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We can agree to disagree on selective sensitivity within a discussion forum.

"I envision a world where all chickens will be free to cross roads without having their motives called into question."

I graduated from Loyola University and can tell you that the Jesuits are progressive (by Catholic standards) in their preaching and teaching. Perhaps that is why Francis is the first Jesuit pope. The origin of the universe and evolution were discussed in the required Theology classes and closely resembled the Pope's recent announcement. And that was in the late 60's. So hardly earth shattering news to some.

MESSAGE TO THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES:
ON EVOLUTION
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II* 22 October 1996** To Pontifical Academy of Sciences

"In his encyclical Humani Generis (1950), Pius XII has already affirmed that there is no conflict between evolution and the doctrine of the faith regarding man and his vocation,

Today, more than a half-century after the appearance of that encyclical, some new findings lead us toward the recognition of evolution as more than an hypothesis.* In fact it is remarkable that this theory has had progressively greater influence on the spirit of researchers, following a series of discoveries in different scholarly disciplines. The convergence in the results of these independent studies—which was neither planned nor sought—constitutes in itself a significant argument in favor of the theory.

What is the significance of a theory such as this one? To open this question is to enter into the field of epistemology. A theory is a meta-scientific elaboration, which is distinct from, but in harmony with, the results of observation. With the help of such a theory a group of data and independent facts can be related to one another and interpreted in one comprehensive explanation. The theory proves its validity by the measure to which it can be verified. It is constantly being tested against the facts; when it can no longer explain these facts, it shows its limits and its lack of usefulness, and it must be revised."


The Catholic church's recognition of the scientific evidence for evolution is not new. It goes back over 50 years. What this pope said is nothing new. It just has been magnified by the progressives in the hierarchy as a sign of a more modern church, and reviled by the conservatives who wish to return to rigid orthodoxy. But, it is nothing new at all.
Pope, evolution: Francis statement on science echoes earlier Church pronouncements.

It is a monumental task to gather all the theories beliefs,etc pertaining to creation spoken or written by men for men since the beginning of time. People once believed that the earth was flat and now we can launch a vehicle into space and see for ourselves that the earth is somewhat oblong. We create a history based on what we have discovered to date and speculate about what it means but we can never know.....at least as of today

It is good that religious institution are open to working with the scientific community. I say this because all over the world Jewish and Christian religions are being systematically dismantled not only by Europeans and extremist in the middle east but by atheists right here in America.

I was saddened to see Hollywood's depiction of Noah and have recently learned that the director (his name escapes me) but he is an atheist and has made a movie about Moses wherein he claims Moses to have been both a schizophrenic and very cruel.

I make this point to illustrate how just one man can change the conversation based on pure conjecture. This artistic license is irresponsible and very prejudicial but unfortunately there are no agency to regulate this kind of behavior

I like Don Rumsfeld approach:

There are known knowns
There are known unknowns
There are unknown unknowns
There are unknown knowns

When it comes to the big bang theory keep this mind;)

Jesus said in Luke 18:
 

8 Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Christian churches are being slammed as is the holidays of Christmas & Easter. Seems very strange to me that this generation knows more then the previous generations. Why has this all happened in the last 15 years? You can condemn Christianity and no one says anything but yet if you bring up the aggressive religions you are talking in hate speech.

If someone steals from their church it will hit every paper in the country enforcing that you can not trust Christian churches.

Talking about the big bang theory is just another way not to believe in the book of Genesis - the Jewish and the Christian 1st book.

...and the Earth is 6,000 years old?

Really? What a strange conclusion.

2 Peter 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

What do the Young Earth Creationists think about that? They believe every word as literal truth in the Bible and have their date of creation as about 6,000 years ago- with no doublespeak.

I believe every word in the Bible
 

Jesus is the WORD (and the WORD became flesh) and I believe everything it says. It is our manual for having a happy, heathy life. There is nothing in there that is wrong and prior to the last few years you would never hear there was. Jesus said to eat of his body - Bread & Wine. Read the WORD.

I wach the Big Bang Theory every evening and find it most plausable!!!

This thread is shortly headed to it's final perdition. Just a few more posts and people will begin talking trash because others have different beliefs.

We are still a Christian nation and under GOD.

I do have friends in The Villages who are Muslim and Jewish. Are they welcome in a Christian nation and free to worship as they please?

Can you find me a quote in any of our founding documents that declare that we are to be a "Christian" nation?

Well I really do not need to find anything as it is all around you. How many Christian churches are in the villages? Do a google search for Christian churches in The Villages or Lady Lake and then do the same thing with another religion. Everywhere you look is a Christian church - I am from a village up north and we had 20 Christian churches and no other religions were present.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
The word Christianity doesn’t appear even once in our Constitution.
It wasn’t until 1954 that the phrase “under God” was actually added to our pledge.

It apprears that your response to my question is no.

...

If you believe every word in the Bible, I assume you are OK with 1 Timothy 2:12

Pope Francis has just reiterated what has been Roman Catholic for the past 50 years or more, that the Big Bang Theory and Evolution are not inconsistent with RC doctrine. "God is not a magician" -his words not mine.

Of course God is not a magician!

He is the ONLY TRUE God of the Universe and is all powerful, sovereign and created the world by His spoken Word!

1st Day,God SAID, "let here be light" AND there WAS light!
2nd Day, God SAID, "let there be sky and waters" AND there was!
3rd Day, God SAID, "let there be Land, Vegetation and Seas" AND there was!
4th Day, God SAID, "let there be Sun,Moon,and Stars" and there was!
5th Day, God SAID, "let there be Fish and Birds" and there was!
6th Day, God Said, "let there be "Animals", "Man and Woman" and there was!
7th Day, God rested and declared all He had made to be very good!

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. I do not see problem with this! Let a women's husband be the head.

Taliban, Sharia law, fundamentalist rigidity and absolute certainty of only one truth, THE truth, THE BOOK, my GOD, and if you don't believe me, here are more lines from my BOOK. Oh sorry, that was the Christian bible, not the Koran, oh sorry, apologizing and bowing low.

Never be sorry for the TRUTH? When a man and a woman get married they become one. A true man of GOD would never hurt his wife because it would be like he cut off his foot!

You are right
 

You are, of course, right! God is NOT a magician. He is the Creator of everything. The Creator needs no magic.

Then Again
 

"If you are a true believer in the big bang theory, then you should know Creation took place, therefore there is a creator. Therefore, God exists!"

If Creation is dependent upon a Creator, who created the Creator?
If the Creator didn't require yet another Creator, but always existed, why can't this also be true of all Creation?

VERY true , God is NOT a magician. He is the only One who creates life from speaking His Words. Too bad there are so many people who believe the Pope.

There is strong evidence that there was indeed a Big Bang which would then seem to preclude an "always universe".

Nahh. It only begs the obvious question...what was before the Big Bang? Doesn't have to be nothing.

I don't agree thus completely refuting your statement. Your choice to speak in absolutes is congruent with the absolutist world view of ideologues. David Barton is hardly a source I would rely on for a history lesson. You may if you like but this Anyone does not.

You are confusing science and faith. Scientists don't believe in the big bang, they accept it, they understand it, they study it, they modify it, they analyze it. Belief is a religious term. Do you believe in gravity? Do believe in electricity? Do you believe in molecules or algebra or oxygen?

Science is subject to refutation. It proudly announces its weaknesses and asks that anyone who can further elucidate the unknown tweak the theory, do the work (mental and/or physical) and advance science. Religion can be rigid, denying refutation, it claims its own perfection, and it attacks in its more virulent forms, any attempt to be tweaked or advanced.

If you choose to "believe" in a creator that is certainly a common belief. But it is not a belief subject to testing, refutation or adjustment. Faith is not science, science is not faith. I don't understand why that is so difficult for some to grasp.

This thread is getting a little long in the tooth. Has anything been proved yet, one way or the other?

No, neither the "Big Bang Theory" nor the existence of God can be proved conclusively. In the first case, science can only take us so far and in the second case, the existence of God is based on faith.

:spoken:

While it does not have to be "nothing", many physicists have indicated that, based upon their mathematical models, there was nothing before the big bang. While math was one of my favorite subjects I am not a mathematician. I therefore rely on others for my evidence.

KeepingItReal, You mean that more than Thomas Jefferson were involved in the lengthy debates, articles and drafting of the Bill of Rights? Wow. Next you'll tell me the Constitution didn't really see the light of day until 1802 when Jefferson wrote his letter to the Danbury Baptists! Wow. :)