Design on a Dime

Yeah, as far as Biblical 'kinds', I think that only means 'species' and assumes that all life only procreates life which is a replica of it. In other words, DNA, hybridizing, geneological differences, etc. were completely unheard of, and a rose was a rose, a sparrow a sparrow, a frog a frog. It was never thought that sparrows as a family had at one time a common anscestor, there had always simply existed different 'kinds' of sparrows. It is a very childish assumption, because as a child, I had assumed this too.As far as evolution, are new 'kinds' possible? Ie, something which is not canine, bovine, ursine, etc.?

Not necessarily, Ringo. The experimentalist could be curious to see what else he could 'create'.

My view is that I have none of these answers, and happily so, now that I am free from the headache. I have decided that the mess you end up trying to form these theologies, just leads you into error ultimately, and speculation.Look at all the different views in this thread alone. Who has the one true golden revelation?Do you honestly think anyone does?I believe in the bible but I only read it as a spiritual guide of truth for all humans.I see it like this; There could be planets in a galaxy far far away with life on, even beings such as us. Why doesn't God give us the answers to everything? People have lived and died wondering what exists on the other side of the universe. Because we are ants hoping to find Australia - the only thing to do is accept our size. It doesn't matter if we could travel at the speed of light - such is the size of the universe, our action will never match our wonder.Evolution, creation, time, universe, space, dinosaurs, aliens, arks, billions of years, the higgs boson. Ultimately nobody knows what happened in it's entirety. The truth would probably be more odd than any of us can imagine.We can guess, and stay loyal to that guesswork. Personally, I can't even be bothered to speculate anymore. If boffin-the-prof tells me we're all spaghetti in a can, I don't mind. My own "beliefs" allow that whatever is true is true, including all of the answers I don't want to hear. Atheism etc...It's the only honest belief system possible, and I don't want to lie to myself in order to comfort myself.Perhaps this is why I don't mind anyone's ideologies anymore - and tolerate them all. Because at one stage I had them all, so I understand why each person thinks the way they do. And it's good to know that I don't have to think them wrong - because my mind is open to any possibility.

Then, if you believed in a God of the Gaps, there would be no God.That is the threat of a God of the Gaps theology. Under such a theology, there is the likelihood that sooner or later, God will get written out. Is that a question?

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Yes. Given environmental conditions conducive to change and enough time for change to take place. That is definitely the conclusion of evo theory.Evolution is seen as a current and ongoing process not just something that has taken place in the past.'All species are transitional' as they say.............Your thread seems to have taken off and be achieving the aims you had for it. No mean feat in this climate of atheistic cynicism

Ana is not the only one that is unsure of your exact position.What role, if any, do you think God plays or has played in the physical universe (or even multiverse should that be the case).Once again I feel that I need to state that this is a genuine question not a percieved opportunity for confrontation of any sort.

Then he'd create a new experiment. It's dishonest to tinker with an ongoing experiment just because you don't like the direction it's going.

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First, I think that GOD is the creator. What we learn through science is the hows, how GOD did it. I can't really see any issue there until we reach the point where we not only fully understand all of the "hows it was done" but also "hows we too can do it".Second, I believe GOD is actively involved in life itself on an ongoing basis. Miracles do happen. But I also believe that miracles are performed by the same processes we know now or will hopefully learn about in the future. Those we do not understand will simply remain unexplained.Miracles though are an act of volition, and so not subject to being examined or repeatable.But I do not think that man was some planned output, some desired critter or special creation.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Your approach seems more deistic than theistic?Or have I got that wrong?Do you differentiate between the two (deism and theism)? If so how? And which do you consider yourself to be (deist, theist)?Edited by Straggler, : No reason given.

ok, fine. reading literally. the days are defined, as evenings + morning. just like every other day. the sum of these days forms the model for the work week, which is neccessarily 7 days.if we are reading literally, they are seven 24 hour days, and form the literal basis for the week. if we are reading metaphorically, they could be abstract periods of time (a reading i disagree with). either way, there is no shift in the language, and no distinction made by the text. the days are all the same basic units.it's simply a fact of the text that you have to accept -- there is light before the sun. there is daytime before the sun. the days opperate on the same principles before the creation of the sun as they do after. while admitting your mistakes is honest, editting posts to cover them up is not. we all make mistakes. another false distinction. why does "heaven" mean one thing in one verse, but something completely different only seven verses later? clearly, they are the same thing. i believe i did just that, though not to completion.

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I didn't frame it as a question, but I wouldn't complain about having an answer. I did just see that you posted one. Exactly, which is why I am looking for 'spaces' where God still fits in the minds of somewhat science oriented Christians. Edited by anastasia, : No reason given.Edited by anastasia, : No reason given.

Um hmm, and I suppose an artist who goes back to re-touch a painting is dishonest?

I don't think that deists generally believe that God takes an active role in the world, or in our lives.

I am a Christian.I believe that GOD takes an active role in the world, and also am a member of the Christian Faith.But remember, I do not see religions as defining GOD, rather religions define a particular view of GOD. Religions are the Map, not the Territory.GOD is no more the Christian God than She is the Islamic God or the Hindu God or the Wiccan Gods. GOD, if God exists, is GOD.Religions, even Christianity, are just human constructs, attempts to map some other transcendent territory. As such, the maps can be more or less reliable, in some places they may have a very close correspondence with reality, in others they may be woefully out of date or inaccurate.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Moving the goalposts is dishonest. If you want to call God an artist, then everything is a special creation. Every brushstroke, every millimeter that an amoeba oozes would be directly controlled by God.I was addressing the exact opposite situation, a self-painting painting.

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