Why believing in brickmaking doesn't equal hating builders

Talking about creation and evolution tends to bring out the worst in some people. For some reason it brings out worse things in my fellow Christians it seems. Its weird you know, it almost never happens that an atheist would make fun of my faith or try to demean me – although granted, those people are out there. As a Christian who believes that evolution is a scientific fact I have found heaps of scorn and ridicule from other Christians though. In fact, I am currently shunned (yes, shunned) by a former member of my cell group for my views on the subject. I have to tell you, this debate has drained me because no matter what, we seem to be going over the same old ground over and over again and this is going nowhere.

It is as if there is this beautiful house with a sign next to it that reads “This fabulous home was erected by Bob”. I look at this and say: “Isn’t this marvelous? Just think how much work and planning had to go into getting this house to its current state! Foundations had to be dug, obstacles had to be removed and that was just to start the thing! Then they had to get cement and bricks, wires, pipes and support beams – do you know how much work goes into making just each of those components? Then it had to all be brought together here and put together exactly right just so we could have this beautiful house. I think Bob is a great builder!”

At this point my creationist brothers and sisters tend to intrude into my moment of awe and say: “What is wrong with you? The sign mentions none of that! How dare you suggest there was a “process” used by Bob? The sign clearly states that Bob “erected” this house, you just don’t want to believe the sign because you hate Bob! You probably don’t even think Bob exists, do you?!”

And so it goes. I have found that no matter what I say, no matter what scientific evidence and proof I point to, they will always simply try to wrestle the issue down to God vs Atheism. According to them, people who accept evolution also must hate God, hate the Bible and want to get rid of God and the Bible so they can live evil, lust-filled lives. Also people who accept evolution accept genocide, abortion, lawlessness etc – because of course they reject God and everything about Him. As in all things regarding this debate the facts do not faze them. Scientists are all part of a giant New World Order conspiracy to destroy faith in God – regardless of the fact that 70% of evolution accepting scientists are also religious. Certainly, many have used evolution to argue against the existence of God, but the one does not logically lead to the other. Certainly it has not for me.

Also, I do not believe that this means I have a lower opinion of God, quite the opposite in fact. Look what Charles Darwin wrote in the conclusion to Origins of Species:

“Authors of the highest eminence seem to be fully satisfied with the view that each species has been independently created. To my mind it accords better with what we know of the laws impressed on matter by the Creator, that the production and extinction of the past and present inhabitants of the world should have been due to secondary causes, like those determining the birth and death of the individual. When I view all beings not as special creations, but as the lineal descendants of some few beings which lived long before the first bed of the Silurian system was deposited, they seem to me to become ennobled.” (Interesting side note – noticed how he mentions belief in a Creator? Mmmm…)

I very much agree with his sentiment there. I think the amount of time, energy, difficulty and trouble that it took to make me via evolutionary means makes me far more special and worthwhile than I would have been had we just been poofed into existence by magic.

However I have found that it is pointless to try and explain this anymore. No matter what I say, to these Christians I have forever turned my back on God and the Bible (because I want to live a life of sin obviously!). I guess you call these things “irreconcilable differences”. I cannot ignore facts and evidence just to make my theology work – personally I would rather adjust my theology to fit with reality. I believe in a Creator and I accept evolution. I see no conflict here. I do not claim to have it all figured out, nor do I claim to understand it all, but I learn more everyday and plan on continuing to do so. So far I have found it completely possible to believe in God and accept what Science has taught me.