Why do some Christians assume that you have to be an Atheist to "believe" in Evolution?

Question

Does accepting Science automatically mean you have to abandon Religion? And must you abandon Science in order to search for meaning in Religion? Or is there a middle ground? My theory is that most people actually accept both to some extent. What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

That's only a fundamentalist point of view.

Answer 2

Well, honestly, anyone who believes in the christian god shouldn't believe in evolution, otherwise they are contradicting themselves.  How can one say "God created us......but....so did a single celled organism..."  I think its thier mind telling them "Hey idiot, look at these facts of evolution"...but there brainwashed minds telling them "No god is real!!!"

Answer 3

even evolution had to start somewhere...

Answer 4

Most people do see the middle way, and know that science and religion go hand in hand. There are a few holdouts that will not accept science for any reason, and most atheists seem to think that there can be no agreement between the two. I moved from the Baptist church to the Episcopal because they didn't require me to check my brain at the door and forget all about the biology degree I earned.  

Answer 5

Fundamentalists take this view--and also regard anyone who does not share their particular beliefs as "other" or "atheist" and make very many odd assumptions about these "others" and what they believe and how they should be categorized . Many nonfundamentalist Christian denominations, namely Catholic, ironically,  view passages within the Bible as metaphor --just as Hindus view their creation stories and also philosophy and metaphysics as mythical metaphor or even intuitive metaphors for the origins of being or for other things that can be construed to have parallels with scientific theory. No they do not have to be exclusive; it is all a matter of interpretation, and I agree that most people probably accept both and are able to intellectually and perhaps paradoxically resolve these things in their own minds.  

Answer 6

They are often the same people who think everyone who isn't a Christian is an atheist... but that's not the point :)

There doesn't even have to be middle ground. Science and religion aren't mutually exclusive. Science is testable and observable. Accepting science is only a problem if you belong to a religion that tells you that testing and observing is unacceptable. I don't so accepting science and accepting evolution creates no conflict.

Almost all Christians accept most science to some extent. The scientific theories and ideas they have a problem with are for the most part, the ones they simply don't understand. I have never met a Christian who doesn't accept evolution who actually understands evolution.  

Answer 7

Most people that believe in evolution don't believe in the supernatural.

Answer 8

Sorry....you're confusing me.....

If someone believes in god, 'he' supposedly created earth with his magical powers, or whatever......not science. If you believe in science.....you believe that earth EVOLVED.....it was not 'created' or 'made'.

Answer 9

People that don't believe in evolution consist almost entirely of people who don't understand it.  

Answer 10

Well Atheist means you oppose the thought or practice of religion.

So I dont think you'd have to be an atheist.  Maybe just agnostic ?

I duno, I dont see how you can fully believe in science if your a christian...because really, it disproves some of the main subjects in the bible.  But I think they just pick an choose what they want from science..so long as it doesnt contradict their faith.

eg: Im pretty sure they believe the earth is only like 6000 years old....meanwhile...its pretty well documented with basically 100% proof that it is much much older.   But Christians still hang on to that %0.000000001 chance that some how all these facts are mistakes.

Cuz ya, It'd suck to have your whole religion that you've based your life on to be disproven.

Answer 11

Great question Frater Pan. It's always the extremes, and our attempt to create dualities where none need exist that gets the most stars and comments here on YA. I'm guilty as well sometimes.  

Answer 12

Those types of Christians don't know the definition of evolution.

Since they make up definitions ALREADY, who knows what they think atheist means!

Answer 13

No Biblically based religion is compatible with evolution, due to Genesis 1:24. This, of course, means Genesis is wrong.