What we must accept if we accept evolution Part 2

I believe in the Biblical God as TRADITIONAL CHRISTIANITY worships Him and accept the TOE.

Augustine writes:If, then, Scripture is to be explained under both aspects, what meaning other than the allegorical have the words: “In the beginning God created heaven and earth?”5 Were heaven and earth made in the beginning of time, or first of all in creation, or in the Beginning who is the Word, the only-begotten Son of God?

When they are able, from reliable evidence, to prove some fact of physical science, we shall show that it is not contrary to our Scripture. But when they produce from any of their books a theory contrary to Scripture, and therefore contrary to the Catholic faith, either we shall have some ability to demonstrate that it is absolutely false, or at least we ourselves will hold it so without any shadow of a doubt. And we will so cling to our Mediator, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,”75 that we will not be led astray by the glib talk of false philosophy or frightened by the superstition of false religion. When we read the inspired books in the light of this wide variety of true doctrines which are drawn from a few words and founded on the firm basis of Catholic belief, let us choose that one which appears as certainly the meaning intended by the author. But if this is not clear, then at least we should choose an interpretation in keeping with the context of Scripture and in harmony with our faith. But if the meaning cannot be studied and judged by the context of Scripture, at least we should choose only that which our faith demands. For it is one thing to fail to recognize the primary meaning of the writer, and another to depart from the norms of religious belief. If both these difficulties are avoided, the reader gets full profit from his reading. Failing that, even though the writer’s intention is uncertain, one will find it useful to extract an interpretation in harmony with our faith.

"In this narrative of creation Holy Scripture has said of the Creator that He completed His works in six days, and elsewhere, without contradicting this, it has been written of the same Creator that He created all things together . . . Why then was there any need for six distinct days to be set forth in the narrative one after the other? The reason is that those who cannot understand the meaning of the text, He created all things together, cannot understand the meaning of the Scripture unless the narrative proceeds slowly step by step . . . For this Scripture text that narrates the works of God according to the days mentioned above, and that Scripture text that says God created all things together, are both true."

Christian evolutionists are forced to believe in a cruel God: evolution is cruel.

THEREFORE the Biblical God as TRADITIONAL CHRISTIANITY worships Him, is incompatible with evolution.

Within the community of Christian believers there are areas of dispute and disagreement, including the proper way to interpret Holy Scripture. While virtually all Christians take the Bible seriously and hold it to be authoritative in matters of faith and practice, the overwhelming majority do not read the Bible literally, as they would a science textbook. Many of the beloved stories found in the Bible - the Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the ark - convey timeless truths about God, human beings, and the proper relationship between Creator and creation expressed in the only form capable of transmitting these truths from generation to generation. Religious truth is of a different order from scientific truth. Its purpose is not to convey scientific information but to transform hearts.

That it happened at all is a black mark on a suppsoedly "all-powerful" God's record.

(And need I point out the oddity of a God who does not want animals to die but also demands animal sacrifices because He enjoys the smell of cooking meat ?)y

Again,until you can prove that I believe in a cruel GOD, your point is refuted.

If Faith wishes to say that she cannot accept the TOE within her religious convictions, I don't think that anyone would object at all. However if she wishes to say that Christianity is not compatible with an acceptence of the TOE, then it is my Christian duty to point out that many, many Christians disagree with her.

Logically, you are forced to. Evolution is cruel, bloody, murderous.

Faith writes:THEREFORE the Biblical God as TRADITIONAL CHRISTIANITY worships Him, is incompatible with evolution.

It doesn't matter for the sake of this discussion whether this is the "traditional" or nontraditional Christian position.

The God of traditional Christianity made a universe of peace and comfort for His creatures. Suffering and death are alien to His character. They came with opposition to Him by His human creatures. Suffering and death are not natural. Evolution on the other hand REQUIRES suffering and death. It is a major way genetic selection occurs.THEREFORE the Biblical God as TRADITIONAL CHRISTIANITY worships Him, is incompatible with evolution.