Neither of these outcomes allow me to be what I honestly believe are parts of who I am in this life, a logical being who believes in and fears God. This is the conundrum that I believe prevents people from sincerely taking this issue on for themselves. This is why I believe many people live with this question far back in the recesses of their daily existence, not available for serious discussion.
So, even though I had read a lot and in my heart I wanted to regard evolution as an acceptable hypothesis for how life has formed and changed over time, dealing with this issue or confronting it with my God-fearing peers was something I buried. Having done this, I have basically walked around with the facade of contentedness about the issue over the years. In truth, I want to live outwardly, without embarrasment what I believe in regards to evolution without condemnation, much in the same way I want to with my beliefs in regard to God, without condemnation.
The irony now is that the angst I once felt in my frustration with this new knowledge or possibility during my plant biology course is now angst stirred by my interactions or difficulty in interacting with those who are closest to me for fear of judgement and unfair and unthoughtful labeling. In response, I do much of the same.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
In my beginning - part 4
I read the book. I read it again. I read it again. It led me to read some other relevant books, by people, such as Hugh Ross, Michael Behe, Lee Strobel, Steven J Gould, Charles Darwin, Creation Research Institute, etc.
The big question I first had to tackle, turned out to be a false one. I think it is a question that many Christians are faced with. It is a question that--in my mind--is unfair and prevents many Christians from being able to travel down the road I have traveled. This question is, "Do I believe literally in the Bible's creation story--the core of pretty all that I claim to be--or do I accept the knowledge as understood by modern day scientists describing how life has come to be what it is today?" This is an impossible question because its answer requires a fatal outcome either way.
Outcome 1: Keep my faith and beliefs. Accept the Genesis account as the end-all-be-all description of how Earth was created. Ignore what feels like a logical, realistic description of how life and geology have functioned over time.
Outcome 2: Reject my faith and beliefs. Accept what feels like a logical, realistic description of how life and geology have functioned over time. Reject the "creation account" as described in the Bible as a scientific account or explanation of how life and geology have dunctioned over time.
The big question I first had to tackle, turned out to be a false one. I think it is a question that many Christians are faced with. It is a question that--in my mind--is unfair and prevents many Christians from being able to travel down the road I have traveled. This question is, "Do I believe literally in the Bible's creation story--the core of pretty all that I claim to be--or do I accept the knowledge as understood by modern day scientists describing how life has come to be what it is today?" This is an impossible question because its answer requires a fatal outcome either way.
Outcome 1: Keep my faith and beliefs. Accept the Genesis account as the end-all-be-all description of how Earth was created. Ignore what feels like a logical, realistic description of how life and geology have functioned over time.
Outcome 2: Reject my faith and beliefs. Accept what feels like a logical, realistic description of how life and geology have functioned over time. Reject the "creation account" as described in the Bible as a scientific account or explanation of how life and geology have dunctioned over time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
