When all of the nonsense is removed, the core question comes down to what was the agent that started the process of Creation. For example, if one believes the Big Bang theory (which I do not), one either believes it happened all by itself, on its own, or that there was a Creator behind the process. It does not take a lot of intelligence to sort that one out.
Nope, I do not believe in evolution from species to species. I believe over time, there can be changes within a species, maybe even a genus. The Bible makes it clear God created creatures by kind.
Speaking as a former theistic evolutionist, IMO, the core question is whether
Christians believe that God created the earth and all it contains in 6 days or He didn't. I used to believe that God created the earth. That evolution, as I was taught for 50+ years, was how God did it. Believed that it, indeed, took millions of years to arrive at what we see today.
As it's already been told, I won't repeat all of what it took for me to do a 180 degree turn on what I thought I believed. Just say that it wasn't easy. (Just say, also, that much prayer was involved.) So firmly entrenched in what I thought was truth, it was like trying to reverse the direction of travel of the Titianic on a dime.
Reverse, on a dime, it did. A single paragraph in a study on why millions of years of evolution cannot explain deposits of oil and natural gas. The formation of same is in direct opposition to the old earth theory that evolution must hold. ie massive amounts of decomposing organic matter must be quickly gathered and put under tremendous pressure to create pools of gas and oil. What force could accomplish that? The flood recorded in Genesis.
When a basic underlying premise of a theory fails, the whole of the theory must come into question. A house cannot stand, in its entirety when supporting pillows are removed. Sampson proved that.
According to scripture, the flood was about a year in duration. If we believe that to be true, then why not believe the rest of the scriptures to be true, as well? In the Bible version debates one premise remains constant, regardless of which side of the issue is taken. God inspired the original recording of His word. Thus, God inspired Moses to accurately record the beginning - the creation. God created the world and all it contained in 6 days. Recording of the generations of mankind that followed creation gives an approximate date of creation.
Does some form of "evolution" exist? Yes, flu virus are continually evolving into new strains. Is that pillow strong enough to support the whole of everything needed to believe that what we see today took millions of years to come about? Are we so sure that carbon dating is without flaw(s) that it can be used as absolute proof that God used millions of years, instead of 6 24 hour days? At one time science taught that life could not exist at the bottom of the ocean due to pressure restraints and lack of sunlight. That is not the case.
As a side note, it's interesting to see how "evolution" is evolving, as well. At one time, it was thought that lightening strikes provided the electrical impulse needed to create life from the chemical mix (in sunlight) in the oceans. With the discovery that life can exist in the far depths of the sea, new theories are evolving that concludes life began in the depths rather than on the surface.
Although the discovery of hydrothermal vents is a relatively recent event in the history of science, the importance of this discovery has given rise to, and supported, new biological and bio-atmospheric theories.
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Günter Wächtershäuser proposed the iron-sulfur world theory and suggested that life might have originated at hydrothermal vents.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrothermal_vent
God doesn't change. His word doesn't change. Theories surrounding the whole scope of the evolution premise is changing - evolving. As Christians upon what pillows should our faith and belief rest? Isn't that the core of the issue? One that each Christian should decide for himself or herself.
In closing, two favorite Bible verses come to mind and into play. Proverbs 2:3-6 and 2 Tim 2:15. Believe those two verses, hand in hand, are why I'm no longer a theistic evolutionist.
Thank you for listening. :flower:
. I can be a little harsh towards people who arnt Creationists, (both Christians and atheists). Its the one debate that gets me pretty fired up if im not careful.