Evolution

[Mallon]

would you say evolution is possible without death?

Yes. All that is required for evolution to happen is differential reproduction, which does not require death.

 

[Servant of Jesus]

if God used any kind of evolution to create, evolution is dependent on decay and death, all effects or reflections of evil. So if God used any kind of evolution to create, then God authored evil; He created decay and He created death. And if God used any form of evolution, then His creation was not all good; it was not perfect when he created it, and it is what it is now because of decay and death, which He must have used in his creation, which are evidences of evil, then God must himself be evil. But God is not evil. God is all good and only good.

John MacArthur

No, this cannot be true- there is no connection between evolution and evil; this would smack of racism if it was.

The different races of mankind MUST have come about through genetic change (evolution) of the original DNA present in the first human beings that God created- Adam and Eve-, and then later in Noah and his family's offspring.

Every one of the multitude of races that we see today has a unique genetic make-up- that is why the children of two Chinese parents "look" Chinese, the offspring of two white parents "look" similar to their parents, etc.

But any one race is no more good or evil than any other race; in that regard, we are all the same, despite our genetic differences.

One interesting sidelight: although each race has a unique and inherited genetic make-up, they do all have one thing in common: a God-given sense of right and wrong; a conscience that allows every human being, once they grow up a bit, to distinguish good from evil. To me, this is pretty convincing evidence that there is a God- every person in the world, all races, every religion, even atheists, have what I maintain is a God-given sense of right and wrong. Of course, that also means they have the ability to think into the future- to recognize the consequences of their actions.

I don't know if we are unique and therefore special in that regard- or whether other living creatures also have the same ability to distinguish right from wrong, and to think into the future- perhaps one of the biologists here could enlighten us.

.

 

[Servant of Jesus]

Is our ability to distinguish right from wrong, and to recognize the future consequences of our actions, free will?

It has always been interesting to me- and somewhat sobering- that some people have no problem accepting the Gospel message of salvation- salvation that can come only through believing in Jesus Christ and adopting Him as your guide through life, and others think this is all just nonsense.

 

[Mallon]

No, this cannot be true- there is no connection between evolution and evil; this would smack of racism if it was.

I don't think he's arguing that the products of evolution are evil so much as the process.