Interesting article. I think it's pretty entertaining, and pretty accurate.
For me, philosophically, Mormonism allows for me to entertain some skepticism about evolution, but allows for it's possibility as well.
By that I mean, the creation story, as Mormons take it, does not take "days" to be a literal word, but as an expression to represent a set period of time. So while personally I find the whole 'evolved from apes" thing to be a stretch for my imagination, God doesn't tell us much more than he made man from the dust of the earth. So could he have used evolution during that creationary period as a natural process of creation? Absolutely, as Mormons believe even God to be governed by certain natural laws. Anyway, I'm all for teaching evolution in schools, and creationism in church. The truth is out there, so to speak.
Sorry, a bit philosophical and preachy.
As for this fellow's claims about the fossil record being perfect, that seems a slight bit misleading. Like the theory of evolution, knowledge in the fossil record is constantly changing. Science is often surprised by what they find in the fossil record, and must adjust their time lines to make sense with current fossil records. That's understandable, but while it's accurate to say that nothing appears out of sequence, that's because the scientists make the damn sequence. They didn't have it all where it is presently to start. That would require God-like knowledge. So while I totally respect Dawkins for his take on these things, he falls prey to a bit of hubris, just as the evangelicals do.
All the same, I want my kids to learn all they can about science, so you won't find me advocating for creationism in schools, just like I won't be advocating for evolution and a "Godless" creation in Church, because in all likelihood, they both have huge elements of truth.
Interesting article. I think it's pretty entertaining, and pretty accurate.
ReplyDeleteFor me, philosophically, Mormonism allows for me to entertain some skepticism about evolution, but allows for it's possibility as well.
By that I mean, the creation story, as Mormons take it, does not take "days" to be a literal word, but as an expression to represent a set period of time. So while personally I find the whole 'evolved from apes" thing to be a stretch for my imagination, God doesn't tell us much more than he made man from the dust of the earth. So could he have used evolution during that creationary period as a natural process of creation? Absolutely, as Mormons believe even God to be governed by certain natural laws. Anyway, I'm all for teaching evolution in schools, and creationism in church. The truth is out there, so to speak.
Sorry, a bit philosophical and preachy.
As for this fellow's claims about the fossil record being perfect, that seems a slight bit misleading. Like the theory of evolution, knowledge in the fossil record is constantly changing. Science is often surprised by what they find in the fossil record, and must adjust their time lines to make sense with current fossil records. That's understandable, but while it's accurate to say that nothing appears out of sequence, that's because the scientists make the damn sequence. They didn't have it all where it is presently to start. That would require God-like knowledge. So while I totally respect Dawkins for his take on these things, he falls prey to a bit of hubris, just as the evangelicals do.
All the same, I want my kids to learn all they can about science, so you won't find me advocating for creationism in schools, just like I won't be advocating for evolution and a "Godless" creation in Church, because in all likelihood, they both have huge elements of truth.