Yep, I'm going there. The question is "How did life begin?" There are tons of theories to answer that questions. Some people maintain that God created the world (including all life) in 6 literal days. Others believe God created the world in 6 non-literal days (often called ages). Some believe God created the world and then created life using the method of evolution. Some people believe the theory of evolution explains everything and God is not needed. Some people believe aliens brought life to the earth (although it doesn't solve the problem of the origin of life, just moves it to a different planet). This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I will limit my discussion to the first 4 (sorry to those who subscribe to the alien theory).
Believe it or not you can find Christians who subscribe to each of these theories (well maybe not the alien one, but you never know). Each of these theories has problems and I will discuss problem, and some supporting facts for them.
Believe it or not there is evidence that supports a young earth. The old earth data is more readily available but there are inconsistencies within all of these theories. For example Carbon-14 dating of objects is often pointed to as proof of the world being millions of years old, but Carbon-14 dating isn't accurate to millions of years. Carbon-14 dating while useful makes assumptions such as the amount of Carbon-14 in the atmosphere has always been consistent. It is a very reasonable assumption to make, and even if its false still allows us to date items to some degree, but because we are basing our testing on unverifiable assumptions there is a possibility our results are skewed.
On the other hand there are many other ways to date things, many of them able to determine dates long before Carbon-14 (although many of them subject to the same assumptions). As a side not proving a young earth pretty much eliminates the theory of evolution since evolution would need longer than the 6,000 or so years this theory proposes.
The Non-Literal 6-Days (ages) theory recognizes that there is sufficient evidence to support an old earth, but still doesn't subscribe to the theory of evolution. Basically people in this camp are still Creationist but don't have to deal with defending a young earth hypothesis as well. There are also people (me included) that fall into this camp because they believe in God and that there is truth in the Bible (although not everything is meant to be taken literally), but don't believe in evolution for scientific reasons. Yep, you heard me right, I don't think evolution holds up scientifically.
One of the problems I run into with evolution is people who say, "Creationism is wrong, because evolution has been scientifically proven." Sometimes they refrain from outright calling me dumb or ignorant but not usually. But what rarely happens is evidence for evolution being presented. I think most people have been taught and told so often that evolution is a fact, and there is as much doubt on this theory as there is on the theory of gravity or the theory that the earth is round, that they haven't actually looked at the evidence themselves. I am in no way implying that I have looked at all the evidence and have all the answers. But I have read books on the subject (including Darwin's Origin of Species), written papers (way back in school), and done some general research. From what I've concluded the theory of evolution has as many holes as Swiss cheese. This in itself isn't really a problem, most theories have holes, but the longer people study them the less holes there are. With evolution not only do I not see the holes disappearing, but I see people denying they exist.
One of the main problems with the theory of evolution is peoples misconceptions about what it is and what its not. First of all the theory of evolution does NOT explain the origins of life. Life can't evolve unless you have life first. The theory of evolution tries to explain how we got from a single celled organism to where we are today. It doesn't try to explain where that single cell organism came from.
Another problem is the difference between the ideas of macroevolution, microevolution, and natural selection. Macroevolution is what we're talking about here, single cell organisms slowly evolving into multi-celled organisms which evolve into reptiles, birds, mammals, etc. Microevolution is more limited to changes within a species. Microevolution is mutations in genes causing small changes in a species, such as color, size, etc. and is well documented (although most mutations are not beneficial). Natural selection basically says that in some habitats different traits help a organism survive and because of this these organisms are going to survive while those that don't have it will die off. This results in organisms of that species eventually all having this trait. The problem is that proving one of these ideas does not prove the others. People will say that there are examples of evolution and point to examples of natural selection or microevolution and then assume that this proves macroevolution or worse explains the origin of life.
Another problem is called irreducible complexity. Basically that many components of living organisms are too complex to be originated from random gene mutations and natural selection. A mutation to make a snakes saliva or venom poisonous to its prey might be beneficial, but only if that snake also has mutations at the same time to provide a way to administer that poison (hollow fangs for example), as well as an immunity to the venom. Any one of these things with out the others is useless (or deadly) to the snake and so natural selection would not favor this organism. This is a fairly simple example, but when you start thinking about complex organs and systems such as they eye, things become more difficult.
The truth is the origin of life can't be scientifically proved. We can study it, figure out what was most likely to happen. We can even create life under a given hypothesis, but we can never prove that is what happened (unless we get a time machine). I'm not saying that none of these theories offer any truth, because they all offer some truth. But unfortunately the arguments have been filled with vicious insults, name calling, and even hoaxes from both sides. This files in the face of both science and religion who both seem to think the other side is ignorant and ignoring the facts. Yes each side has it agenda (yes both sides do), so it will take some digging, but in the search for truth everyone should be willing to examine their beliefs and change them if the evidence suggests they are wrong. In fact not only should everyone be willing to examine their beliefs but in a search for truth should actively seek out to do so.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Right and Wrong, Sin or No Sin
Whatever you call it, everyone has some definition of what is right (what we should do) and what is wrong (what we shouldn't do). We all live our lives by certain rules of conduct and expect others around us to live by certain rules of conduct as well. But where do we draw the line? What is right and what is wrong? Everyone seems to agree that murder is wrong, but what about adultery, or lying, or cheating on your taxes (hey the government gets enough money as it is). These seem to be on one of those grey areas where everyone pretty much agrees you shouldn't do them, but somehow everywhere you look people are doing exactly that.
Then there are the tricky subjects, the ones that can start fist fights at family gatherings, tear families apart, and cause problems with even your closest friends. Yep, I'm talking about the subjects like abortion, and homosexuality (and often sex in general), assisted suicide and alcohol. These are such divisive subjects that people feel passionately about, but rarely talk about with people who disagree. Disagreements in these areas tend to turn so ugly that we as a society feel its better (easier) to not only stick with our beliefs, but vilify the other side and refuse to even try to see the other side.
Most Christians believe abortion, homosexuality and assisted suicide are sins (most do not believe drinking alcohol is a sin but some do). There I said it, but contrary to popular belief most Christians don't believe this because they want to cause division, or because they want to deny a woman (or any other person) control over her body, or because they hate gays. Why then do they believe these things? Honestly I'm not sure if that is the important question here. Everyone believes something, everyone believes some things are right and some are wrong. I'm not even sure the question is why Christians think everyone who believes differently is wrong. Because frankly everyone believes those who believe differently are wrong. That's the definition of believing differently. I think are two main questions though. The first is why do Christian want to force their beliefs on everyone else. And the second is, if I'm not harming anyone then why do you say what I'm doing is wrong.
The first question involves Christians pushing their beliefs on everyone else. Part of me wants to wholeheartedly deny this, but I've seen it to be true. That being said Christians aren't the only ones pushing their beliefs on everyone else. Believe it or not Christians saying, "You should or should not do X" is no different than non-Christians saying, "You should not tell me what I should believe." I know they sound different, like night and day, but both statements are telling someone what they should or should not do with their lives. Everyone is going to have a different opinion and world view. Everyone is going to think they are right, and everyone is going to want others to agree. Just because a world view doesn't have a fancy name like Christian doesn't mean there aren't beliefs, and values that its adherents try to live up to and expect others to live up to as well.
The second question involves Christians believing things are wrong that are quite frankly none of their business. But here's the thing, something doesn't have to involve me for it to be right or wrong, whether its right or wrong is completely independent of me. There is a right and there is a wrong. Some things are a sin and others aren't. If right and wrong are only cultural norms then they aren't right and wrong, they are just preferences. If their wasn't then who gets to decide what is considered right or wrong? Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Satanists, Osama Bin Laden, our government, China's government? How about none of the above, all of these people are well just that people (or groups of people). The only way for there to be an absolute on what is right or wrong is for that absolute to come not from a group of fallible people but from an infallible God. Christians do their best to know and understand what God wants for us, what is considered right and what is wrong. We don't always get it right, and in fact we don't always like the answer we get, but this is where our belief in right and wrong comes from. To believe there is a righteous and loving God who has determined what is right or wrong and then to argue with that and say that you know better is plain arrogant. I'm not saying that if you don't believe in a righteous and loving God that you must believe in the same right and wrong, but when you ask or expect someone who does to change their beliefs you are asking them to say they know more than God, and that is a lot to ask of anyone.
Then there are the tricky subjects, the ones that can start fist fights at family gatherings, tear families apart, and cause problems with even your closest friends. Yep, I'm talking about the subjects like abortion, and homosexuality (and often sex in general), assisted suicide and alcohol. These are such divisive subjects that people feel passionately about, but rarely talk about with people who disagree. Disagreements in these areas tend to turn so ugly that we as a society feel its better (easier) to not only stick with our beliefs, but vilify the other side and refuse to even try to see the other side.
Most Christians believe abortion, homosexuality and assisted suicide are sins (most do not believe drinking alcohol is a sin but some do). There I said it, but contrary to popular belief most Christians don't believe this because they want to cause division, or because they want to deny a woman (or any other person) control over her body, or because they hate gays. Why then do they believe these things? Honestly I'm not sure if that is the important question here. Everyone believes something, everyone believes some things are right and some are wrong. I'm not even sure the question is why Christians think everyone who believes differently is wrong. Because frankly everyone believes those who believe differently are wrong. That's the definition of believing differently. I think are two main questions though. The first is why do Christian want to force their beliefs on everyone else. And the second is, if I'm not harming anyone then why do you say what I'm doing is wrong.
The first question involves Christians pushing their beliefs on everyone else. Part of me wants to wholeheartedly deny this, but I've seen it to be true. That being said Christians aren't the only ones pushing their beliefs on everyone else. Believe it or not Christians saying, "You should or should not do X" is no different than non-Christians saying, "You should not tell me what I should believe." I know they sound different, like night and day, but both statements are telling someone what they should or should not do with their lives. Everyone is going to have a different opinion and world view. Everyone is going to think they are right, and everyone is going to want others to agree. Just because a world view doesn't have a fancy name like Christian doesn't mean there aren't beliefs, and values that its adherents try to live up to and expect others to live up to as well.
The second question involves Christians believing things are wrong that are quite frankly none of their business. But here's the thing, something doesn't have to involve me for it to be right or wrong, whether its right or wrong is completely independent of me. There is a right and there is a wrong. Some things are a sin and others aren't. If right and wrong are only cultural norms then they aren't right and wrong, they are just preferences. If their wasn't then who gets to decide what is considered right or wrong? Christians, Muslims, Jews, Atheists, Satanists, Osama Bin Laden, our government, China's government? How about none of the above, all of these people are well just that people (or groups of people). The only way for there to be an absolute on what is right or wrong is for that absolute to come not from a group of fallible people but from an infallible God. Christians do their best to know and understand what God wants for us, what is considered right and what is wrong. We don't always get it right, and in fact we don't always like the answer we get, but this is where our belief in right and wrong comes from. To believe there is a righteous and loving God who has determined what is right or wrong and then to argue with that and say that you know better is plain arrogant. I'm not saying that if you don't believe in a righteous and loving God that you must believe in the same right and wrong, but when you ask or expect someone who does to change their beliefs you are asking them to say they know more than God, and that is a lot to ask of anyone.
This barely even scratches the surface of right vs wrong, and the definition of sin. In fact having written it I think it raises more questions than it answers, and may confuse people more than anything. So, if you are still confused, have questions, etc. read my disclaimer and then feel free to ask questions.
My disclaimer:
There are large books dedicated to the defense of Christianity (and I'm sure other religions/world views as well) and I'm not going to give all know evidence or even a lot of evidence because this is a blog not a book, but I will try to give a reasonable explanation. That being said, feel free to ask questions leave comments etc.
There are large books dedicated to the defense of Christianity (and I'm sure other religions/world views as well) and I'm not going to give all know evidence or even a lot of evidence because this is a blog not a book, but I will try to give a reasonable explanation. That being said, feel free to ask questions leave comments etc.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
There is a God!
Very basic statement, but involves so much controversy. Honestly I grew up in the church and by the time I headed off to college I was so frustrated with people who didn’t know what they believed or why (this may or may not have been the case but it was my perception). I was 18 and headed off to college and wanted nothing to do with church, but I did want to figure out what I believed and have good reasons for doing so. But as hard as I tried I couldn't’t believe there was no God. I had no idea how similar to the God I grew up hearing about this God was but it seemed to me there had to be a God.
Why does there have to be a God? My basic reasoning was this, where did we come from. Not evolution vs creationism. Way before that. Where did this universe come from. As far as I could tell it started with the big bang. The problem is that we haven’t solved the problem we’ve only pushed it back in time. At some time in the past (13 billion years ago or something like that) there was a really dense, really hot mass. By really dense and really hot, I pretty much mean infinitely so. At some point this mass began to expand and cool down. But where did this really dense, really hot mass come from? We’re back at where we started with needing a cause.
Well at some point down the line either before the big bang or before the event that lead to the big bang or before the event that lead to that (we could keep going but its turtles all the way down http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtles_all_the_way_down) we have to have some sort of cause. And this cause has to have a few properties. The first being that this cause doesn’t have a beginning. If it has a beginning it had a cause and we have to go further back. Second it has to be powerful. We’re talking creating the universe powerful, something that makes an atomic bomb look like being hit over the head with a grain of sand. Third it can’t be a physical object. Why? Because we are talking about the creation of the universe which contains all physical matter.
So now we have something that is eternal, powerful, and outside of the physical realm that has created the universe. That sounds an awful lot like God, or a god. At this point in my life I didn’t have any idea about the nature of this god. But I couldn’t just dismiss the idea that a god existed. That my friends is what I consider a reasonable explanation of a belief in God. If you are looking for an airtight proof see my disclaimer.
My disclaimer:
There are large books dedicated to the defense of Christianity (and I'm sure other religions/world views as well) and I'm not going to give all known evidence or even a lot of evidence because this is a blog not a book, but I will try to give a reasonable explanation. That being said, feel free to ask questions leave comments etc.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Christians Believe What?
Maybe its just me, but it seems every day I hear people discussing what they think Christians believe and they are no where close. Maybe its Harold Campings fault for making people think that all Christians were planning on being raptured last weekend. Maybe there isn't a good place for people to get the straight facts without being confused with church words, feeling like they are being judged, attacked, or being condemned to the fiery pits of hell. On the other hand maybe there is and people don't know about it, or maybe people don't actually care enough to find out what others believe. I have no idea, but I'm going to start by giving people a place to learn and discuss. Questions, comments, concerns etc are all welcomed and encouraged. Bashing people, their beliefs and general rudeness are not!
One of my pet peeves has always been people who don't know what they believe and why they believe it. I don't care if you are a Christian, Buddhist, Wiccan, Atheist, or don't even know what any of those words mean. If its your belief you should be able to articulate it and defend it. The "My mom told me that's the way it was" or "Well I've always believed that" arguments doesn't fly as an adult. That is why I will also try to give reasons for all statements made. There are large books dedicated to the defense of Christianity (and I'm sure other religions/world views as well) and I'm not going to give all known evidence or even a lot of evidence because this is a blog not a book, but I will try to give a reasonable explanation. That being said, feel free to ask questions leave comments etc.
Here is a quick summary of the main things Christians believe and what I will talk about in this blog...
1. There is a God who created us and loves us.
2. He sent his son Jesus to earth. He was crucified, died, and rose from the dead.
3. The story of God and his relationship with his people is recorded in the Bible.
4. God is still around and active in the world and the live of those who follow him (he wants to be involved in the lives of those who don't follow him but he won't force himself into our lives).
5. When we die we will be judged, we will go either to heaven or hell. Our eternity does not depend on what we do, but in our relationship with God.
One of my pet peeves has always been people who don't know what they believe and why they believe it. I don't care if you are a Christian, Buddhist, Wiccan, Atheist, or don't even know what any of those words mean. If its your belief you should be able to articulate it and defend it. The "My mom told me that's the way it was" or "Well I've always believed that" arguments doesn't fly as an adult. That is why I will also try to give reasons for all statements made. There are large books dedicated to the defense of Christianity (and I'm sure other religions/world views as well) and I'm not going to give all known evidence or even a lot of evidence because this is a blog not a book, but I will try to give a reasonable explanation. That being said, feel free to ask questions leave comments etc.
Here is a quick summary of the main things Christians believe and what I will talk about in this blog...
1. There is a God who created us and loves us.
2. He sent his son Jesus to earth. He was crucified, died, and rose from the dead.
3. The story of God and his relationship with his people is recorded in the Bible.
4. God is still around and active in the world and the live of those who follow him (he wants to be involved in the lives of those who don't follow him but he won't force himself into our lives).
5. When we die we will be judged, we will go either to heaven or hell. Our eternity does not depend on what we do, but in our relationship with God.
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