Dear All
I have been renewing my www.questiondarwin.com web site and recently posted a
new essay on theistic evolution. It is too long to post here at 4,600 words but
if anyone is interested here is the link
http://questiondarwin.com/couldnt_god_have_used_evolution
As I find this question keeps coming up, I have done my inadequate best to
answer it. In particular I have looked at the reasons why Christians may wish to
avoid criticism and posted some scriptures on that, and hopefully in a spirit of
humility invited them to consider that they may be wrong. I doubt if anything I
have written is really original, but I write as I feel moved and offer this to
fellow activists if it may be of any assistance.
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Having given much thought to this issue over more than a decade, I can only
conclude that theistic evolution is either due to blindness or else is a default
position which reveals ignorance of Biblical Christianity and a weak
understanding of evolutionary theory. Theistic evolution (the belief that ‘God
created though evolution’) is in my view adopted by many Christians because they
want to be friends with the world and avoid criticism. I can relate to that-the
level of personal abuse you get for questioning Darwin is very unpleasant. Also,
if you say you doubt Darwin you get lots of difficult questions thrown at you
which will involve you doing some work to find answers to. Much easier to go
with the culture, but is going with the culture what we are called to?
But if we find ourselves motivated by wanting to avoid the criticism of men, we
should read the New Testament a bit more, for example
Matthew 5:11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely
say all kinds of evil against you because of me.”
Luke 6:22 “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult
you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.”
Luke 6:26 “Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for this is the way
their ancestors used to treat the false prophets.”
James 4:4 “You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world
makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the
world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”
John 15:18 "If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated
you.”
2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will
be persecuted”
1 Peter 4:12 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are
suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”
1 John 3:13 “So don't be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world
hates you.”
Jesus our Saviour was comprehensively despised and rejected by men (see Isaiah
53 and the Gospel accounts of his false trial, cruel torture and murder-which
happened to him because he spoke inconvenient truth). Throughout the New
Testament Jesus and the Apostles explicitly and repeatedly warned that all true
followers of Christ would be rejected and hated by men. Earlier this year I felt
moved to write an Bible study and reflection on the issue of ‘Is creationism
divisive?’ which considers this issue in greater depth and can be found here on
the Creation Science Movement’s web site. It concludes that all that is
necessary for disagreement and division is a lie and one or more people who
won’t stand for it. So if lies and truth co-exist, division is inevitable.
Yes, ideally we would all get on and find sweet agreement on everything, but we
have an enemy who sows discord and we are fallible. The Scripture is clear- we
must make a determined stand for the truth in Christ, and if we do then some
people will hate us and be horrible to us. In my opinion that mostly explains
theistic evolution-Christians wanting to avoid unpleasantness. But we are called
to stand firm and endure hardship for His name's sake. If we can’t take a stand
when they are only calling us rude names, what will we do when they come for our
heads? There is a reward in heaven for standing firm and enduring to the end, as
Jesus did in the face of such hostility from men (Hebrews 12:3) but there is no
reward for compromising with the world for a quiet life.
I feel for the timid Christian who doesn’t want to be called names. If you are
in that camp, I do not trivialise the significance of the step I am asking you
to take. But I beg you to read ALL the words of Jesus, including 'Everyone who
denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” (Mathew
10:33.) Choose wisely whether you will stand with the Apostles and Church
Fathers or with Richard Dawkins and the wishy washy bishops who appear more
concerned to avoid offending the enemies of Christ than proclaiming his Gospel
of repentance.
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Also I have written the following which I think may summarise the issues
helpfully
So, is it all right to say 'I believe God created, but he did it through
evolution'? I have summarised a response to this via conditions that must be
satisfied before we can answer this.
God could NOT have created through evolution if any of the following statements
are true.
1) Molecules to man evolution did not in fact occur.
2) Creating by evolution would have violated God’s nature and character.
3) God clearly said that he did not create through evolution, and so therefore
it would make God a liar.
4) If the acceptance of Darwinian evolution clearly damages the Christian faith
and advances the cause of the enemies of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ.
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the above points are discussed at some length in an attempt to explain why the
default position of theistic evolution is wrong.
please feel free to ignore, discuss or use any or all of this in any legitimate
way with or without acknowledgment if its helpful
brotherly regards
Stephen Hayes