and if so is evolusion become their god and charles darwin their prophet? every day there are more and more athist coming onto the religion and spirituality section tring to convert everyone to there beliefs and belittling everyone else's that it seems to me they have actually developed a religion . what do you think? and sorry for any misspelled words or bad grammer.
130501
That is an oxymoron, unless I am incorrect in my definition of a religion.
474889
If religion started from ignorance, and philosophy evolved from religion, and science evolved from philosophy, wouldn't science be a form of ignorance?  All three have evolved with Man's increasing sophistication.  At first we had gods for everything around us, then we made them more manlike, then someone (maybe Abraham) introduced the concept of one all powerful God.  Even our understanding of God grew more sophisticated when a rabbi named Jesus integrated post-Socratic Greek philosophy with Judaism more than five centuries before the birth of Muhammad.\n\nFor all your rants, you cannot say where the universe came from.  If you say the Big Bang, that not an answer.  It is the manifestation, not the source.
455313
Let me guess, you are another integrity-challenged redneck looking for "I agree, evolution is stupid"... well sorry to disappoint.\n\n1) Why did you forget to say "did God create itself from nothing?" Otherwise, who knows.\n\n2) As it happens speciation has been observed yes. And, of course, the fossil record shows "one species becoming another" in droves.\n\n3) Well over the past few thousand years we HAVE evolved resistance to a whole host of terrible diseases. Seems like we have a lot fewer problems there.
615276
Agreed.  They both can be believed together.  This is another point of evidence that the Fanatics on all sides are the one's making it difficult for others to be open minded.  You have certain Atheists who claim Evolution proves there is no God (Evolution does no such thing... it is not out to prove or disprove the supernatural.)  And then you have those Christians who claim that Creation could not have come about thru Evolution.  Which merely shows me that, though I'm not exactly super-intelligent on the subject of Evolution, but even I know better than to make silly statements such as these.
324818
While it's certainly nice to want to embrace some of the tenets of Christianity the cost of actually believing is far too great.\n\nI could never put aside my belief in reason and embrace intolerance just because some book has levied a threat against disbelief.\n\nEvolution is undeniable. We see it at work every day. Dog breeds, anti-biotic resistant strains of germs are both evidence in favor of evolution. I know, I know microevolution versus macroevolution. However, seeing it in any capacity lends credence to the greater argument. \n\nOur knowledge base is still in its infancy. Six-hundred years ago the Earth was flat and the center of the universe. Now we know better. What will we discover in the next six-hundred years?
185486
People did not evolve from apes at all.  My beliefs tell me that God created all things and nothing evolved from anything.  If you want to know where you came from and what your here for I URGE you to go to fathersloveletter.com and watch.  TRUST ME!!!!  You will never have any questions about creation, apes, or what u are here for at all.  Good Luck and God Bless
100242
I think it's so funny that so-called scholars believe in evolution.  I say let them believe, that just shows how stupid they are.  If evolution were true, I ask who caused it to start, I would still give God the credit.  If there was a "big bang", then it was God that caused it.
396590
I could have written this question myself, and I look forward to your answers received.  I too am of the mind that it is what we are taught, and in the worst cases what we are taught to fear the questioning of.\n\nI always thought it would be an interesting (although possibly psycologically cruel) experiment to take a child or two from each of the major religions and raise them with no mention or concept of "god" or religion.  Would the develop a belief of their own?  At least it would be interesting to see what an intelligent person would lean toward if they only learn of the concept of god after growing to an age where they can decide on their own.\n\nI feel that is what I did, but in reverse, and it sounds like what happened to you as well.  As I got older and learned more about our world, I found that I didn't really believe what I was taught all my life.  Frankly, I don't feel the need to believe in a god or religion.\n\nI believe in being a good person as much as I can be, and that is fundamentally based in not causing other creatures intentional harm and living a moral and decent life.  Very similar ideas to what most religions teach.\n\nI also think it is a fine line between a religion and a cult.  Religions just have broad acceptance.  Kind of like if in 3000 years, the Branch Davidians were the most popular religion and David Coresh is referred to as Jesus is today.  Obviously that won't happen, and I really only used that example because I think it is the one most people will know of whom I am speaking.
213895
Sure, that's what God is. Continual evolution. Just look at the past few hundred years. Have not humans evolved with our discoveries and ways of thinking? I dont think you could just say that is made from order and chaos. It is creative. Life is creative and evolving, therefore God made evolution so humanity can continually change and improve itself.
633312
Hello friend,\nBashing religions are very common these days and while I think the question you posted is not actually a question and more like a comment on religion, I would like to talk about it.\n\nWe usually forget to make difference between the religion and the follower of that religion, for example if my sister can't drive and I hand her my brand new car and she crashes it, am I supposed to blame the car company for not making a crash proof car and call it a "no good" car?\n\nIf you want to know about religions then pickup the scriptures and read them and then decide what is wrong and what is not.\n\n2nd common thing I have noticed in religion bashers is that they say "religion brought all the violence to the human kind". I say, if the religions are really this bad then name few civilizations that existed in the past which were not violent and were successful.\nI on the other hand can provide you a great list of civilizations from the past that were religious AND were successful.\n\nAs a matter of fact, the most violent time for human on this earth started right after the Darwinism which pointed directly and indirectly about human races differences are actually part of evolution where whites with blond hair and blue eyes are most superior kind of human evolution. \nNo wonder Hitler had ranches where he was "breeding" the superior humans for his army.\n\nAnother common practice I have noticed from religion bashers is they either posses no (complete) knowledge and know about only one religion and based on that, they claim all religions are evil.\nJust because one or 2 religions are nonsense doesn't grants one authority of labeling all religions. Pickup the scriptures and spend some time with them. Ask questions, find answers, counter-question those answers.\nIf one can spend 28 years to become a doctor and must follow the text in order to become a good doctor then what is wrong with picking up a book for that may help you become a better human being?\n\nI personally am a Muslim and the reason behind it that I asked questions and found answers. I have studied Bible, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Parsi and Islamic scripture and then picked what I believed to be helpful for me to become a better human being for myself, the people around me and the people in this world.\n\nI hope you will open up your heart and try to understand where I am coming from.
593533
Not sure if there will be a next big one...religions as a whole are dying as we become a more enlightened and scientific species...every generation produces more rational thinkers and skeptics who recognize that there is no true religion and that religion has served it's purpose (i.e. run it's course) for humanity...with a little luck, a few millennia from now we'll be all the way there...
91426
"Dr" Hovind is a complete charlatan, and the arguments as far as Earth's rotation and the distance to the moon are fradulent.\n\nIn any case, I know a number of people, including one who is a priest, who believe in both God and evolution.  In this viewpoint, God is more of a supreme architect who created the basic structure of the universe, and evolution is one of the ways in which this universe operates, giving rise to life in all its complexity.  It's a reasonable viewpoint, given that you can neither prove nor disprove God.  Personally, I don't find God necessary, so I don't include such a being in my view of reality.  Can I prove this?  No, not really.  But a believer in God can't prove to me that this being exists, either.  As far as whether you're a creationist of an evolutionist, I'd say you're an evolutionist since you believe that life diversified through evolution.  Darwin was also a believer in God, although not a personal God you could communicate with.  His viewpoint was much more like the school of theological thought that was very popular at the time called Deism, which proposes a God that exists as a permeating force, but which does not perform miracles, or give prophecy to individual humans.  In other words they view God as more of a force of nature than an anthropomorphic God.   So, if the originator of the theory of evolution could believe in God, and felt that he was learning about the works of this God by understanding nature, then I'd say someone who believes in God and considers the process of evolution to be one of the achievements of that God is an evolutionist.  \n\nThe idea that a belief in God and acceptance of evolution as a scientific throught are impossible to hold at the same time is a straw man set up by religious con men who are mostly interested in controlling people's thought for the purpose of building up their own political power.  By creating a false dichotomy, they can get people to isolate themselves from other schools of thought, which makes them easier to control.
455971
THE EVOLUTION\n\n“I know that the word of “Evolution” has become an obsolete and worthless word in some circles of the people___ and they do frown even on it’s simple reference.\n\nYou will however surprise to know that I, not only, respect these friends and their feelings, rather, I agree to their viewpoint, to some extent, in the light of the current knowledge. Because they apprehend “Evolution” in terms of material or mechanical evolution whereas material or mechanical evolution is far different from that of the creative evolution.\n\nAn important source of Evolution is the Nature’s process of selection. Which is originally one of the laws of nature and a secondary cause, like the other laws of nature, as it’s Creator is again God.\n\nAll the species generated by this process are again the indirect creation of God as the Nature’s process of selection, itself, is not capable to create any specie. It simply admits some species to be nourished, leaving aside the others, to be withered and this process works under some hereditary variations. So___ the survival or removal of a specific specie, is never accidental as it is presumed by the believers of material or mechanical evolution”.\n\nThis very statement of Edward Luther Castle positively removes that superstition. Which has captured, not only, the materialists but the religious leaders as well. Who are still in it’s captivity even after the lapse of so many years. Dr. George Erl Devis, the physicist, writes:\n\n“As much as the knowledge is flourishing and the superstitions are being unveiled___ importance & inevitability of the critical study of religion & ethics___ is increasing day by day in the same scale.”\n\nThe physicist is hinting upon the urge of the “quest for truth and the specific process” which may bring forth, a suitable solution for the problems of life. Of course, we can not lead the life in a particular way unless we come to know the origin of life. What is the actual and factual truth? Only after positive cognition of the same, we can learn to lead the real life. And__ the same learning may, in turn, lead us to the aim of life.\n\nGeorge Erl Devis writes further:\n\n“The surprising scientific discoveries have produced certain indispensable questions. Though not so new, but their nature has become more changed, on account of___ the receipt of detailed information about cosmic system. And___ in any case____ man can not be held as excluded thereform. Among these questions, is the most important question___ upon whose answer is depending___  our aim of life and the system of our moral values. And___ that is the same old question that:\n\nIs there any Supreme and Sublime Source who is the Creator of whole cosmos and who could be surnamed as God?\n\nAnd___ thereby arises the other question, that if God has created us then who has created God? This question is usually raised by the children, in a highly logical air.\n\nWe can not deny the fact, that science has no convincing reply of the question that God is existing or not? Rather, science can never bring forth a scientific proof thereof.\n\nWe are breathing in such a physical universe which is running smoothly in terms of the pre-ordained laws of it’s complexed system. But, it does not mean that we can ever derive some information, through this very universe, about a thing, which is existing outside to this universe. Our universe is just like a room without any doors and windows. And even if it is having the same, then, such glasses are fixed therein that to see & understand the outside thereform is totally impossible. Whereas to see inside from the outside__  is almost possible.”\n\nAs we can not prove the existence or non-existence of God on the basis of science. So it is the all-alone way for us, that whatsoever stock of information we have, about this universe. We should derive a reasonable result therefrom. Such a reasonable result___ which could never be objected on logic
86972
No I do not believe I have converted anyone to my religion. Hinduism does not require people to make converts. As far as Hinduism is concerned every person will find the path that is right for them, that best represent their experiences of the Divine, and has the spiritual goals they desire. I am a convert to Hinduism, although I was not preached to by anyone. I met others from various different religions, learned about them, read texts, etc and Hinduism connected with me. When I am asked about Hinduism I always answer the questions, but my aim is not to convert the person but simply to educate them. If they should decide to research more on Hinduism and eventually convert (not that Hinduism has any universal official conversion process), then that is up to them. If I inform them and answer their question and they have no other interest in Hinduism, then atleast they have a question answered. Whatever religion, beliefs, spirituality, faith, etc they have is what is right for them. If they are searching, then I was happy to help them on their journey and can help them to other sites, books, people, etc within other religious and spiritual communities to seek other answers should they choose.
102314
Well... I know I'm gonna get a lot more hate mail than usual for this. \n\nFrom the Catholic Chruch rising to power, by the Romans (and I'm not saying just the Catholic Church, it's an example) To about the late 1900s, they have banded books, movies, msuic, etc. and in early times, even killed people, which is against one of the commandments for speaking against the Bible.  What they said is of basic fact today.  More people are except science, because it make more since, there is PROOF it is there.  Like creation.\n\nIt is hard for some to believe that some being created a whole planet in just 6 days, and that 6 billion people stemmed from just two.   It makes much more sense that it took two billion years to create the earth, and we evolved from our closest genetic ancestor, apes. \n\nThere for more people are converting to science, not religion.
481041
Atheism has been around a lot longer than you think.When Jesus was doing miracles right in front of everybody,people still denied him or called him a witch.I think some of them even called him evil and the devil,but they were missing the point just like they are now.They didn't listen to what he was saying,just like they don't listen now.Why should anything change?Everybody wants it their way or no way,and you can't get them to have faith in anything,much less religion.\nPeople that don't believe and resort to heckling,are a lot of times people who hate authority,and do not wish to be taught.Some have prayed for something certain,and it never came to pass so people gave up.Some people have had religion shoved down their throats in their youth,therefore they become bitter toward religion.Some of them are very successful in their careers and don't feel like they need God in their lives,or say they just don't have time.The list goes on,and on.\nAs far as evolution is concerned,there are people out there who believe whole heartily that evolution is real.Tell them it's not,and they become defensive,probably not because they are being mean,so to speak,but you are pushing against the very thing that they rely on for reality.Just like someone heckling a Christian over their belief.Take away evolution,and that person has to finally face reality.Take away evolution and that person has to find another source for trying to disprove God.The reality is that there just may be a bigger picture to this lost and dying world whether they want to believe it or not.But after saying that,most atheists are going to heckle you even more,or ask questions to try to get you to screw up.\nAtheists still prove everyday that they are predictible.No answer is good enough.God could come down her and stand right in front of them and say "here I am" and they still wouldn't believe.I have even met atheists who would gripe if you hung 'em with a new rope.
208015
It is interesting that, with the exception of the Mormons (an off-shoot of the Christian religion), no major religion has been formed since the age of modern science. Think about it! All major religions were created before people knew that the Earth is round. There was one fellow in Texas that tried to start a new religion. His name was David Koresh. We know how that turned out.