Why are some Christians anti Evolution?

[TLK Valentine]

Sure.

Take my creationism test:

1. Explain the difference between creatio ex nihilo and creatio ex materia; and give two examples of each.

Ex nihilo - from nothing God creating animals in Genesis 1 and 2.
ex materia - from existing parts - God creating Earth in Gen 1, and Eve in Gen 2.

2. Explain the difference between "God" and "LORD God".

Descriptive term vs proper name. Similar to "professor" and "Professor Percival."

3. Eden in the Bible is known as __________ on a secular map.

Mesopotamia

4. What literary device reconciles Genesis 1 and Genesis 2?

In your opinion? Who cares.
In reality? Separate authors and oral tradition

5. Put the following in order that they appeared in the universe: whales, stars, trees, sun, land, sea, outer space.

Reverse order, but with land before sea and sun and stars simultaneously... and before trees.

6. What day was Adam created on?

Tuesday.

7. Was the universe created a closed system and, if not, what kind of energy did it run off of? if it was created open, what closed it?

The universe is a closed system, and always was. Nobody closed it.

8. Describe terra aqua and what kind of water it consisted of and why.

Nothing. You're confusing this with Aquaterra, the land that exists under the water.

9. Photosynthesis required light from the sun prior to the Fall. true or false?

According to the myth, or are we assuming an actual fall in which God decided that even the plants must suffer and die because a woman took bad advice from a reptile?

10. Explain how a 24-hour day could transpire before the sun was created.

One can measure 24 hours without seeing the sun.

11. Explain the difference between "miracles" and "magic."

Functionality, they are exactly the same. The only difference is the source -- "miracles" are attributed to YHVH or one of His designated spokespeople -- "magic" comes from another source. (See Exodus 7 for examples)

12. When discussing Creationism, why should one never let himself stray from Genesis 1 or 2?

Because they'll get shredded by Creationists and Evolutionists alike for their ignorance and crashing failure.

13. Why is "heaven" singular in Genesis 1, but plural in Genesis 2?

Different authorship.

Or would you recognize a "serious challenge" if you saw one?

If we ever see a serious challenge, we'll certainly recognize it.

As it currently stands, our days of laughing at creationists are quickly coming to a middle.

 

[AV1611VET]

Yes, AV, we understand that we wouldn't pass the creationist entrance exam. This is fine, since we aren't applying for jobs at the "Ark Encounter".

It's not an entrance exam, chief. It's a test I made up as a final.

In other words, should I ever teach creationism in an academic setting, this is what I would expect my students to know.

 

[AV1611VET]

Shouldnt be too hard. Just cut n paste from creosites, or simply make things up.

The hard part is answering them.

 

[AV1611VET]

The only way to truly pass this "test" would be to scrape every non-numerical post of AV's from this board and train an AI with them. Then ask the AI the questions one by one and edit as needed the answers.

Very good! Yes, I believe I have given those answers at one time or another.

 

[AV1611VET]

If we ever see a serious challenge, we'll certainly recognize it.

Thanks for the QED.

 

[Hans Blaster]

It's not an entrance exam, chief. It's a test I made up as a final.

In other words, should I ever teach creationism in an academic setting, this is what I would expect my students to know.

I was thinking more of being admitted to the club or profession. Pass and you are now a full-fledged official creationist. Board certified.

 

[AV1611VET]

I was thinking more of being admitted to the club or profession. Pass and you are now a full-fledged official creationist. Board certified.

Well ... I have always been told that I've been "certified" ...

 

[stevil]

I'm not putting anybody down. Conservative Evangelical Protestants have openly and intentionally rejected traditional formal theology as extraneous to Scripture.

Sorry for the accusation.

I don't quite understand the various denominations
Looking here I see that Evangelical Protestants are the largest group in USA with 25%
and it is made up of lots of subgroups such as Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian...
Are all of these Conservative or just a subset?

Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics

 

[stevil]

A few wear it as a badge of honor...

I get a feeling that it is a show of how strong the faith is.

That they still believe unwaiveringly when presented with overwhelming and irrefutable evidence to the contrary. Like they will be rewarded in heaven for maintaining this belief when others faulted.

 

[AV1611VET]

Looking here I see that Evangelical Protestants are the largest group in USA with 25%
and it is made up of lots of subgroups such as Baptist,

Just FYI, we Independent Fundamental Baptists aren't Protestants.

 

[Astrid]

I get a feeling that it is a show of how strong the faith is.

That they still believe unwaiveringly when presented with overwhelming and irrefutable evidence to the contrary. Like they will be rewarded in heaven for maintaining this belief when others faulted.

Faith is the virtue.
And it is!
So sad to see it misplaced

Plus the creationist interpretation of genesis is a rigid
structure that must be kept perfectly intact, the slightest flaw
has to be denied, for lo, the slightest pinhole crack is a slippery
slope to the dam collapsing like a house of curds.

 

[TLK Valentine]

The hard part is answering them.

The impossible part is answering them with a straight face.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Just FYI, we Independent Fundamental Baptists aren't Protestants.

You're not particularly independent either so long as you shackle yourselves to doctrines.

 

[stevil]

1. Explain the difference between creatio ex nihilo and creatio ex materia; and give two examples of each. - ex nihilo I presume means creating from nothing e.g. snapping fingers and poof there it is, ex materia means creating from materials e.g. grabbing some clay and moulding it into a pot.
2. Explain the difference between "God" and "LORD God".
- Is there a difference?
3. Eden in the Bible is known as __________ on a secular map.
- Eden doesn't exist in the secular map, we haven't yet found the tree of life or the tree of good and evil or the creature that god made to stand guard and keep humans out of Eden
4. What literary device reconciles Genesis 1 and Genesis 2?
Oh yes, I've heard there are two conflicting Genesis stories. I don't know how they are reconciled. Perhaps Jiggery pockery LOL
5. Put the following in order that they appeared in the universe: whales, stars, trees, sun, land, sea, outer space.
Outer space is contextual. Space obviously comes first, but to consider outer space you first need some place to look outward from.
Stars
Sun
Land
Sea
Trees
Whales

But I presume Creationists believe in some very different defying logic order.

6. What day was Adam created on?
Sixth???? I haven't read the bible, sorry, so that was just a guess.
7. Was the universe created a closed system and, if not, what kind of energy did it run off of? if it was created open, what closed it?
Are you talking in the context of Bible concepts or the Laws of thermodynamics or are you mixing up both together?
We don't know how the universe began, or what is even meant by the universe beginning.
The Big Bang is about the expansion of the universe rather than the beginning of energy/matter.
The Bible doesn't talk about laws of thermodynamics. Just that God did it and it was good.

8. Describe terra aqua and what kind of water it consisted of and why.
No idea what terra aqua is. Aqua means water.

9. Photosynthesis required light from the sun prior to the Fall. true or false?
I'm pretty sure the bible doesn't talk about photosynthesis. So this is a trick question. The bible is silent on the matter.

10. Explain how a 24-hour day could transpire before the sun was created.
I presume the bible doesn't go into that detail.
In reality, the Sun existed before the Earth and the Earth's rotation hasn't been constant over its existence, rotation is slowing down and if the Sun lasted long enough the Earth would eventually be tidally locked (just as the moon is) and then only one side of earth would forever face the sun and so we would no longer have the concept of hours in a day. When the Earth first formed a Day would have been a lot shorter than what we now consider 24 hours to be.


11. Explain the difference between "miracles" and "magic."
Magic would be intelligent entities performing physics defying activities.
Miracles would be god performing physics defying activities.
12. When discussing Creationism, why should one never let himself stray from Genesis 1 or 2?
Do females discuss Creationism or just men?
I presume the Genesis stories are all about the origins story of Earth and man and that the rest of the bible doesn't talk about creation of stuff.

13. Why is "heaven" singular in Genesis 1, but plural in Genesis 2?
No idea, I haven't read the bible.

 

[TLK Valentine]

Thanks for the QED.

Are you suggesting that creationism has ever posed a serious challenge to evolution?

Care to back up that suggesting with anything resembling a fact?

 

[TLK Valentine]

It's not an entrance exam, chief. It's a test I made up as a final.

"Final"? I think the word you're looking for is "punchline."

In other words, should I ever teach creationism in an academic setting, this is what I would expect my students to know.

One needs credentials and authority to teach in an academic setting... just fyi.

 

[AV1611VET]

The impossible part is answering them with a straight face.

Well at least you tried, but your hilarity got in the way of correct answers.

 

[AV1611VET]

You're not particularly independent either so long as you shackle yourselves to doctrines.

Matthew 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

[AV1611VET]

...

You (and TLK) certainly get an A for effort!

I appreciate the responses.

 

[AV1611VET]

Care to back up that suggesting with anything resembling a fact?

Like the Scope's Trial?