We have to also bear in mind the effect of evolutionary theories on our society at large. Has evolution been a positive or negative for the Christian faith? I think back to when I was first watching "Planet of the Apes" as a kid. Well, what was the general portrayal of religious folks in that film vs. the enlightened evolution fan? We see the apes arrogantly covering up the TRUTH of evolution that they evolved from humans and concocting a fake religion with a "Law-Giver" who seems to be a composite of Jesus and Moses in one, and they scoff at anyone who believes in science at all. The religious powers that be scrutinize science with raised eyebrow hating it. They won't let the science-minded chimpanzees go into the "Forbidden Zone" for fear of finding the truth! They have the "ape was made in the image of the Law-Giver" homage to the 'backwardness' of the Judeo-Christian view, and the whole movie kind of lampoons anyone who is of faith and not wholly given to evolution. It is a cautionary tale of a film for those who haven't 'progressed' into the new modern worldview....
And as I read online comments from people day in, day out, I keep reading the pessimism and anti-religious comments of people when they reference evolution. Evolution has been a battle cry of affirmation that religion is bogus primitive shamanism. Evolution is the 'proof' that we've been mind-controlled by priests and bishops, popes, ministers, and other charlatans for long enough! That is really the tone of evolution in our society. It is a theory that people run to when they want to doubt faith and the supernatural, the spiritual and the godly.
There really are two visions of the ascent of man:
a) The Creation: God made man in His image, breathing the divine spark into simple Earth and bringing forth His creation to live and grow into theosis. But this Man and his Companion, Woman, fell. They created death and darkness. But in His love for Man, God didn't give up on His crowning achievement. He made His Only Son Incarnate to come and trample the death they had created. Our sins are a result of the Fall. We must struggle with them and grow, fight and grapple, claw our way through life grasping God's grace to our hearts to make it through the marathon. No excuses for our sins, just constant repentance and prayer, sacraments, and love.
b) Man is happenstance. He ascended from the oceans as a simple organism. He developed through a long, drawn-out, primitive process. He became a series of hominids that finally killed one another off. Humanity COULD'VE been Neanderthal, but the homo sapiens killed them off and eventually took control of the Earth. Man is a series of mutations and adaptations, an organism that continually changes to survive. He is an extension of nature, not a crowning achievement of a Great and Loving God. He is a steady adaptation and does what it takes to live. He is nothing but a more sophisticated animal. Sometimes he is born and cannot help thinking he is a woman, or that she is a man. Sometimes he is attracted to the same sex by his very nature and cannot change that, so we embrace it. Abortion happens in nature, so we embrace it. Homosexuality happens in nature, so why can it not be so with us? Animals are not monogamous, so why must we all be (polyamory, the latest craze!). Animals kill. So can we.
If you look at the two worldviews, one is very animalistic, pessimistic, bizarre, and cynical. The other is hopeful and faithful, difficult, and contrary to the fallen nature.
I just don't understand why folks in the pro-evolution or agnostic evolution corner don't see the myriad ways that evolution negatively impacts society. It has far-reaching effects that are mostly pretty darn lousy!
If I were convinced evolution were true, then I promise you I WOULD be pro-gay, pro-eugenics, pro-abortion, and probably practice all these evils. They are very natural when you have the evolutionary mindset. Thanks be to God for the Orthodox faith is all I can say. I just wish folks would approach this topic with less zeal to back up the scientific community and more skepticism and theological meditation on the subject...
That's why TF's position can't be Orthodox, 3-bar cross or no. Everyone else can be honestly mistaken. All of us, standing in Liturgy, have goofy messed-up things in our heads. But we all have to confess that we believe in the one holy catholic apostolic Orthodox Church, even if the modern popular theories of science contradict it. And the one thing we may not do is treat our own individual voice as equal to the Church. I can only even begin to do so by accepting what the Church teaches. Only then may I speak with confidence and boldness. Confidence and boldness in contradicting the Church is foolishness, not wisdom.