tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6101204157340256325.post5947245581119498051..comments2019-07-24T21:04:29.287-07:00Comments on The Monday Mike Chronicles: Scientists, Jesus, and freaks.ML1959http://www.blogger.com/profile/09421334989785130215noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6101204157340256325.post-84184283495469861012009-04-12T20:43:00.000-07:002009-04-12T20:43:00.000-07:00Gently, Gently as we say. My opinion is that there...Gently, Gently as we say. My opinion is that there is some truth in every religion and probably no true truth in any. Unfortunately, religion is a dangerous thing. Spirituality, however, need not be,Tevahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17468651033816377828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6101204157340256325.post-7291169559655462712009-04-05T07:21:00.000-07:002009-04-05T07:21:00.000-07:00I think this is an interesting point, and one that...I think this is an interesting point, and one that ties in with an issue I've had with the Creationism/evolution debate. Creationism does not have to be a religious notion by any means and, in fact, can tie in with evolution.<BR/>My favorite thought experiment on this matter, first told to me in a class entitled "Does God Exist?", is as follows:<BR/>One morning, you wake up and there is a nativity scene, or what looks very much like one, formed in ice on your kitchen window. Now being the skeptic that you are you bring in a team of scientists who give you a very detailed analysis of wind currents, the effect of sunlight through the trees, and icicles melting to explain why this phenomena has come about. You also bring in a group of religious men and women who tell you, well it's a sign from one god or another. <BR/><BR/>This scenario of the ice nativity scene is not a logical impossibility. (re: Grilled cheese with Jesus' face on it).<BR/><BR/>I bring this thought experiment up because it relates to issues such as the evolution of the eye, and creatures such as the Bombardier beetle. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombadier_Beetle<BR/><BR/>The issue at hand, to me, is Occam's Razor.<BR/><BR/>...Not that proving the existence of a god is necessary the simplest explanation.<BR/><BR/>...and not to say that I'm at all decided on the matter.<BR/><BR/>...But I do like the idea of the divine nature of evolution.Jacob Feldmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15127302459999862986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6101204157340256325.post-52580390200299380212009-04-05T05:46:00.000-07:002009-04-05T05:46:00.000-07:00Interesting thoughts, Mike! Very thought provoking...Interesting thoughts, Mike! Very thought provoking...talandisjrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16639759651608916155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6101204157340256325.post-9736904260887602902009-04-04T18:03:00.000-07:002009-04-04T18:03:00.000-07:00Mike, I think you've hit it right on the nose. So...Mike, I think you've hit it right on the nose. So many people (faithful Christians at that) are caught up by this notion that "either Creationism is true or the Bible is false". What people not realize is that the Genesis creation story is ultimately about relationships. What is the relationship of God to the Created universe? What is the nature of man's relationship to the universe? what is man to God? These are the questions I believe we need to ask when reading Genesis. Ultimately, in terms of Biblical Criticism, it's about genre, which determines how it is to be understood.<BR/>Now that said, I do have one point point of "clarification" perhaps is the best word. I would agree that Jesus had (and not all XP's would agree, such as N.T. Wright for instance) a very developed awareness of who he was. I read you as saying this is what made him divine, and I would argue this is not the case. Ultimately, I think we have to take seriously the Incarnation as an actuality of history. Jesus' ultimate reality is Divinity Incarnate, made flesh, which is not dependant on his awareness of his origins. I'm thinking of the Prologue of John - The Word (Logos) made flesh. While others claim a certain amount of wisdom, none claim to be the fullness (pleroma) of God's Wisdom, and that has implications which I think most Christian don't even begin to understand (or could we ever?) <BR/>Have a good Holy Week see you on Easter. TJTomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02543252670429594174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6101204157340256325.post-59324604773615791002009-03-21T12:39:00.000-07:002009-03-21T12:39:00.000-07:00I too believe that we are evolving spiritually as ...I too believe that we are evolving spiritually as well as physically. It seems though that those who read the bible literally could agree that humans are evolving spiritually and still not believe in Darwin’s evolution.LD Peace Galhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08779652179829914191noreply@blogger.com