Religion/science conflicts & "hot" topics

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Beliefs about the origins & development
of the species, the Earth, & the rest of
the universe.

Beliefs include Naturalistic Evolution,
Young Earth Creationism,
Old Earth Creationism, Intelligent
Design, and Theistic Creationism,
(only one of which can reflect reality.)

Six quotations that illustrate the great gulf in beliefs concerning origins of the earth and its life forms:

• 2015-JAN: The National Center for Science Education posted a notice about an annual celebration of evolution:

  "Hundreds of congregations all over the country and around the world are taking part in Evolution Weekend, February 13-15, 2015, by presenting sermons and discussion groups on the compatibility of faith and science. Michael Zimmerman, the initiator of the project, writes,

  'Evolution Weekend is an opportunity for serious discussion and reflection on the relationship between religion and science. One important goal is to elevate the quality of the discussion on this critical topic — to move beyond sound bites. A second critical goal is to demonstrate that religious people from many faiths and locations understand that evolution is sound science and poses no problems for their faith'." ₅

• 2014-APR: Olivia McConnell from New Zion, SC, aged 8, wrote the governor of the state. The state has a state bird, flower, fish, tree, spider, amphibian, reptile, fruit, and 20 others, but no state fossil. She suggested the woolly mammoth because part of a fossil of this species was first discovered in the state. The House passed the enabling bill. But the bill was delayed in the Senate over an amendment proposed by Senator Kevin Bryant (R) whether to add a phrase saying that the mammoth was created by God during the time of creation:

  "... on the sixth day along with the beasts of the field."

  Bryant said:

  "I just had a notion that we ought to consider acknowledging the creator as we acknowledge one of his creations." _1,2

• 2012-SEP: Statement by Representative Paul Broun, MD (R-GA):

  "God's word is true. I've come to understand that. All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and the Big Bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of Hell, It's lies to try to keep me and all the folks who were taught that from understanding that they need a savior. ... You see, there are a lot of scientific data that I’ve found out as a scientist that actually show that this is really a young Earth. I don’t believe that the Earth’s but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was created in six days as we know them. That’s what the Bible says."

  Rep. Broun is a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, along with Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) who suggested that female victims of "legitimate rape" have biological defense processes in their body that prevent pregnancy. ₃ One implication of this statement might be that if a pregant woman claims that she conceived as the result of a rape, that she is lying,
  
  
• 2009-MAY: Letter from over 50 scientific societies to the Texas Board of Education. It expressed concern over the quality of science education in that state:

  "Evolution is the foundation of modern biology, and is crucial in fields as diverse as agriculture, computer science, engineering, geology, and medicine. We oppose any efforts to undermine the teaching of biological evolution ... whether by misrepresenting those subjects or by inaccurately describing them as controversial and in need of special scrutiny." ₄

• 1954: Bernard Ramm, from his book "The Christian View of Science and Scripture:"

  "Conservative Christianity is caught between the embarrassments of simple fiat creationism which is indigestible to modern science, and evolutionism which is indigestible to much of hyper-orthodoxy."

  This assessment from over six decades ago remains accurate today.

• 2016-JAN: The following image was posted on this web site's page:

This section discusses the origin of life (abiogenesis) and the development of species, including creation science, intelligent design, theistic evolution, and naturalistic evolution.

Specific topics are:

Introductory essays: (Please read these first)

• Scope of this section; promoters; various theories
  
  
• Terminology; details of various theories; age of the Earth
  
  
• NASA astronomer, Dr. Michelle Thaller, answers questions: "Where did we come from? What is human existence?"
  
  

Beliefs about the origin of the species:

• 3 main world views, and many unique belief systems
  
  
• What is the theory of evolution?
  
  
  • Is evolution "merely" a theory?
    
    
  • What would it take to disprove evolution?
    
    
  • The Tree of Life by Charles Darwin -- and others, up to the present time: Part 1 Part 2
    
    
• What is creation science?
  
  
  • Is creation science really a science?
    
    
• Opinion polls revealing what the public actually believes
  
  
• Teachings of 17 different religions & faith groups
  
  
• Philosophies behind evolution and creation science beliefs
  
  
• Intelligent Design: finding signs of a supernatural creative entity -- in nature
  
  

Carbon-14 dating techniques:

• How it works; beliefs of scientists, beliefs of new-earth creationists...
  

The conflicts among evolution, ID, and creation science:

• Part 1 Part 2: "Religion & Science: The Evolution Controversy." An essay donated by Kyle Jorstad.
  
  
• History of the conflict
  
  
• Why scientists do not believe in creation science
  
  
  • Specific reasons for scientists' lack of belief in creation science
    
    
  • Indicators that evolution never happened (with rebuttals)
    
    
• Possible resolutions to the conflict
  
  
• 2004-FEB: Evolution v. creationism debate between Bill Nye & Ken Ham:
  • Part 1 The personalities. Why does the evolution/ creationism conflict exist? Comparing what scientists and the general public
    believe about evolution and creation. Is a debate between Ham and Nye a good idea?
    
    
  • Part 2 Video of the debate. Who won the debate? What arguments were used? Ken Ham's best arguments.
    
    
  • Part 3 Ken Ham's best arguments (Cont'd), Would a different debate structure be better?
    
    
  • Part 4 Questions believers in creationism ask, with answers that might come from evolutionists.
    
    
• Conflicts in public schools:
  
  
  • Conflicts: 1925 to now
    
    
  • Public opinion polls about teaching origins. Conflicts, 1987 to now
    
    
  • Recent news items about conflicts in public schools
    
    
  • 2009: Letter about evolution teaching from over 50 scientific societies to the Texas Board of Education
    
    
• Conflicts in the National Park Service
  
  
• E-mail exchanges we have received about origins
  

The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament):

• Genesis 1:2: The creation stories:
  
  
  • Comparisons between:
    
    
    • The Genesis creation story & the theory of evolution
      
      
    • The Genesis & Babylonian creation stories
      
      
    • The two Genesis creation stories
      
      
  • References to creation beyond Genesis. Possible biblical references to evolution
    
    
  • How religious conservatives and liberals interpret the Bible's creation stories
    
    
  • Interpretations of Genesis 1:1: "In the beginning, God...."
    
    
  • The second creation story (Genesis 2:4 to 2:25) on the length of time creation took
    
    
• Genesis 6 to 8: Noah's flood:
  
  
  • The story of the flood
    
    
  • A possible source for Noah's flood stories: Part 1   Part 2
    
  • Conflicts between the  Bible's flood story and the fossil record
    
    
• Three essays donated by Dr. Zvi Shkedi: On the harmony of a literal interpretation of the Torah and science:
  
  
  • The Great Flood
    
    
  • The Age of the Universe: Theory and Observations; Physics, Functions, and Differential Equations.
    
    
  • Exposing the Myth of Evolution: A historical perspective; Darwin's theories - two for the price of one; new problems with the theory.
    

How old is the earth and the rest of the universe?

• Beliefs about the Earth's age by scientists and creationists
  
  
• Estimates of the Earth's creation or coalescence
  
  
• Is there no way to prove the age of the earth?
  
  
  • 19 indicators of a very old earth with rebuttals
    
    
  • 22 indicators of a very young earth with rebuttals
    
    
  • Visualizing the gap between an old and young earth
    
    
• About fossils, the length of the day and the age of the earth
  
  
• An excerpt from the book by Monte Benson: "The World Peace Prophecies: The Unification of Science, Religion, and Humanity
  
  
• A failed attempt to enter into dialog with supporters of creation science: Part 1   Part 2
  
  
• A list of "proofs" of a Young Earth that web sites might want to avoid:  Part 1  Part 2
  

Additional donated essays by visitors to this web site:

• By David Wilson:
  • The Evolution-Religion controversy: The practical need for an understanding of evolution
    
    
  • The improbability of the Universe as it now exists
    
    
• By Alton C. Thompson:
  • It wasn’t supposed to be this way! Human variety, love, social cohesiveness, and survival of the species

Information and news events:

• Web sites promoting evolution, Intelligent Design, and other points of view. Books and a DVD set.
  
  
• Panel discussion. Creation myths. Creationism links
  
  
• Scientific findings related to origins, creation, evolution, etc. 2005 to now
  

Note: The term "billion" is used throughout this web site in its North American sense to refer to one thousand million.

Sponsored link:

A book on harmonizing evolution & the Bible:

  "Searching for Truth with a Broken Flashlight: The Reality of Misconception and Wishful Thinking in the Evolution/Creation Controversy" by Michael L. Hawley.

The general wisdom in North America is that one must either:

• Accept the accuracy of the Bible text and thus embrace Creationism, or
  
  
• Accept the Theory of Evolution as truth and consider the book of Genesis as myth.

Hawley explodes these beliefs. Starting from the facts found in nature, one can harmonize evolution and Genesis. This book is a remarkable accomplishment. It is one of the most important recent books directed at a general audience on evolution and creationism.

Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store

You can safely order the following books from Amazon.com:

On evolution:

On Creation Science:

On Intelligent Design:

References used:

1. Harriet McLeod, "South Carolina legislator seeks to give God credit for state fossil," Reuters, 2014-MAR-31, at: http://www.reuters.com/
2. Evan Bleier, "S.C. lawmaker won't let mammoth become state fossil unless God is credited as creatorn" UPI News, 2014-APR-02, at:
   http://www.upi.com/
3. "Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA): Evolution, Big Bang 'Lies Straight From The Pit Of Hell'." TPM, 2012-OCT-05, at: http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/
4. "Scientists to Texas Board of Education: Teach Evolution Right!," National Center for Science Education, 2009-MAY-19, at: http://ncse.com/
5. "Darwin Day approaches," The National Center for Science Education, 2-15=JAN-12, at: http://ncse.com/

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Copyright © 1995 to 2016 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. Yes, that is not a typo. If this site continues for 4 more months, we will have been online for 21 years.
Originally published: 1995-NOV-03
Most recent update: 2016-FEB-12 [Darwin Day]
Author: B.A. Robinson

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