Religion and evolution?

Question

why can people belive in both?

Answer 1

Both are very vague.

Religion has a wide range of definitions.

Evolution is referring to the process of matter evolving.

You could say "Creation Theory" which most religions have roots in. Compared to the "Big Bang Theory"

In this means, they are opposite. Big Bang theory is based on chance

While Creation Theory is based on that there is a Creator / God  

Answer 2

It was the same type people, educated, thoughtful, respected who today say that we are animals were the ones, thousands of years ago who were saying, OK people, stopping acting this way, you are not animals. What goes around, comes around. lol, I wish I could prove that. C'est la vie!    

Answer 3

Most of my family (Christians) and friends (various) do believe in both. It is only certain sects of certain religions with literal views where it causes conflict. Most religions understand the language of their text to be incomplete, mystical, symbolic, and/or metaphoric. For me personally (non-religious spiritualist) there is no reason why God didn't create the world to operate within natural law.

Answer 4

Because the many religions theorize HOW life came into existence, while biological evolution (Science), speaks only about the predictable physical Laws which govern life, NOW that we do exist!

Answer 5

Not everyone is dogmatic in their religious beliefs.  And evolution is not inconsistent with all religions.  Those who are less literal-minded should have no problems accepting both.  

Answer 6

Basically, people wish to create order (control) out of chaos.  This order is the result of developing strategies, over time, to ensure survival for themselves, sometimes for their families, and for the species generally (indirectly).  Functional strategies are then retained (integrated) by the organism and become part of its overall system of beliefs, e.g., if I stop at the red light at an intersection, I will likely not be hit by a turning vehicle or "thou shalt not kill" or thou will be punished.  Thus, when an unpredictable or incomprehensible event occurs, individuals attempt to associate it with such survival strategies they have earlier fostered.  In some cases people compare these events to a philosophical structure which maintains earlier (possibly outdated) strategies, like religion.  In the alternative, in our legal-rational world, individuals require a more scientific approach to social conditions.  These scientific approaches (more likely than not based upon statistics) (which can be considered philosophies) provide the individual with a fuller understanding of these events and the world around us than can be supplied by the earlier religious world views.

Answer 7

Evolution isn't a belief.  Evolution is something you either understand or do not understand.  A person can believe in his religion.  But a person would have an understanding of evolution.  By asking why people can't believe in both, you suggest that both religion and evolution are beliefs.  When in fact, only religion is a belief.  Evolution is a field of scientific study.

And many people with an understanding of evolution are also religious.  The Pope himself, for example, has expressed his support for evolution and cautioned against the church repeating the same mistakes made with Galileo.

Answer 8

Of course it is possible to believe in both.  

There are many religions which do not contradict any aspect of science, and science itself does not really address many religious ideas (since most religious ideas are not amenable to deductive reasoning).

As long as the believer or would-be believer willing to accept that religion and science are two radically different ways of seeking/understanding the truth, conflict is unnecessary.  

Personally, I am not religious, but I do enjoy the taoist philosophy, and I am a scientist.  I do not confuse the imaginitive and intuitive aspects of that philosophy with testable, empirical facts.