God and evolution (Evolution)

by Balance_Maintained @, U.S.A., Wednesday, March 29, 2017, 23:44 (2546 days ago) @ dhw

DHW

This is a different and welcome approach to the subject, but it glosses over most of the problems raised by David’s reading of God’s mind. I’ll continue to wear my theist’s hat, but I can’t think of any way in which to bring our three approaches under one umbrella except by asking some questions. I’ll cut out references to evolution, at least for the time being, since you don’t believe in it.

1 Do you think God’s only purpose in creating life was to produce humans, and everything else was related to that goal?

The Bible refers to all of creation as a gift for his son. I think THAT is the ultimate purpose. We are PART of that purpose. To rot that thought, just prior to the flood, Jehovah is said to have regretted creating us, and was going to wipe us out, which to me indicates that we are not THE purpose for everything. That sentiment is simply hubris.

2 Do you think God specially designed (by preprogramming or dabbling) the weaverbird’s nest, the monarch butterfly’s lifestyle and the fly’s compound eye, and he did so in order to “prepare” the way for humans, or to keep life going until humans arrived?

These features are not completely unique. It is my opinion that, like any good designer, he found solutions to problems and implemented the where appropriate, allowing those solutions to vary within established parameters to make them viable for the broadest range of circumstances. The creatures themselves each fit into a larger web of life and fulfill roles within that organization. These features were merely supporting optimizations.


3 Similarly, do you think that all extinct life forms, lifestyles and natural wonders were specially designed by God and related to the goal of producing humans?

No. I DO think humans were integral to the plan, but it s not follow that everything done was done for our benefit. I think much of it was done with the goal of creating the homeostasis needed to subplot ALL life, which we happen to benefit from. Being a manager of a company doesn't mean that all of the employes, jobs, roles, tools, and functions are expressly for your benefit, but you WOULD still benefit from them.


4 Assuming God is purposeful, what do you think was his purpose in creating humans and all the creatures under human subjugation.

We are a gift for his son. We were created as caretakers for earth and its inhabitants. Even the angels were created to perform certain tasks and functions. Why should we be any different? If an atheist has no trouble believing we exist for no purpose at all, is it so hard to believe that we DO have a purpose, and that the purpose is at once beautifully simple, fulfilling, and elegantly complex?

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What is the purpose of living? How about, 'to reduce needless suffering. It seems to me to be a worthy purpose.


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