Saturday, September 7, 2013
week of September 9: Next we will be reading the teleological argument for the existence of God. You looked at this on the first day of class, if you recall. So, my question is: If things in nature appear to be complex and intricate and organized in the way that they work (for instance, the eye), do you think that this provides proof of a creator in any way? How about the theory of evolution? Does this present a rival theory? Do you think evolution and religion are reconciliable? Explain your thoughts. Also: PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL. I WILL BE ABSENT FROM CLASS THIS WEEK. PLEASE VIEW THE VIDEO ON DEMAND ON ANGEL. THERE IS AN ASSIGNMENT CONTAINED THEREIN THAT YOU MUST DO THIS WEEK.
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If things in nature appear to be intricate and organized, then yes, I do think that this means that our creator is an extremely meticulous being! I think that it would take a intricate and complex being to create an intricate and complex part of the body. And that is just talking about one part of the body. What about the rest of the parts of the body? Every part of the body works together, so to me, this says a lot. I've often found myself pondering about this before. Cancer also popped into my head. Cancer is so extremely complex and intricate that we as humans can't even comprehend how to come up with a cure for it, or even where exactly it came from. I feel that there are a lot of missing pieces when it comes to evolution. Where exactly did this "big bang" come from? As far as Lucy being the "missing link", my question is, how is Lucy it? I feel that the human body and everything in general is too complicated to be the spontaneous action of a "big bang". There has to be someone or some kind of first cause that had to have created the world in which we live. The size of the universe is so incredibly hard for me to comprehend and understand. There again, there has to be an answer as to where it all came from. As far as evolution and religion being reconcilable, I believe the answer is no. People will believe what they want to believe. You cannot simply force your beliefs on someone else and expect them to take your word for it. They have to take it upon themselves to research if they want to, or they simply do not care. I don't think there is any kind of "happy medium".
ReplyDeleteKirbur, I think you are on to something. Human beings are extremely intricate and this provides grounds for being made by a perfect and all-knowing God or how else would you explain it? I believe in the Big Bang, but I believe that God caused the Big Bang. As far as being perfect, God is. If we didn't live in a world where was no pain or suffering, there would be no pleasure or happiness!
DeleteThings in nature appear to be intricate and organized, but I am still up in the air on the creator. I mean it is very possible that nature is proof of a creator. It is also very possible that organisms created everything we are and everything we see. I believe evolution is a great rival theory because there are very solid points in that theory. DNA, organisms, molecules, and proteins are in nature. When stuff evolves the DNA mutates and changes the offspring. We are so much like chimps it is very possible that we evolved from them. I don't think religion and evolution can ever be reconcilable because they contain different beliefs. Religion is believing that we came from one creator and evolution is a theory that we evolved from our ancestors. Religion is about faith and loving one another, while evolution is scientific and about connecting the dots.I personally believe it is unfair to throw away theories and beliefs that aren't proven to be 100% wrong. It is basically up to us to decide what we believe as individuals, not what people tell us to believe. If somebody came up to me and said they saw a Bigfoot I wouldn't call them a liar or laugh at them. I would keep my opinion to myself. If they want to believe they saw a Bigfoot good for them, doesn't mean I have to believe it.
ReplyDeleteEverything around us is proof of some sort of creator, whether through evolution or God. DNA is a part of nature but how do you explain the Big Bang Theory? Obviously something had to have created the universe. Of course, the theory of evolution and the idea of God has clashed because of the differences in beliefs. I agree when you say everybody has there own ideas and beliefs!
DeleteYes, I feel like this is proof because there are many intricate and organized things on this planet and in nature that humans themselves did not create. One of the most intricate things in life is the human brain, the brain is the control center for your body. It works together with your heart and other organs in order to do what you need to do to stay alive. Like your example, the eye has so many different functions and I believe that is the strongest muscle in your body which makes sense so that you can react quicker in times of need. The whole evolution theory is very far fetched because since the universe was created by someone that is far more intelligent than any scientists we have on Earth combined I can't believe that. I do believe it is strange that we all have so common of DNA with things as strange as flies and flowers. However, everything is meant to be the way it is for a reason far beyond our capabilities of imagination. Furthermore I don't think evolution and religion are reconcilable for the simple fact that as a people we never can have differences settled. For example, many people who believe in their own lord and savior will not accept the fact that there may be others. Religion goes so far back that it is difficult to settle the fact everyone can have their own beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI can see your reasoning with evolution and religion. However, I don’t see how evolution can be that far-fetched when the idea of a greater being that can be seen can be so believable. How can faith be put into an unseen person but not a theory. Because in fact they are both theories. Neither have proof that one or the other exists but it is far easier to believe in a higher being than evolution?
DeleteEverything is created. We know that every effect has a cause. Religion and science agree on this. The law of Karma is an ancient idea. There are signs everywhere of intention in the "creation" of the all the systems of life. The Earth needs water or it dies and clouds carry rain to where it is dry. We as humans need our eyes to be exactly as they are in order to see as we do. If you think scientifically, with reason, could you come to the conclusion that this is coincidental? The big bang is simply the scientific term for God. Evolution implies purpose, which requires intention. Intention depends on will and The Holy Bible says that humans have free will while our application of the scientific method leads us to the same conclusion. So we decide that this God is a being with a mind. We personify a force that is the cause of the entire cosmos and cause the contented to misunderstand God. The curious will look into this and realize that God is much different of a "being" than we are taught. If science and religion ever do not coincide, it is because of an absence of true understanding of God or science.
ReplyDeleteI think the work of the human anatomy is much greater than we can begin to comprehend. Our anatomy is so complex, even at the cellular level. I’m still up in the air on this topic and I think I always will be. I believe in evolution, I believe that we all derive from a common ancestor. Natural selection and mutations play a role. I also believe that first common ancestor did not appear out of thin air. I think creationism comes into play at some point. The Idea of a god creating such a complex and intricate creature makes more sense than that complex creature just appearing one day. Religion has more to do with the super natural where as science and evolution deal with the natural world. Many scientists believe in god, and to them the creation of the universe and evolution enlarge the idea of a god. There are some aspects where religion and science can find themselves in conflict, such as the earth being fairly new and god creating the world in 6 days. There is overwhelming evidence of evolution and the earth being older than certain religions had claimed it to be. To many people this may present a rival theory, but to me I believe the existence of god and evolution could possibly coincide.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that god and evolution coincide. They are both unexplainable things. If there is a God then he had to have create evolution since he is the creator of all beings. Because I believe we all derived from a common ancestor as well. There had to be some kind of evolution in that process.
DeleteIt is extremely hard for me to answer your first question. I think that it doesn't prove anything. It doesn't prove that there is a creator and it doesn't prove that there is a creator. When you think about something being made, there is always a maker. However, when you think of someone organizing something, there may also be something that is unorganized and may always be unorganized. I don't think that we have enough proof to really say that nature and the world itself is "organized". However, I also don't think that we have enough proof to say that it is unorganized. In conclusion, my answer to this question is unknown at the time. I do not think that evolution and religion mix. The reason I don't think that is because the God that most religions believe in put humans on this earth. Not monkeys that evolved into humans, God put plain as day humans on earth. Religion and evolution do not compliment each other because they are trying to prove each other wrong.
ReplyDeleteYou don't think that God could have been the one to guide evolution? And how then do you explain the fossils found of early humans? I don't agree with your last statement and I believe it is a common misconception many people have. Darwin himself believed in God and it is unfair to lay such a blanket statement on both science and religion. Under that train of thought no scientist can believe in God (which they do exist) and no religious person can be a scientist.
DeleteI'm really not saying any of that at all. I'm saying that with the common theory of evolution (humans come from monkeys) the traditional JC God contradicts that. God put humans on earth. He plopped them down on this mini paradise that he created for them. He didn't put monkeys on this earth to evolve into humans. The two thoughts contradict each other. I never said anything about God not being the one to guide evolution or that scientists can't be religious.
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DeleteI see. I must have just misinterpreted your last statement then.
DeleteI'm not sure exactly where I fall on the God or Evolution spectrum. I guess it makes more sense that we have evolved to become intricate and complex beings. Survival of the fittest would come into play here. Beings who were better equipped to survive would live on and reproduce more better equipped beings. There is what seems to be a lot of proof for evolution than God being our creator.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way that there is much more of an amount of evidence supporting evolution. However just because one theory can be proven, does not mean that the other is disproved. When there was a big argument going on a couple years ago when religous groups were trying to remove the theory of evolution from the learning curriculum, I always thought it would have been smarter for them to accept it and preach about how God guided the process of evolution, instead of trying to completely remove a theory that can be backed with some evidence.
Deletei feel the same way as you. that evolution there is so many things that add up. then when it comes to the excited of god its so hard to understand. something's just don't add up the way evolution does. there are so many questions and its so annoying that things just don't make sence
DeleteThis theory is the one that actually made me think. Is the intricate design a part of a greater beings work or evolution? A great part in the book talked about how it doesn't mean that the being who created everything around us is a perfect being or even made everything perfectly, just that it was unlikely that we came to be without some helpful nudges from some mysterious and powerful force. But an example they used early in the theory about a rock in the road and how it got there compared to a watch in the road and how the watch got there, I did not agree with. They claimed that the rock could have been there forever and there was no way to prove otherwise, but the watch could only have been there for as long as the watch was created. While not being able to prove that that rock has been there forever seems a little far fetched in this day and age. Nowadays we can in fact tell how long that rock has been there or an approximate time using modern science, therefore making a main focal point of the argument invalid, or at least questionable.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting theory, but I'll stick with evolution as the main theory until I see a better one.
I agree that the argument of rock and watch is questionable, and I also agree that it was one of the best parts in the book so far. I always tend to ask the questions like what is your definition of organization? How do we know that something was organized to be or to not be? It could be just as much organized as it could be unorganized.
DeleteJake, I too stick mainly to evolution as the main theory, but I really like how you mentioned the part in the book about the being not necessarily having to be perfect or create perfect beings. It makes a lot of sense to me. The way I see it, if the being were perfect and created everything perfect, then there wouldn't be any disease and hatred and all the other horrible stuff we see/hear about on a daily basis. Why would a perfect being want to create imperfections and let the world be destroyed and have people fighting all the time? If there really is a creator, I think they are flawed as well.
DeleteI definitely think that this argument is the strongest of the 3 arguments for the existence of God. However, to me, the theory of evolution provides a much better explanation for complex life. If there is a Grand Designer I would wonder why so many of his designs have useless parts to them. Would a perfect Designer not strive to create perfect things? For example, why create a being with wings but without the ability to fly? Sure flightless birds use there wings for various other things like swimming or balance but why create them with wings in the first place? Why not give them fins or arms to serve the same purpose? It is in evolution that we find the answer; that these are descended from ones that did fly and simply adapted to different environments.
ReplyDeleteI believe, if the bible is not taken as literal fact, then religion and evolution are able to coexist. One simply has to say that evolution was carried out by the guiding hand of God and then both religion and evolution can be believed.
I like how you're thinking. Why aren't we just perfect is some great being created us? Why are some body parts that are now useless still apart of beings? Why not just get rid of them? If we're being created to be so complex it doesn't make much sense to have useless parts.
DeleteI like your thoughts on this subject and I have to agree with you. I believe if you take the bible out of the picture, religion and evolution can absolutely go hand in hand. It almost makes the image of god seem greater. Giving organisms the ability to evolve is giving them a chance to survive through future generations.
DeleteYou have a very interesting way of viewing this! I like that you really think outside the box, it gave me something new to consider as well.
DeleteIntracate and complex things do seem to be otherwordly. But I do not attribute either of these things to God or evolution. Evolution may take many years but I see no modern day evolutions except the man made ones such as hybrid cars and ect... Neither of these things are a sound idea. They cant be exsplained. I do think that religion and evolution have a connection as they are unexplained. It is reconciable in the reason that people want to give reason for things happening. They both have a hidden figure behind them be it God or some scientific reasoning. I still think evolution points to some higher power becasue its unexsplained. I dont think the intricate and complex things of this world really give us reason to believe in anything. There is no sign that something put them here for a reason. No claim to those amazing works such as the eye.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting stance. I'd say you have a point. While certainly still a theory, the theory of evolution is explainable, and has significant evidence to back it up. People get hung up on the theory part, but the reason scientists call it a theory still is because its not 100% provable and scientists wont say something is fact unless it is without any doubt 100% the case. But youre point on how both religon and science are crutches for people to feel more secure with themselves and their place in this universe is perfectly valid.
DeleteIf things in nature appear to be complex and intricate and organized in the way that they work (for instance, the eye), do you think that this provides proof of a creator in any way? How about the theory of evolution? Does this present a rival theory? Do you think evolution and religion are reconciliable? Explain your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI am a strong believer in God, but I do not believe the eye is enough information to logically prove a greater being, such as God. The body is a complex system with multiple parts working in unison to create a functioning body. Is this just a coincidence? We don't have a stamp on our foreheads saying (created by God). This is not to say that he didn't create us, but how do we truly know? In all honesty this argument doesn't have a leg to stand on. Man can create a camera that can record images and sound, so why can't nature be able to create a complex system also such as the eye? Nature has flaws such as a baby being blind at birth. God is often referred to as perfect, but not every being is perfect. If God really made humans then why would he make something imperfect?
Now for the theory of evolution, I do believe that God had something to do with this. To start the evolutionary track how was the first organism created? The organism couldn't have started from a dependent being because that specific organism is the start of the evolutionary track. A self-existent being had to have created this organism. A series of infinite dependent beings is an impossible solution. You can not have a chain if it doesn't have a start. My chain on my necklace wouldn't be possible if there wasn't a starting point.
Religion created evolution. Refer to previous paragraph for support
I really like your explanation here and the idea that the self-existent being is the one that began the evolutionary chain. However, to me, the idea of an infinite, self-existing being is just as hard to comprehend as a series of infinite beings. If one does rule out the self-existent being then this leaves us to wonder how life first began. Could it really have begun on its own?
DeleteI agree with most of what you say, I think god played a part in the theory of evolution, but i do not agree with your last sentence where you stated religion created evolution. Evolution has been around longer than religion. Religion is a man made concept of faith and spirituality. Evolution on the other hand, is a natural occurrence. Religion is not a natural occurrence - spirituality is the natural occurrence. To me, religion is sort of like a label put on spirituality.
DeleteWhile your argument sounds good, i would have to argue with a few of your statements. 1st- "The organism couldn't have started from a dependent being because that specific organism is the start of the evolutionary track. A self-existent being had to have created this organism" How can you say "couldn't" as if it is an impossibility how do you know that? Do you assume, because that is what you've been taught to believe, as Christians our minds refuse to believe or accept that evolution is possible without that "spark" of creation. But that does not mean it is not possible. 2nd- "Religion created evolution" I simply find this hard to believe as religion fights so hard against the acceptance of evolution. Evolution has been here long before organized religion. From the Neanderthal to what we are now that is evolution. Evolution is just a natural occurrence, we adapt because we must it is not a "created" thing it is a necessity.
DeleteI really like your argument, it is very thought out and thorough and you make really good points for all of your opinions. Also, the way you described and explained things gave me a new perspective that I hadn't considered before!
DeleteEverything in our world is complex, intricate, and organized from the creator (God). However he isn't what I would call a perfectionist. There are many things that are flawed for example natural disasters, Autism, physically or mentally handicapped, cancer, and diabetes. Therefore there's proof of a creator (God). The theory of evolution leaves me skeptical and undecided. Who was the first being to start the creation of all beings? How was that being created to begin with?
ReplyDeleteReligion and science do not go hand in hand. Honestly I wish there was a "middle" or in between. This way there would be no contraversary, everyone would agree on opinions, and be raised to believe in the same things. However everyone is too opinionated and no one can tell someone what they can or cannot believe in. Maybe one day but as for now religion and science do not mix well.
I agree that religion and science to not mix very well. Unfortunately, I do not think that there will ever be a universal opinion on something. There is tons of proof for evolution but there are road blocks as well. There is 0 proof in God, but there is faith. Unless there becomes more proof in evolution to cover those road blocks, or if there becomes solid proof in a first creator or God, there might be a chance at universal opinion. However, people can't even seem to agree on what is good and bad for you at the moment (milk for instance), so I doubt that a huge topic like this which has caused wars, separation from families, and honestly just the world to not be at peace, will ever come to a solid conclusion.
DeleteI can't ever see the world agreeing on religion. I actually believe that science and religion go hand in hand. Science is just a tool to prove the existence of God. There is a reason why science can't prove everything. God didn't intend on humans knowing everything. The theory of evolution is proven through the traits of all species, but how did was the first species created? A self-existent being must have created the first species to start the evolutionary track. Arguments about god vs. science is just the way of the world. People just need an excuse of why we are put on earth. Some believe a higher power created humans and other believe science created us. I believe both and that is why I believe science and religion go hand in hand.
DeleteI think that there has to be a creator for things to be as orderly and perfect as what they are. I dont think that evolution could make something so perfect as an eye or an organ. I feel that with evolution scientists are saying that everything is a creator. I feel this way because when something evolves it is like creating something new. I dont think that religion and evolution should go together because with religion most cultures believe there is one all powerful God, our creator, but with evolution then there would be a countless number of creators.
ReplyDeleteI never really thought of it that way but it really does make a lot of sense. how do they both go together and how does something so technical become there is just so many questions that are so hard to answered.
DeleteI don't think that the complexities found in the human body or in nature prove the existence of a creator. Just because something is complex and may be difficult to comprehend doesn't mean there has to be a higher being designing it. Why can't the complexities just be seen as nature/the environment at work? I'm not dissing the idea of a creator; when I was a kid I believed that God created everything. But, as I got older and began to analyze and question things more deeply my ideas changed and now I'm right in the middle of the God debate. I think that if there is a creator, they created humans as humans; I do not think we evolved from monkeys. However, I also believe strongly in evolution. Whoever the very first humans were, I think we evolved from them. We became more intelligent as the years progressed to where we are now, and we're still changing. I actually lean more towards evolution because everything came from something. For example, big cats evolved from Sabre Tooth Tigers and the horses that we have today evolved from smaller, prehistoric horses. I think that the theory of evolution is a rival theory to the theory of God. Evolution shows and explains that something comes from something else, so long as it is related; there is no way a horse can evolve from a cow. This, I think, kind of overshadows the theory of a creator. If God created everything and there was no evolution then things wouldn't be like what they are today unless they were consistently destroyed and recreated, which doesn't make much sense to me. I don't think that religion and evolution are reconciliable because religion says that God created everything on Earth in six days and evolution is a continuing process that started when Earth was only a ball of gas (the big bang theory).
ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned that God created the earth in six days. The way that I started to imagine the answer to this conflict is that the 6 days of creation is merely a metaphor for the story. The Bible was written by man and this metaphor was probably just a nice tool used when explaining an idea or telling a story.
DeleteIt may not have been God that created us but like myself born of my parents, there must have been a starting point. Self-existence with us going back infinity doesn't seem possible. How ever I wasn't there at the beginning of time so I can say whether or not what took place. This is a hard subject to broach.
DeleteRPM, I agree with the idea that the 6 days could simply be a metaphor. One thing to remember is that, as you said, the bible was written by man. It may be the inspired word of God, but it was still written by man and man is subject to/influenced by the knowledge and social norms of his time.
DeleteI believe there would be a creator because of how precisely the world and its inhabitants are put together and function. I think that the odds of these such intricate and precise parts of Earth and beings, just coming together in the big bang theory and just working out this way are very slim. I believe that such perfection could only be achieved by a very powerful creative being. As for changes to species over time, or adaptations. They could be seen as this, that the creator sees a need for change in a particular species, and in order for the species to survive, the creator, changes them over time and adapts them to the environment. Overall I believe that there is a creator simply because the odds of the world and little functioning things as we know them just falling together in the middle of space and working out perfectly, are to slim.
ReplyDeleteI agree. No one is able to show evidence that there is no God, they only believe what they have been told be science and their evidence. Problem is scientists don't have proof of where evolution first started. It is only a theory and that theory is not yet proven. There is evidence of species evolving some things for example in the Galapagos Islands, Darwin studied the finch and observed that its beak slowly evolved from bigger and became smaller and more pointed. But it was still the same species of bird. It didn't evolve from one kind of species to another, which is what Darwin was trying to prove.
DeleteThe complexity of an object can not prove the existence of a creator. The details of the human body, although they are intricate and complex, did not come from a drawing board. The elements of the body of any creature on the earth has come from nature's million of trial and error sessions. All forms of life have been forced to adapt to changing environments in order to survive, thus explaining why certain aspects are what they are. The design and color of a snake's scales were not painted by an artist, they have become that way because in order to disguise themselves to their surroundings.
ReplyDeleteAlthough organization and complexity can not prove the existence of a greater being, it can not disprove it as well. The theory of evolution can coexist with religion in the way that one can say evolution was guided by a creator.
I completely agree with your response. I also believe that evolution and religion can coexist in the world. Nature creates the worlds intricate and complex systems, but by the hand of God. God didn't make the world perfect because vast variety is what makes humans compassionate and understanding of one another.
DeleteI agree with you for the most part, but I just don't see how evolution and God can coexist.If nature creates tornadoes, tsunamis, and earthquakes would that be by the hand of God? Would there be any need for the term evolution if it was guided by God? If we were created in his image wouldn't that mean he evolved from something? I just don't see how they can be termed together.
DeleteAs for tornadoes and such many people ask they question, "Why would God let this happen to me/others?" when natural disasters occur. Basically, there are some that already attribute those things to God. I think that even if God did guide evolution we would still need a term for the process by which we came about. One could use the term "the evolution of creation" to marry the two and describe a process by which God developed humans in his image.
DeleteAnother way to "marry" the two theories would be to consider that "special creation" refers not to how our current body was created but instead to how our immortal soul was created and received. Suppose during the process of evolution God saw a creature that possessed the possibility for advanced intelligence and thus decided to "create it in his image" by giving it a soul; something that will continue to exist after the physical form is extinguished. Is that not closer to the image of God, something that will always continue to be, than something that bear many similarities to other mammals (our body)?
DeleteI was raised in a strict christian household and taught that God created all things, as a child I never questioned this, however as an adult I constantly question it, if God created ALL things and he loves us so much then why do the most undeserving people become parents, while great women are left barren? Why do tornadoes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters kill thousands a year? Why do things like cancer, dementia and MS destroy so many lives? Why does he allow war, famine, and hate to rule the world? These things make me think that maybe it is more likely that there is a middle point between Creation and Evolution. Maybe God saw the potential for life here, and provided the spark necessary for us to evolve into human form and all the things we recognize as amazing are truly just natural evolution. I do find it hard to believe that God isn't responsible for so many of the beautiful things on earth, but maybe i just find it hard to believe because i was always taught that God created all things and to never question it, so it's just so engrained that my mind refuses to accept other possibilities.
ReplyDeleteI like how you think, It's always good to question everything we know, that way we can grow as individuals. If we didn't we'd be nothing but followers and never embrace the challenges of being leaders and keep our heads buried as the world went by. Is there a creator, sure. However myself am not sure what being created us, God or otherwise.
DeleteI believe there is a higher creator. We question our faith because God gave us free will. God gives us the choice of what we want to think. Because we have free will, there is also evil. That is why life isn't just and right all the time, bad things happen to good people. If we didn't have free will then there wouldn't be bad things that happened in the world.
DeleteI do believe that complex things could be partial proof of a God. I think its amazing that we have fingers that allow us to grab things and that our controlled with our brains. Also that our bodies are almost identical on each side. For that I think it takes a conscious being, and not just an explosion to create living beings. However there are some problems that have never been explained, like why do people get diseases, or why are people born without limbs? Other then those unexplainable things, I think complexity of the world really shows that a greater being is responsible for our existence.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you that it does prove a higher being.I think having faith in a higher being is important so we can explain everything. There is definitely no way that an explosion made us. Our bodies are far to intricate and complex to use that as our creator. I think that we still have diseases and disabilities to make us appreciate the good in our lives. Without bad how can we have good?
Deletehow did god no to make someting so technical. and how did god no to make the world work the they it does is there a bigger god then he is. the meaning of this is how did he come around how was he invented or born I just don't understand. and how did he no that people need air to breath and food to eat. there are so many things that just don't go together.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. There are a lot of things about us that don't make sense. There is no explanation to why we're here or why we're so complex. Where God came from doesn't make much sense either. It's all very hard to wrap your mind around.
DeleteI’m not for sure in my mind that this is indisputable or not, however it’s my belief that it is more complex and intricate than most of us know or understand. Something started us on our path to what we have become, but I’m yet to understand or believe in exactly whom or what that is. We were built a certain way and from that blueprint we are able to build on that, improve upon ourselves. Were we made that way or as a species like many others we can adapt and overcome obstacles. Just as a child is born going from a liquid environment to breathing air; not knowing anything and yet over time able walk, talk and think for ourselves. Evolution is a possible rival in that we evolve on a daily basis but we had to have a start somewhere down the line where someone or something created us, we could not have created ourselves. Falling back to the video we watched discussing Dependent being: a being whose existence is accounted for by the causal activity of other being or self-existent being- a being whose existence is accounted for by its own nature both which must be looked at from an finite or infinite series. Now religion and science from what I can tell do not mix well at all, a bit like oil and water. Both are set in there ways not wanting to find a happy medium or common ground on this matter. As for me, I’m just glad to be alive.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that God has created us just right. How else would every little detail about how were made fit together perfect to serve our purpose in life? There is no way that just a huge explosion created our complexity of life. I don't think they are reconcilable because they are opposite. Religion is talking about how God made everything.
ReplyDeleteI too believe that the creator that has made all being is the traditional Judeo-Christian God. However I don't agree that we were created just perfectly. What if we look at it this way; no body is perfect, everyone and everything is flawed, therefore the creator of all beings (God) is not perfect either. I believe he is the greatest conceivable being that is extremely hard to fathom his greatness but if our creator made beings that are flawed for example cancer then he is flawed as well. However he is allowed because everyone makes mistakes. No body's perfect, not even our first creator. :)
DeleteI think that there is proof of a creator, however, I also think that the creator has limits to what it is capable of. It is evident that the human body is full of complex things, lets take the liver for example. It is this super amazing thing that filters all of our blood many times in a day, and we don't even know its going on without thinking about it; but if something happens to it, we have to hook ourselves up to a dialysis machine, that takes longer to filter our blood and can't filter it as effectively as our liver. The dialysis machine makes our lives livable, but at what cost? The reason I think that the creator has limits is because if it was truly intelligent in its design, why wouldn't it create redundancies in the human body so in the event of injuring a vital organ we can survive more than 3 days without hooking up to some machine to keep us alive.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a very interesting way of looking at our creator through the ways that our bodies are set up. Yes our bodies are obviously very complicated and all of the different parts that make it up, but also- why did he make cancer exist and every other unimaginable thing that could go possibly go wrong with our bodies exist? Yes he could have made it so that we have imperfections, but I do think it was to show us how powerful he really can be. I think it helps us appreciate our health. If he really is out there, then we can also look forward to going to an eternal place after we die.
DeleteThere's many intricate and organized things in nature that humans didn't create. I feel like that is proof that we do have a creator. I think that evolution is a rival theory. I think that evolution and religion coincide. Both of them are things that cannot be explained. I feel that somehow God created everything, including evolution.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you in saying that God created everything, and the things that he created made it possible for us humans to create man-made things like small parts that all together, work together to make up a car for example. I think life is too complicated to have simply come from nothing. I personally don't believe in evolution, but saying that God created evolution puts a little more of a twist on it, making it more plausible in my mind.
DeleteI like the idea that evolution was created by God. It makes more sense that if God created us that he also created our ability to evolve. I think "hope" is the reason so many believe God is involved in every aspect of our lives, hope that they don't have to make hard decisions because God will handle every thing. When logically if one believes in God it is probably more likely that he simply created us or gave us the spark of life and has left us to evolve on our own.
DeleteI believe if we look at the fossils of dinosaurs and what the world was like then we will have a better understanding of evolution. The world looked much different then, sea levels were higher and continents were together. So is it possible that everything evolved into what it is now. I believe so. In the few days that god created everything where did the dinosaurs fit in? What was their purpose? Why is it that there are still dinosaurs around today? Did they evolve and survive through the extinction? I think so. The alligator is a pretty good example of this. They were much bigger back then than they are now. What about fish that can breath air or travel by land? Is this a genetic mutation? evolution?
ReplyDeleteA good example. Another way to look at evolution would be thinking of it by it's smallest state, like a single celled organism. Single celled organisms evolving into other organisms like legos slowly building genetic codes. It's cool to think about evolution making things smaller to fit their environments like crocodiles. It's a little akin to what people make with their technology into smaller easoer to use stuff.
DeleteYou're point of view is very interesting. Nobody really thinks about why certain things were created like dinosaurs. I definitely think that everything adapted to their environment to best fit it. A lot has changed since then partly due to nature of course. It sees nowadays everything is made more compact to work better and more efficient.
DeleteI think you are right. We would benefit greatly by studying the prehistoric world. I agree that the creatures we have today came from prehistoric creatures. I believe that the strongest survived through whatever catastrophe caused the extinction and went on to change into what we have today. As for how they changed, I think that genetic mutations are evolution because mutations allow things to change and adapt to the environment.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I'm not sure I agree with you on the theory of evolution I don't disagree with you either. I've been leading in the direction of believing in God being our creator of all beings but I have an open mind to opinions on topics such as these. I like your idea of studying the prehistoric age. I think that could lead to solving unanswered questions and discovering new theories. Maybe one day you will be the one to prove the theory of evolution 100% valid! :)
DeleteIf things in nature appear to be complex and intricate and organized in the way that they work (for instance, the eye), do you think that this provides proof of a creator in any way? How about the theory of evolution? Does this present a rival theory? Do you think evolution and religion are reconciliable? Explain your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI believe that complex and intricate things do provide proof of a creator. I don't believe in the theory of evolution. These scientists don't have evidence that we came from primates, it is just a theory. Nothing is proven. We cant even date back that far to when it first "would have" happened. I do believe their are many things science does prove about humans in the past but when we first evolved is not one of them. I believe things did have to evolve but I think people were put on the planet at a certain time. If their wasn't a higher creator than how did the world come about. We can't make something from nothing.
So what was the purpose of the universe? The universe to me is an explanation of what made planet Earth. There are many many galaxies and there could be life in those galaxies. We are in just one galaxy. So to me God isn't the only explanation for how Earth was made. What would be God's purpose for a black hole?
DeleteIf things in nature appear to be complex and intricate and organized in a way that they work, do you think this provides proof of a creator in any way? Yes I think this provides proof there is a creator. Some things that exist in nature like rocks, trees, etc. could be argued that they were created by evolution. However; complex things like humans for exam and our brains and how all of our body parts work together to function is something that in my opinion had to have been created by a creator.
ReplyDeleteThings in nature appear to be made by some higher being, whether God or through evolution, maybe both! It is hard to tell what proves the creator whether God or through evolution. When we looked at the human eye, a human eye is far more complex than a camera lense. We can't make something out of nothing like God can, and evolution is just a theory. If we evolved from nothing then how can you explain a God or anything existed before us? There has to be a being who has infinitely existed for us to exist!
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