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From: hua@cmu-cs-edu1.ARPA (Ernest Hua)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: re: Christianity vs Evolution
Message-ID: <407@cmu-cs-edu1.ARPA>
Date: Sat, 14-Sep-85 23:57:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: cmu-cs-e.407
Posted: Sat Sep 14 23:57:16 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Sep-85 02:38:54 EDT
Organization: Carnegie-Mellon University, CS/RI
Lines: 50

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> { From: jho@ihu1m.UUCP (Yosi Hoshen) }
>
> The moderator of the program concluded the show by saying that
>
>     If evolution is true then creation must be false.
>         If creation is false then there is no Adam.
>             If there is no Adam then there is no original sin.
>                 If there is no original sin then there is no
>                     need for redeemer.
>
> The bottom line is that evolution is the antithesis to Christianity.

The moderator is trying to prove that evolution is strictly a philosophy and
nothing else.  If he is correct in that sense, then the above chain of
if-then's could be argued.  He is wrong.

Biological evolution is a body of theories describing probable mechanism for
the development of biological organisms to the current state.  It is a
scientific abstraction of highly complex physical processes.  Its foundation
requires a rigorous definition of life forms in terms of physical qualities.

Creation is a _____.  (I hesitate to put a word on it at this point because
there are many appropriate ones depending upon your point of view.)  In
terms of science, creation is not valid in principle in the first place.
Therefore, there is no place for creation in science.

Christianity is a religion.  Religions conflict with science in, among other
things, that they freely recognize the magical and the supernatural as real
entities some times using them as foundations.  The idea of a set of one or
more superior beings is a popular one.  Creation is an idea in Christianity
that uses a single superior being (God) as a foundation.

As you have pointed out, the moderator expected to prove that evolution is a
philosophy.  I suspect that he wants to do so in order that he may begin
comparing evolution and creation on philosophical or religious grounds.  The
clear fallacy in the if-then statements above is the assumption that some
redeemer (Jesus) is needed.  Since Christ is an important foundation of
Christianity, I also suspect that the creationists' motives are purely
religious when the surface of their "research" is stripped away.

As I further think about this controversy, I am further confused as to why
any knowledgable person can talk about the two in parallel without tripping
over themselves.  The efforts of the creationists fail miserably because it
is impossible for science to make room for the magical and the supernatural.
______________________________________________________________________________

Live long and prosper.
Keebler { hua@gandalf.cs.cmu.edu }


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