Belief in G-d versus evolution?

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At some point people should understand that there is no conflict between belief in G-d and acceptance of evolution as the valid scientific theory that it is. The conflict is because of certain religious beliefs, fortunately not mine.

“You will certainly not doubt the necessity of studying astronomy and physics, if you are desirous of comprehending the relation between the world and Providence as it is in reality, and not according to imagination.”~ Maimonides

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Type: Discussion • Score: 9 • Views: 14,018 • Replies: 118

@kk4mds,

Yea Kk, as you say, Hey! I had concluded that nobody else knew that but me

However by not explainin' xackly whatcha mean, you leave TAT wide open to write nasty repls

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Science does not mind if you believe there is a god. It has no bearing on the work they do.

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What's with all the G dash d stuff?

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I "up-voted" this thread, something I've never done before. That doesn't mean that I want to discuss anyone's imaginary friend superstition with them.

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@centrox,

That's how you write it if you're an observant Jew.

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Is an observant Jew one who pays close attention to the world around them?

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@jespah,

A writing group I belonged to was created by a Jew. He insisted we write it that way. He was quite creative. I didn't mind.

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@Setanta,

Yes. We work at stakeouts.

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@kk4mds,

kk4mds wrote:

At some point people should understand that there is no conflict between belief in G-d and acceptance of evolution as the valid scientific theory that it is. The conflict is because of certain religious beliefs, fortunately not mine.

In my personal conversations with God,
he doesn't come across as a young earth creationist.
Hope that helps.
Wink

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@Setanta,

Quote:

I "up-voted" this thread,....

History is made today, I'll feel uplifted for the next two weeks...

Quote:

That doesn't mean that I want ... superstition...

'Course not, Set, wouldn't tinkavit; but I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that you'lll never ever hear from me here, that is herewith

As a partin' gesture, Setana, jus' kiddin' a bit like here24

Oh, that was '...two hours...'
We love ya
'Bye

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@jespah,

jespah wrote:

That's how you write it if you're an observant Jew.

Not if you are Reform. The bulk of Jewish legal opinion agrees that the law applies only to the written name of God when written in Hebrew and not when written in other languages. Reform Jewish practice reflects this opinion. I broadly agree with Reform views on most topics, including this one.

I hope (I really hope!) you aren't going to say that Reform Jews aren't proper Jews?

I really like the "Rabbi, I Have a Problem" section in the (British) Jewish Chronicle, where readers' problems are addressed by an Orthodox rabbi and a Reform one. A couple of examples (answer summarized):

Reader: Can I have a Jewish funeral for my beloved horse which has passed away?

Orthodox rabbi: No.

Reform rabbi: Sure. Why not?

Reader: Is it part of my duty as a Jew to support the government of Israel?

Orthodox rabbi: The state of Israel is a reality and six million Jews live there. This does not mean the state of Israel is imbued with intrinsic sanctity (as some religious Zionists believe). Nor does it mean that the only place to live a fulfilling Jewish life is in Israel (as most religious Zionists believe.) It does not mean that one must slavishly support the policies of the Israeli government (as some diaspora Jews believe). Nor does it mean that one must conflate Israel with Judaism (the former is but the means, the latter is the end).

Reform rabbi: Identification with Israel can be taken to extremes. Putting attachment to the land over moral actions is breaking Hillel’s dictum and veers towards blasphemy. Alternatively, British Jews who make Israel their sole mark of Jewish identity and ignore all other aspects of Jewish life are also problematic. Balance is a much under-estimated religious concept, and applies here too.

I have a lot of time for both these guys actually.

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@kk4mds,

You are right, those are not mutually exclusive, but the nature for one argument (Evolution is a scientific hypothesis based on observation) differs substantially from the nature of the argument for the other (Dogmatic Religious belief).

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@centrox,

centrox wrote:

I really like the "Rabbi, I Have a Problem" section in the (British) Jewish Chronicle, where readers' problems are addressed by an Orthodox rabbi and a Reform one. A couple of examples (answer summarized):

...

Reader: Is it part of my duty as a Jew to support the government of Israel?

Orthodox rabbi: The state of Israel is a reality and six million Jews live there. This does not mean the state of Israel is imbued with intrinsic sanctity (as some religious Zionists believe). Nor does it mean that the only place to live a fulfilling Jewish life is in Israel (as most religious Zionists believe.) It does not mean that one must slavishly support the policies of the Israeli government (as some diaspora Jews believe). Nor does it mean that one must conflate Israel with Judaism (the former is but the means, the latter is the end).

Reform rabbi: Identification with Israel can be taken to extremes. Putting attachment to the land over moral actions is breaking Hillel’s dictum and veers towards blasphemy. Alternatively, British Jews who make Israel their sole mark of Jewish identity and ignore all other aspects of Jewish life are also problematic. Balance is a much under-estimated religious concept, and applies here too.

I have a lot of time for both these guys actually.

There's hope for Palestine, yet.

1 Reply

@centrox,

I should have written Orthodox/about half of Conservative. Mea culpa.

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@jespah,

Yeah, but gummint . . . that must not be very well paid.

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@kk4mds,

kk4mds wrote:

At some point people should understand that there is no conflict between belief in G-d and acceptance of evolution as the valid scientific theory that it is. The conflict is because of certain religious beliefs, fortunately not mine.

“You will certainly not doubt the necessity of studying astronomy and physics, if you are desirous of comprehending the relation between the world and Providence as it is in reality, and not according to imagination.”~ Maimonides

You are correct of course. But why then do so many religious people find their beliefs at odds with science?

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@kk4mds,

Quote:

The conflict is because of certain religious beliefs, fortunately not mine.

What do you espouse?

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@rosborne979,

Excellent point. Remember, it was the religious organizations (mostly led by the Catholic Church) . That fought for and had installed many of the Laws that forbad the teaching of Evolution at qll. The Butler Laws in Tenn, from whence the Scopes trial emerged as a" test case" were just an example of one such group of laws.
Science has been quite open to consider all kinds of options, from Theistic evolution, "special Creation", pangenesis etc etc. SCience loves to sit around and BS with people who have different (BUT NOT EVIDENCE_FREE). points of view.
Its the Constitution that cannot abide with sectarian views about what science "IS".

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@rosborne979,

rosborne979 wrote:

But why then do so many religious people find their beliefs at odds with science?

I think that's a cultural artifact, rather than religious.

Most of the practicing religious people I know personally, whether Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jain, Buddhist , Bahai or Jewish, are also either scientists or people who follow science closely. The majority of the people in my personal pool of experience are in Canada, Germany, Iran and Israel (or from those countries). Anecdotal of course, but I didn't have the experience of people being anti-science/anti-education until I visited sites like A2K

1 Reply

Belief in G-d versus evolution?

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