Theistic evolution and the nature of God

[Aussie Pete]

Evolution flies in the face of the nature of God. We understand that God is gracious, merciful, defender of the helpless, loving, caring and vitally involved in life on earth. Evolution is impersonal, ruthless, random, uncaring and destroys the weak. If evolution is true, then everyone is simply a product of random combinations of mutations or whatever mechanism the evolutionist claims to be the case. Yet God holds this random collection of cells to account for its actions. This seems utterly unfair, if indeed we are evolved. One individual "evolves" into Osama Bin Laden while another "evolves" into Billy Graham. Who is right and who is wrong? With evolution, the concept of right and wrong is meaningless. Theistic evolution is the worst of both worlds. "In the beginning God" is just fine by me.

 

[DialecticSkeptic]

Psalm 104:21-28 The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. ... All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

 

[sandman]

Evolution flies in the face of the nature of God. We understand that God is gracious, merciful, defender of the helpless, loving, caring and vitally involved in life on earth. Evolution is impersonal, ruthless, random, uncaring and destroys the weak. If evolution is true, then everyone is simply a product of random combinations of mutations or whatever mechanism the evolutionist claims to be the case. Yet God holds this random collection of cells to account for its actions. This seems utterly unfair, if indeed we are evolved. One individual "evolves" into Osama Bin Laden while another "evolves" into Billy Graham. Who is right and who is wrong? With evolution, the concept of right and wrong is meaningless. Theistic evolution is the worst of both worlds. "In the beginning God" is just fine by me.

Amen! ....
Evolution is the devils counterfeit to creation.

 

[myst33]

If you want to have a primitive ancient society, use their mythology as your today's science.

An inspired mythology is still not science.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Evolution flies in the face of the nature of God. We understand that God is gracious, merciful, defender of the helpless, loving, caring and vitally involved in life on earth. Evolution is impersonal, ruthless, random, uncaring and destroys the weak. If evolution is true, then everyone is simply a product of random combinations of mutations or whatever mechanism the evolutionist claims to be the case. Yet God holds this random collection of cells to account for its actions. This seems utterly unfair, if indeed we are evolved. One individual "evolves" into Osama Bin Laden while another "evolves" into Billy Graham. Who is right and who is wrong? With evolution, the concept of right and wrong is meaningless. Theistic evolution is the worst of both worlds. "In the beginning God" is just fine by me.

There is no final scientific explanation of what " natural process" even means when it comes to creation. What we do know is God specifically made man out of dust. Then He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. He breathed a soul into man. What happened before that is pure speculation and completely unknown. That being said, Theistic evolution has no bearing on God's character. It is simply an attempt to address the unexplained.

Blessings.

 

[myst33]

Nothing in human nutrition, medicine, physiology makes sense unless you look at it through the lens of evolution.

 

[DialecticSkeptic]

He breathed a soul into man.

This might be a traditional belief, but it is not a biblical one. The Old Testament view of man exhibits sort of a dual-aspect anthropological monism, wherein man is a holistic unity of material and spiritual. Man is a soul (monism), he does not have one (dualism). God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul (being, creature).

 

[Aussie Pete]

Nothing in human nutrition, medicine, physiology makes sense unless you look at it through the lens of evolution.

Says you. Many others say that evolution is unscientific guesswork based on the assumption that there is no God.

There is no final scientific explanation of what " natural process" even means when it comes to creation. What we do know is God specifically made man out of dust. Then He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. He breathed a soul into man. What happened before that is pure speculation and completely unknown. That being said, Theistic evolution has no bearing on God's character. It is simply an attempt to address the unexplained.

Blessings.

Not exactly. God breathed the breath of Life, which is spirit, not soul. The spirit made the dust into a physical body and the soul was likewise formed. Spirit and soul are not the same. Theistic evolution is the worst of both worlds. How can a spirit evolve? How did an ape like creature suddenly become in the image of God, with a spirit and soul? Genesis tells us how God did it without further explanation. I don't know why Christians cannot just take God at His word and leave the speculation to unbelievers.

 

[myst33]

Many others say that evolution is unscientific guesswork based on the assumption that there is no God.

No. Do not try to present your specific religious American view from Seventh Day Adventism and your literal reading of Genesis as something doctors, scientists or even Christians around the world accept en masse.

Evolution is a well established model that makes sense of both the world around us and of us. There is no alternative to this unifying model that would explain so many things.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Says you. Many others say that evolution is unscientific guesswork based on the assumption that there is no God.

Not exactly. God breathed the breath of Life, which is spirit, not soul. The spirit made the dust into a physical body and the soul was likewise formed. Spirit and soul are not the same. Theistic evolution is the worst of both worlds. How can a spirit evolve? How did an ape like creature suddenly become in the image of God, with a spirit and soul? Genesis tells us how God did it without further explanation. I don't know why Christians cannot just take God at His word and leave the speculation to unbelievers.

An ape like creature was not made in the image of God. I , personally, have come to the conclusion that " man , made in the image of God", is a different creation than all the rest of the Hominins like the Neanderthal. I come to this conclusion because there is proof that both lived at the same time . Additionally, scripture tells us Cain , a son of God, was banished into the realm where the daughters of men dwelled, ( I don't believe angels mated with humans) anyway, purely my speculation since no one knows for sure.
Blessings.

 

[Job 33:6]

An ape like creature was not made in the image of God. I , personally, have come to the conclusion that " man , made in the image of God", is a different creation than all the rest of the Hominins like the Neanderthal. I come to this conclusion because there is proof that both lived at the same time . Additionally, scripture tells us Cain , a son of God, was banished into the realm where the daughters of men dwelled, ( I don't believe angels mated with humans) anyway, purely my speculation since no one knows for sure.
Blessings.

This question of who the sons of God were, has been settled. They were angels.

In order to understand the topic, you have to be familiar with the narrative of the mesopotamian apkallu and the watchers tradition.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Change the word "Evolution" to the word "nature" and you will have the same conclusions.

"Evolution" is impersonal, ruthless, random, uncaring and destroys the weak
"Nature" is impersonal, ruthless, random, uncaring and destroys the weak.

But if you believe nature as we see it is the direct creation of God, then you also have to say:
"God" is impersonal, ruthless, random, uncaring and destroys the weak. Because He made it, and even stated that it is good the way it is.

I am not sure you are making your point against evolution.
If there has to be a bad guy in this, would you not rather it be evolution than God?

 

[The Barbarian]

Evolution flies in the face of the nature of God. We understand that God is gracious, merciful, defender of the helpless, loving, caring and vitally involved in life on earth. Evolution is impersonal, ruthless, random, uncaring and destroys the weak.

You're assuming that we are only animals. But God directly gives every human an immortal soul. and that changes everything.

If evolution is true, then everyone is simply a product of random combinations of mutations or whatever mechanism the evolutionist claims to be the case.

You'd be a lot more effective fighting science if you knew something about it.

Yet God holds this random collection of cells to account for its actions. This seems utterly unfair, if indeed we are evolved.

It would be, if we were no different than the other animals. But once we got the knowledge of good and evil, we became responsible for our actions. If you'd just read the Bible, a lot of this kind of confusion would be cleared up for you.

With evolution, the concept of right and wrong is meaningless.

With gravity, the concept of right and wrong is meaningless. With meteorology, the concept of right and wrong is meaningless. Scientists will tell you that nature is a very bad place to get your ethical standards. This is one of the major moral problems with creationism.

 

[Diamond7]

If evolution is true, then everyone is simply a product of random combinations of mutations or whatever mechanism the evolutionist claims to be the case.

The concept of "randomness" is an important aspect of scientific inquiry and is used in various scientific fields. In scientific contexts, randomness refers to events or outcomes that cannot be precisely predicted or determined in advance based on available information or current understanding. Randomness can arise from inherent unpredictability, stochastic processes, or complex interactions.

Randomness is employed as a concept or tool to model and understand complex systems. For instance, in statistical analysis and probability theory, randomness is used to describe uncertainty and variability in data or to simulate complex processes.

 

[The Barbarian]

Randomness is employed as a concept or tool to model and understand complex systems. For instance, in statistical analysis and probability theory, randomness is used to describe uncertainty and variability in data or to simulate complex processes.

Darwin's great discovery was that evolution isn't random.

 

[Diamond7]

Darwin's great discovery was that evolution isn't random.

The theory of evolution, as proposed by Charles Darwin and further developed by subsequent scientists, involves both random and non-random processes.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Evolution flies in the face of the nature of God. We understand that God is gracious, merciful, defender of the helpless, loving, caring and vitally involved in life on earth. Evolution is impersonal, ruthless, random, uncaring and destroys the weak. If evolution is true, then everyone is simply a product of random combinations of mutations or whatever mechanism the evolutionist claims to be the case. Yet God holds this random collection of cells to account for its actions. This seems utterly unfair, if indeed we are evolved. One individual "evolves" into Osama Bin Laden while another "evolves" into Billy Graham. Who is right and who is wrong? With evolution, the concept of right and wrong is meaningless. Theistic evolution is the worst of both worlds. "In the beginning God" is just fine by me.

But this is the world we all see around us, regardless of what side you are on!
The world of those who are against evolution is the exact same world as those who are for it.
I am not sure what you point is.
If evolution is false then you are accusing God of these things you now accuse evolution. I am not sure that is what you want to do.
If evolution is false then it is God that is "impersonal, ruthless, random, uncaring and destroys the weak." Because that is happening.
If evolution is false then "everyone is a product" of God. Is it somehow better that Osama got here by God than evolution? I am not sure you are making you case by blaming all this mess on God rather than evolution. At least those who believe in TE have a reason for the world as it is. It is this way because of the fall and satan. Crazy things happened in the fall and when the fallen angels tampered with the genome of all creatures prior to the flood. Those creationists who reject TE have nobody to blame but God! Ouch!
So you OP is exactly the opposite. If the creation is the result of the direct hand and guidance of God and NOT evolution, then it should be perfect. There should be no evil, perversions of life and creation. The fact that the earth is the way it is would seem to prove evolution, not God.
As we used to say the proof is in the pudding. Does the pudding you see around you seem to be the product of God?
No.

 

[Diamond7]

If evolution is false

Evolution is based on evidence. People are free to examine the evidence and draw their own conclusions. Many people think that natural selection is a fine tuning to adapt the species to the environment. Some people believe DNA is the language of God used in Creation.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Evolution is based on evidence. People are free to examine the evidence and draw their own conclusions. Many people think that natural selection is a fine tuning to adapt the species to the environment. Some people believe DNA is the language of God used in Creation.

And I am among them. Well put.

 

[Diamond7]

Evolution flies in the face of the nature of God.

People talk about natural selection, but what about the flip side of the coin: Selective Breeding?

Selective breeding, also known as artificial selection, is a human-directed process where individuals with desired traits are selectively bred to produce offspring with those traits. It is commonly used in agriculture, animal husbandry, and plant breeding to enhance desirable traits such as productivity, disease resistance, or specific physical characteristics.

In the Bible, specifically in the book of Genesis, there is a story involving Jacob and his father-in-law Laban, where Jacob uses selective breeding techniques to increase the number of spotted or speckled lambs in his flock.

According to the biblical account, Jacob's selective breeding efforts were successful, and he ended up with a significant number of speckled and spotted lambs in his flock. This enabled him to grow his own wealth and separate his flocks from Laban's.