Can the belief in evolution and creationism co-exist?

Question

Can the belief in evolution and creationism co-exist?

Answer 1

Yes they can.  

The problem arises from a literal interpretation of the Bible and a 6,000 year old earth timeline.  

The Bible is a religious book, meant to provide inspiration, moral guidance, and religious philosophy.  

God, being omni-everything (LoL, omniscient, omnipotent, etc...) can and could have created the Universe, the entire cosmos, in any fashion God chose, and God was not and is not required to divulge the means to us mere humans, much less the specifics.  

Additionally, a "day" to God is not necessarily a 24-hour period on Earth.  

Just my thoughts, take care!  :-)  

~edit~  

To Urwumpe (below) ... your response is very well-reasoned and logical, and reading it I am convinced of its accuracy.  LoL  The only problem is, ME.  I truly do believe both.  I believe in God (faith), and I believe in the validity of science, and I actually believe that at some point in the future they will be reconciled.  <smile>  I guess that makes me a "nut" and I suspect that both sides might label me as such, but that's of small importance.  

I mainly wanted to tell you that even though I disagree with your conclusion, your answer was superbly well-written and persuasive.  :-)  

PS - and I had to REMIND myself that I disagree with your conclusion, LoL.  

~second edit~  

Urwumpe:  thanks!  :-)  

xyzpdqfoo:  I honestly don't know.  I've always just thought that the parts that "make sense" literally were probably intended to be taken literally, and the parts that didn't were meant to be taken as metaphor, parable, allegory, or apocrypha.  I suppose I always just assumed that the reading itself lent "sense" to which interpretation should be taken.  But you're right, it doesn't seem to be a sound practice, especially when viewed scientifically.  Thanks for your very valid points!  :-)  

Mike1942f:  I'm not aware of where in the Bible it specifies that God's creation was unchanging and static.  Maybe I misunderstood what you wrote, but it seems to me to be wrong.  I haven't found, anywhere in the Bible, that creation must remain fixed as it was when created and that species cannot evolve and adapt and change.  If you've got a reference please post it as I would like to check this out.  Thanks!  :-)

Answer 2

im not sure if creationism means that God created us, but if thats it heres what i think could happen!

Ok, so God created everything, people and everything, maybe on some other planet far away, evolution has occurred and has made something almost human but not entirely (maybe more primate features and primal knowledge)

im not sure if that could actually happen, but i believe in the Bible but i think that could possibly happen, just my opinion :D

Answer 3

Why not?

If you take Genesis as allegory,

evolution is just 'how HE did it' ,

and 'why' is stll open to question.

Answer 4

Sure.  There is absolutely no reason that God could not create a universe that uses Evolution as one of its natural processes.  In fact, if you think about it, it makes more sense for God to create a universe that can grow and change and adapt and take care of itself, than it does to create a stagnant, unchanging universe that needs constant babysitting.

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Answer 5

Of course they can.  There are people who believe in one, and people who believe in  the other, and both types of people exist at the same time.

Answer 6

In science no...as evolution is more or less proved. Creationism isn't even a theory.

Answer 7

^ no, creationism is most certainly not a theory.  At best, it's an untestable hypothesis.

Evolution is not a belief, it's tons of evidence with nothing contradicting it.  You don't 'believe' in evolution, you're either educated enough about evolution that you understand it, or you don't understand it.

If you would like to insert a metaphysical framework AROUND evolution and say that god guided it or whatever, that's your thing.  But evolution is real science, not metaphysics and not a belief.

Gundamboy said "Many people either choose to believe one or the other, so there will always be a hot debate between the two."

No, there won't always be a debate.  In the future, people will think the fact that we are actually having a debate about this is as stupid as we think it was for people to actually have a debate that the sun revolved around the earth.

Yes, you can believe that god guided evolution.  My question is this: is it truly possible to believe the writing of Genesis was only a metaphor, and still be a christian?  If you accept that SOME of the bible was only a metaphor, then how do you determine what parts?  Why not the whole thing?  Maybe the whole idea of god and heaven and h**l was only a metaphor to tell you to live a good life.

So yeah, people do believe in both.  I don't think those people are being intellectually honest with themselves though.  Picking and choosing what parts of the bible are true and what parts are metaphors without any concrete source to guide you is not a sound practice.

Answer 8

Not in harmony.

Answer 9

No! It's not possible. Man has throughout history sought to excuse himself from GODS law but I believe everyone changed their minds when the flood came in Noah's day. We will soon witness an earth shaking event that will cause all men both small & great to confess CHRIST and bow their knee to HIM......james the hollow earth man

Answer 10

It is possible, but not likely. Many people either choose to believe one or the other, so there will always be a hot debate between the two. At the same time, there are those who can accept aspects from both in their own beliefs, I myself am one of them. I don't deny the existance of God and that he created us and the universe, but I don't deny evolution either and the scientific proof and process that is used to explain the universe and life that God created. That's just my belief though. . .

Answer 11

Evolution is NOT a belief, it is a proven scientific fact.

Creationism depends ENTIRELY on belief.

I think its oranges and apples.

Answer 12

Yes, as long as you don't use the timetable set forth in the bible.

Answer 13

It is very much possible. Like evolution, creation is a theory as well.