Matters of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of True Happiness
Oct. 7, 2007 - Creationism vs. Evolution--What does the Bible say?
Over the past year and a half I've looked into this issue more deeply. When I was younger I leaned more toward what some may term pure Creationism, since that's the only view I knew of that held God as responsible. Therefore, whenever evolution was mentioned in school I brushed it off without much thought.
Fast forward to last year. We were in our second official year of homeschooling and I was researching options for science curriculum. That's when I felt the need to delve into the issue. Did I want to teach Creationism? Young Earth Creationism? Old Earth Creationism? Evolution? What?
I spent a fair amount of time at the Answers in Genesis website, which is in favor of Young Earth Creationism. Basically, they believe that the biblical account of creation should be taken literally. They believe the Earth was created in 6, 24 hour days. So the Earth is only 6-10,000 years old.
I also spent some time looking into other theories. Old Earth Creationists believe that the Earth was created just as it says in the Bible, but not necessarily in 6, 24 hour days. They believe the Earth is older, which matches scientific findings.
I looked at evolution and actually found the theories to make quite a bit of sense to me. Did this shake my faith? No, it didn't. If evolution is true it doesn't mean God doesn't exist. 
Then I went back to my Bible. And there I found new meaning in Genesis chapter 1, verse 20:
"And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven."
I can't think of any reason why God couldn't use evolution to create life. In fact, it makes sense to me. Here's verse 24:
"And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so."
Anyway, I've concluded that this whole debate is rather silly. I mean, none of us during this lifetime are going to know, for sure, exactly how the Earth was created and I'm not sure it really matters. For myself I've ended up as a Theistic Evolutionist. That means I believe that God divinely orchestrated creation through the tool of evolution. But I'm prepared to be wrong. 
What am I going to teach my kids? Well, I'll tell them that some people think the earth is young and God created each thing individually. I'll tell them that other people think the earth is old and that life evolved. I'll tell them that believing in evolution doesn't preclude a belief in God's hand in the creation of the world. I'll tell them that nobody knows for sure exactly how God created the world.
And I'll tell them that it probably doesn't really matter and that we'll learn the answer after we die. 
__
"Live free or die. Death is not the worst of evils." ~ General John Stark |
Post A Comment! :: Send to a Friend!
|
|
Oct. 8, 2007 - 2 Nephi 2:22-25
23 And they would have had no achildren; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who aknoweth all things.
25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.
Before the fall there was no death, no sickness, nothing to require the atonement. Evolution requires death as things evolve. And procreation, which also did not exist before the fall. I believe in the literal creation of the world by God. Does it matter to know the exact whys and wherefores? No, not really. I did want to share this scripture with you, though. There are more that support that as well. :)