Why are Creationists so afraid of Evolution?

[JarodRussell]

Why don't they see that, if God existed, that Evolution, the result of random gene mutation, would be just one part of the Almighty's big tool box? If he created the universe, he set all the rules. Speed of light, gravity, time, strings, quarks, protons, neutrons, electrons, atoms, molecules, particle decay, radiation, it all works according to a strict set of rules. And evolution is the result of all that. If there is a God, he probably made all those rules. And then hit the 'Start' Button and enjoyed watching how it all unfolds. Not much unlike a programmer who created a simulation.

Isn't that enough?

I don't get why it's such an aggressive "either-or" debate when both could be true.

If one believes in a god, shouldn't evolution act as evidence for how wonderful and complex that god is?

Is it really that important to people that everything happened literally as described in the Bible?

 

[Miss Chicken]

Maybe it is because if mankind evolved from earlier beings there can't be an orginal sin? I am not sure how original sin could be explained without Adam and Eve.

 

[Pingfah]

Why don't they see that, if God existed, that Evolution, the result of random gene mutation, would be just one part of the Almighty's big tool box? If he created the universe, he set all the rules. Speed of light, gravity, time, strings, quarks, protons, neutrons, electrons, atoms, molecules, particle decay, radiation, it all works according to a strict set of rules. And evolution is the result of all that. If there is a God, he probably made all those rules. And then hit the 'Start' Button and enjoyed watching how it all unfolds. Not much unlike a programmer who created a simulation.

Isn't that enough?

I don't get why it's such an aggressive "either-or" debate when both could be true.

If one believes in a god, shouldn't evolution act as evidence for how wonderful and complex that god is?

Is it really that important to people that everything happened literally as described in the Bible?

"Creationists" aren't necessarily afraid of evolution at all. Young Earth Creationists are. In fact many creationists believe exactly what you described in your first paragraph.

 

[RJDiogenes]

For one thing, they don't want Humans to be "descended from monkeys" (as they like to put it). For another thing, teaching evolution (and science in general) in schools is seen as a threat to their historic use of the school system for indoctrination.

 

[theblitz]

Actually, Judaism is not afraid of it at all.
Same way as we are not afraid of cosmology and all that is learned from it.

In fact, one of the biggest Jewish Bible-commentators of all timeת, the S'forno, actually mentions it WAY before Darwin.

In Genesis 1:26 it says "And God said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness'"

The above commentator explains it thus: "God took an existing being call "man" and gave it awareness."
Sort of loose translation.

 

[JarodRussell]

Maybe it is because if mankind evolved from earlier beings there can't be an orginal sin? I am not sure how original sin could be explained without Adam and Eve.

Hm, good point. The basic notion is that humans betrayed God in some way or another. It doesn't have to be specifically Adam and Eve, two humans directly created by God, and it doesn't have to be about an Apple. God could have as well seen that humans developed on Earth, "adopted" them because he liked them, and then they somehow betrayed him.


But I have fundamental problems with the idea of Original Sin anyways, but that's probably for another thread.

 

[theblitz]

it doesn't have to be about an Apple.

According to Jewish tradition it was actually a fig.
Hence the use of fig-leaves to cover up.

 

[EmoBorg]

All this talk about evolution reminds me of the Friends episode where Ross and Phoebe argue about evolution.


Ross and Phoebe argue about Evolution

 

[1001001]

Actually, Judaism is not afraid of it at all.
Same way as we are not afraid of cosmology and all that is learned from it.

Same with Catholicism.

I think the short answer is that people who take the Bible (or any religious text) literally find comfort in the certainty. Concrete, black or white thinking avoids the anxiety of doubt.

 

[Shazam!]

The answer is because they are batshit crazy.

 

[Kolinahr]

Complexity may well be the reason. Those who take the Bible literally probably don't like having any doubt. It's like 1001001 said above.

 

[The Badger]

Creationism, by definition, is the belief that all things were created in their present form. Species are immutable, can not change.

As such the concept of evolution runs entirely counter to this.

Now, for people who are not religious, or whose religion admits to the possibility that creation legends are illustrative metaphors rather than cast iron facts, this isn't a problem. Evolution can be successfully incorporated into the overall understanding of the universe. So, we evolved? Well clearly that is how God planned it.

For others, lacking such flexibility, evolution is a total denial of one of the most basic parts of the belief system. And if one part isn't true, how can you believe the rest?

 

[MacLeod]

If people want to believe in such notions as creationism, Intelligent Design or whatever the latest buzzword is, that's fine. Just keep it out of Science Classes.

 

[tomalak301]

Actually, Judaism is not afraid of it at all.
Same way as we are not afraid of cosmology and all that is learned from it.

Same with Catholicism.

I think the short answer is that people who take the Bible (or any religious text) literally find comfort in the certainty. Concrete, black or white thinking avoids the anxiety of doubt.

Didn't Pope John Paul II come out in favor of evolution? I'm not sure what Francis says about it, but I've always thought that they should go both hand in hand. It's all a matter of interpretation.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

^ I think John Paul II was the first pope to specifically state that he believed in evolution, but the Catholic Church has never opposed evolution.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I'm not afraid of evolution. Or devolution. I guess you could say I'm in favor of...volution.

srsly, to say that evolution is impossible is to put limits on God, and I'm not into that. I'll be sure and ask Him how exactly it happened, when the time comes...

 

[Portal]

I believe God created the universe.

Does that make me a Creationist?

 

[Amaris]

I believe God created the universe.

Does that make me a Creationist?

In the strictest sense? No, unless you also advocate that Adam and Eve were the first humans, and that God created everything as it currently is.

 

[Portal]

I believe God created the universe.

Does that make me a Creationist?

In the strictest sense? No, unless you also advocate that Adam and Eve were the first humans, and that God created everything as it currently is.

But wasn't creation made perfect, as in the Garden of Eden.

How did it become so imperfect?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

But wasn't creation made perfect, as in the Garden of Eden.

How did it become so imperfect?

Original sin.