Is Evolution a Dangerous Idea? If so, why?

Chew on this one, spendi.

On Sunday, worshippers will mark Jesus' resurrection, the event on which Christian doctrine rises or falls.

The cross is the most recognizable symbol of the faith.

Roman Catholics prefer the crucifix -- the cross with the body of Jesus still hanging on it. Protestants use an empty cross. Both branches believe in the death and resurrection of Christ; Catholics emphasize Jesus' death and suffering, believing it to be a more compelling visual reminder of his sacrifice. Protestants focus more on the resurrection.

Christians believe that when Adam ate the forbidden fruit, sin entered the world. The Bible says, "The wages of sin is death." The scriptures teach that God is holy and, therefore, unholy beings cannot live in his presence. Thus, sin causes not only physical death but also spiritual death -- eternal separation from God.

However, the Bible also says God loves his creation and wants none to be separated from him. He therefore instituted a means by which humankind can be reconciled to him -- a blood sacrifice. The Book of Hebrews notes, "Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness."

Under the old covenant, the blood of animals was used and atonement rituals were be performed. Under the new covenant, God sent his only son to die on the cross to make atonement for the sins of all.

But Christ's death was not the capstone.

Some faiths teach that the events of Jesus' life were real, but they do not believe in his resurrection. Others believe that Christ's spirit was raised while his body remained in the grave. But Christians believe in a literal bodily resurrection. Paul told the church in Corinth, "If Christ has not been raised [from the dead], your faith is futile." While the shedding of Christ's blood was necessary as a payment for sin, his bodily resurrection was proof that he had the authority to save humankind from sin.

Death is humanity's greatest enemy; it has and will conquer everybody. If Christ had not risen, he too would have fallen victim to death. However, evangelicals believe his resurrection marked his triumph over death and, consequently, over sin; it proved his divinity and sealed the atonement. Paul also says that Christ's resurrection gives hope to those who believe that someday they too will rise from the dead.

Christianity rests on Jesus' resurrection. The Bible teaches the way to be saved is to confess and believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead. Without his resurrection, the Christian has no salvation, no promise of eternal life and, ultimately, no reason for hope or faith.

Corey J. Hodges is pastor of New Pilgrim Baptist Church. He can be reached at

What was it Joyce had Leopold say about the matter at Dingam's funeral?

Which end is his head?

What an astute arguement. Clearly all the intelligence is on your side.

That tired old line has been discredited on half a dozen threads already.

Atheism is commonly defined as the position that there are no deities. Gee, I dont know..the definition disagrees with you. But that has never happened before has it ? It is idiotic to claim you have a different definition to a dictionary one. Perhaps you have a dictionary belief (from a dictionary, not an aetheist site) that agrees with you ?

Definitions of atheist on the Web: someone who denies the existence of god .

Another failure of your self proclaimed expertise **** for brains.

Ed, I dont think Christianity wants you. I simply want you to understand what you are saying, as clearly that is a problem for you.

You also cannot disprove billions of things that do exist.

Because it ties in with the topic..try to keep up.

Is that it? Got anything else?

This is how foolish your argument is....according to you, man knows everything there is to know, there is no new knowledge and armed with all knowledge it is possible to decide whether God exists or not. We cat even stop viruses, one of the simplest in nature but you claim we can stop God with your knowledge ?

I thought this was a seperate thread. You could have easily defeated me by now, instead you waste effort running away.

Well, I just walked into something unpleasant

That's a grotesque caricature of my argument and even a bit of creative ad-libbing. Certainly nothing I recognise.

Perhaps I was in error to attribute it to you, but it is certainly common amongst aetheists who by definition can prove God does not exist. You did say you are an aetheist arent you ?

This clown from Australia whose stock in trade is vile epithets for those who have the temerity to disagree with him is apparently not too damned literate. The subject of this thread is not atheism and its meaning at all. The subject of this thread is whether or not evolution is a dangerous idea, and if someone asserts as much, why they say so.

Ignoring his hateful idiocy about atheists is not "running away" from anything, it's just sticking to the topic of the thread.

If you dont think evolution is a dangerous idea for fundamentalist Christians and is used by aetheists to attack Christians then you know even less about history then the minimum I gave you credit for.

I am an atheist who said there was no need to disprove a figment of the imagination.

Evolution has never in circles that count for something attacked fundamentalist Christians. Evolution is a science that does not address religious questions at all. It has no dogma like religion has. That it answers questions with no regard for the Bible is not an attack, but simply the study of the facts as scientists find them.

Perhaps that is true, but fundamentalists certainly feel attacked by it. To them the idea is dangerous as it contradicts articles of faith. To me, evolution is science and I could not in good conscience discard it and keep a computer then I could kill and say murder is wrong. If one accepts science then it is all or nothing. There is no picking computers and cars and aircraft whilst saying evolution is wrong.

To me the only reasonable stance for a non-religious person is to be agnostic. Science may disagree with some interpretations of the Bible and whether it is litteral fact, but it does not suggest there is or isnt a God. Strictly speaking, science is neutral.

To say it is a figment of the imagination takes a leap of faith. Science can not prove there is no God. Science can not prove there is a God. So to decide requires a leap of faith. Or you can be agnostic, just like science.