaurs etc. Did you never read or see anything like that? And we used to go to the Natural History Museum in London to look at the fossil bones of some of these creatures. And nowadays there are TV programmes about all this of course.

My parents - confirmed in due course by the parish priest - explained Genesis is an allegory of creation (i.e. a somewhat fanciful story but with a real message behind it) and not something be taken completely literally. So I never had any trouble reconciling the two.

I find it amazing that some people in the developed world are still, somehow, not taught about the age of the Earth and the development of life, when they are of school age. How tragic and damaging it must be to be taught instead that science is lying.

That's interesting. Are you saying you have no executive function (a term that means you can make your own decisions as an independent human) that allows you to reject this conditioned belief, and accept what science reports instead? You seem to understand and acknowledge you hold this religious view due to being indoctrinated as a child.

Omphalos hypothesis - Wikipedia
this is how I reason it to myself. I believe in the scientific evidence that is provided. I was taught as a kid that evolution was a lie, yet I understand we can observe evolution in real time, so it is not a lie. The Omphalos hypothesis allows for me to accept the scientific evidence as well as a young earth creationist theory.so In this way I have departed from the beliefs I was raised in.

 

[osgart]

Religion is a why question. Science is a how question. If evolution is true that still would not address any of my questions regarding nature. It would still have to explain coordinated, conjunct, life suitable functions within human beings. It's all too obvious there are purposes in nature. Just because many people have contrary intuitions about that does not make them right, and no one has to be a biologist to sort that out.
Biology makes it even more fascinating to witness the adaptive non living intelligence in nature.

Evolution defeats Christian literalism, and the idea of a supreme, and benevolent God who carefully constructs the universe for life.

Evolution happens, but as for speciation, that is not clear to me at all. There are sudden spontaneous appearances of body plans in the fossil record, with gaps. Natural selection is real.

But if someone could prove philosophically that evolution is a mindless process that generates life, and speciation occurs that would only modify my religion, not negate it. Science alone does not able determine that evolution is a mindless process. People are intuiting that philosophically.

Many scientists are naturalists who overwhelmingly rule out other explanations a priori. So there is a strong bias there. Naturalists never feel like laying out their arguments for physicalism which makes me think that it's assumed to be obvious and self evident.

 

[F1fan]

Omphalos hypothesis - Wikipedia
this is how I reason it to myself. I believe in the scientific evidence that is provided. I was taught as a kid that evolution was a lie, yet I understand we can observe evolution in real time, so it is not a lie. The Omphalos hypothesis allows for me to accept the scientific evidence as well as a young earth creationist theory.so In this way I have departed from the beliefs I was raised in.

Yet you haven't departed from the influence because you still admit to believe some of it.

Do you struggle to let go those beliefs? If so, what are you feeling? What is the fear to let go?

 

[F1fan]

That's about how I had to see it.

What I am utterly flabbergasted to see is that so far, the vast majority of votes on the poll say that discovering evolution were true would have zero impact on their beliefs.

And yet a lot of those same believers reject evolution -- not on the basis of science, (as can be seen from their arguments) but on their beliefs.

Very odd.

It really demonstrates the grip of religious indoctrination on minds that are otherwise rational and can function in society. This rigidity helps us realize the serious problem the USA is in where minds are not open to being incorrect.

 

[robocop (actually)]

When I was a Christian, I was a theistic evolutionist; meaning that I believed in God, and that the processes of the natural world had been set in place to accomplish his ends. In other words, there was no conflict between my faith and any of the currently accepted scientific theories. As a result, it very much perplexed me when Christians who found out I was not a believer would start talking about evolution and the Big Bang Theory - or more accurately, what their church had falsely taught them about evolution and the Big Bang Theory. For them it was an important theological point. For me, evolution was no more meaningful to my belief in a god than heliocentrism.

How much would the theory of evolution being true impact your beliefs. And why?

I believe in evolution and my beliefs are fine. The big question is what if the higher power were Aliens; why would they stick around and micromanage it so long?

 

[firedragon]

When I was a Christian, I was a theistic evolutionist; meaning that I believed in God, and that the processes of the natural world had been set in place to accomplish his ends. In other words, there was no conflict between my faith and any of the currently accepted scientific theories. As a result, it very much perplexed me when Christians who found out I was not a believer would start talking about evolution and the Big Bang Theory - or more accurately, what their church had falsely taught them about evolution and the Big Bang Theory. For them it was an important theological point. For me, evolution was no more meaningful to my belief in a god than heliocentrism.

How much would the theory of evolution being true impact your beliefs. And why?

To respond, I must say that some scholars in my theology believed that humans evolved from previous animals long long ago. Way before atheists began to think its an atheistic monopoly.

Anyway. The answer is absolutely no. Evolution being true does not impact my theology.

Good topic.

 

[an anarchist]

Yet you haven't departed from the influence because you still admit to believe some of it.

Do you struggle to let go those beliefs? If so, what are you feeling? What is the fear to let go?

When I pray to the Christian God, it feels to me that He hears me. I honestly feel like I have a personal relationship with God, one that I have built through experiences with Him. He is a father to me. God has proven Himself to me, and that is enough. Because of deeply personal experiences, I believe what I believe. The fear is that if I let go of my beliefs, I will be abandoning my Father who has taken care of me.

 

[rational experiences]

It would mean that I would have to agree that rich man's organised greed history is aware of itself....trying to save itself from all greedy man's organised bad choices.

As family first was not organised just lived existed traded naturally. Were self very spiritual aware healers. Tribal place first not organised organisations that keep lying about origins.

As a human is exact holy life owner conscious self position human demands no fake stories said by humans.

As I'm not an ape I'm a human. Your human egotism a storyteller didn't invent my presence.

Is the correct human position of truth and only truth.

No egotists allowed which is a no thesis policy also.

As if you can't just accept natural life then if we allow you false preaching it will never end as your abuse by ego.

If I claim when I die I still own one spirit in eternal that never left I'm allowed.

As it's not a thesis about why I exist. It's a personal status of why I'm enduring suffering in created form.

If I'm not allowed to know I'm spiritual then forget allowing humans evolution into a healthy happy life... as science allowed theories will destroy us.

Thesis science was earth direct to machines known as science. It wasn't anywhere else the truth.

 

[Psalm23]

When I was a Christian, I was a theistic evolutionist; meaning that I believed in God, and that the processes of the natural world had been set in place to accomplish his ends. In other words, there was no conflict between my faith and any of the currently accepted scientific theories. As a result, it very much perplexed me when Christians who found out I was not a believer would start talking about evolution and the Big Bang Theory - or more accurately, what their church had falsely taught them about evolution and the Big Bang Theory. For them it was an important theological point. For me, evolution was no more meaningful to my belief in a god than heliocentrism.

How much would the theory of evolution being true impact your beliefs. And why?

If I was honest with myself and what I believe the Bible teaches, I would have to forsake my faith. Being made in the image of God is very foundational in my own faith. I cannot reconcile faith in Christ with belief in evolution. One or the other would have to go.
I say I cannot reconcile this faith in Christ with evolution because I believe that Jesus taught the opposite of evolution.

 

[Suave]

When I was a Christian, I was a theistic evolutionist; meaning that I believed in God, and that the processes of the natural world had been set in place to accomplish his ends. In other words, there was no conflict between my faith and any of the currently accepted scientific theories. As a result, it very much perplexed me when Christians who found out I was not a believer would start talking about evolution and the Big Bang Theory - or more accurately, what their church had falsely taught them about evolution and the Big Bang Theory. For them it was an important theological point. For me, evolution was no more meaningful to my belief in a god than heliocentrism.

How much would the theory of evolution being true impact your beliefs. And why?

I suspect we are simulated beings, regardless if evolution were to happen in base reality.

 

[rational experiences]

If a human scientist taught any truth. Two humans not their life had sex.

If they say once two apes owned the conception of a human baby the two ape parents had sex.

Is sciences evolution thesis.

You never taught it yourselves. Sex in school.

If you taught evolution. You would claim a human is less in form than healthy apes. Who have sex and get healthy ape babies.

Yet you don't.

You teach hu man's have dominion as highest earth species

And as all dinosaur life was eradicated in huge heavens earth ground destruction ego never taught anything.

It's all stories for humans by other humans who by indoctrination quote human rules by humans as humans.

What you should or should not believe by human group control.

Truth and nothing but the truth humans stated law should be teaching human medical sciences as the only truth. And biological history just a subject of study only by geology archaeology as interests of humans.

Not fact of anything.