Is it normal for my belief in biology to overcome my belief in religion

Faith by definition is a complete disregard for logic and rational thought coupled with total and utter submission to an untestable and unprovable entity. Much like the voices in a disturbed persons mind faith bears remarkable similarities to a variety of mentally unstable conditions.

What does it mean to be saved? Saved from what? What a ridiculous, boneheaded and uneducated ritual.

Faith by definition is a complete denial of logic or rational thinking. It is complete and utter submission to an unprovable and untestable idea. Faith by definition is remarkably close to mental illness.

Don't worry; this just means that you're intelligent.

I have always thought that creationism and evolution sound very similar if you don't think of the creation story as word for word. As an evolutionary biologist, I know that the progress of evolution is still largely a black box. It is clear that organisms have evolved but the order of events is still largely a mystery. As for the creation story, it is not important whether the order of events are perfectly accurate. It simply means to tell us that God created many types of organisms over a course of several "days" (keeping in mind that the concept of a day did not exist during the time of creation so it could mean any length of time).

I have always thought of it as God setting up a train of dominoes (of course, metaphorically). The dominoes represent tiny evolutionary changes. The direction that each domino falls determines the next domino that will fall, and that one the next, etc...until a series of evolutionary changes is created. God spent 6 "days" setting up the dominoes such that bajillions of possible evolutionary routes were possible. Each day He focused on a different group of dominoes, representing plants, animals, sun, sky, etc. Then He pushed over the first domino and the creation of life began. During the whole process, God could alter the evolutionary route to His liking by changing the "wind". In evolutionary terms, I mean He controls the physical environment, and knows how changes in the environment influence the path of evolution. By doing this He could fine-tune His design. God's design of this evolutionary path was ultimately intended to culminate in the creation of the human race. When the human race finally came to be, God rested, and at this moment He gave humans the responsibiliy to nurture and protect His creations by their own free will. To help us out, He sent to us Jesus Christ. If we followed Jesus' example, the world He created would forever be at peace. Unfortunately, not all would follow Jesus' example, and it is this digression that results in the opposing interests that lead to war.

There is no actual evidence that god exists...let's see so an 80 year man built an arc and gathered two of every single animal on the planet... Uhh no it's bullshit. People who believe in a higher power are just ignorant and gullible they believe what their preachers and others have told them so athiesm is the way to go

God is biology!!!!

I studied biology extensively before I was saved later in life. And one question that stumped me was why couldn't God create evolution as the way for us to be? I don't see why that can't be what He wanted. Evolution by itself is an amazing concept that required miracles of biology. Why can't this be Gods way?

Oh gosh someone who actually looked at both sides. This is a miracle. Also to the OP I would advise you to NOT write about your religious opinion on this site.

Since although this site is suppose to be a safe place to ask your personal question that will open you to bullying and constant harassment. Very sorry to say religion is not safe here and calling someone religious is an insult on this website.

Also I was from a religious household as well and did not find it logical. So I just figured everything in the book was probobly just a metaphor or real events that were misunderstood by people who did not have a very good understanding of the world before. Also when I say reject I do not mean one should follow religion. Just that everything of religion should not be rejected as stupid. Since morals is something they teach in all religion. If you have no morals you are an immoral person and no one likes those type of people.

However I will say most religion teaches you a good set of morals that most people should follow. Like "Dont cheat, don't lie, don't steal" things like that. Yet by completely rejecting religion, claiming it is bad you are simply admitting you are an awful person and you think being an awful person is a good thing.

So while some of the stories are not provable I think some of the lessons taught in most religions is a very good message. Though I do not agree with all of them. I also think that people should have a right to believe whatever they want long as they don't hurt anyone DESPITE the general belief of most people on this website.

Yes, it's normal to not be an idiot. Congratulations.

Honestly, it's preposterous to think that one day God just decided to create life. There are so many scientific explanations for the origin of life while religion just goes by faith and beliefs. I'm not saying I don't believe in God, but I find it difficult to believe that he created everything.

Okay I understand how you feel. I'm a Christian and I'm working on my phD so I've studied way more science than you and totally agree that the more you learn about the universe the more it seems that God doesn't exist. However as a fellow educated Christian let me say this. Since God is an all powerful, all knowing Being whom created the universe (which is true btw) does it make sense that us humans with no power and finite knowledge wouldn't be able to connect the dots to see God's presence in biology? God's reasons and actions defy human understanding and so does His universe. Just because you can't see God's role in your pre-med studies doesn't mean it isn't there. If Jesus walked the earth today He probably wouldn't use parables about mustard seeds to explain the kingdom of God to us instead He would use parables about nuclear fission.

You cant prove god wrong, and you cant prove him right, but sometines just believing makes him real. (Kill the elder)(southpark)

i dont see why people can't believe in god, but not beleive in the christian creation story (which is obvious bullshit) i mean, god might have set everything up, and then things carried on on their own, like he created the universe but then evolution took it's course (i dont beleive this, i'm just suggesting)

Well, there are many creation myths about the alleged origin of our home planet. However, it just so happens that the Jewish myth is the popular one for the moment in western culture. You are wise to see through the myth. People who insist on the literal interpretation of Genesis are being willfully ignorant. When will humans stop worshiping gods?

LOL! This topic makes me remember an episode of South Park I saw once. Anyhow, um... No one can really decide for you. You either believe in a higher power or you don't. But just because you believe doesn't mean you have to trust the Bible's every word. Here's what I beleve: There is a God, but he designed the world so that we can grow and evolve. Maybe it was His plan for us to crawl out from the primordial ooze on three toes and a finger and evolve from there.

It's "extensive".

I lost my faith in religion when I started studying science and mostly the universe and how absolutely big it is for one "being" to control. The best thing I could suggest thinking about, although it doesn't work for me as I have long since gave up with religion as a whole, is that god created the world and even life to function and evolve without his help.

Maybe with time, he wanted to see things expand through evolution and to eventually learn and see things that he never thought of. It is okay to believe in "Creationism", although I don't but who says it isn't BOTH ways instead of just one of the two?

Woops isn't :p

Just because you don't believe in the Christian god doesn't mean you can't believe there's a higher power. Being agnostic is the end of the world or your life it's realizing what you've been taught through family may not be right. Enjoy your newfound unsure beliefs and find one that fits the hole and if none do you can always just be good for goodness sake. I think that as long as you're a productive positive careing individual only good can come of it. Live each day postitivly and enjoy every minute. You only knowingly live once and that I think we can all agree on is a miricale.

What's wrong with believing in God. I don't think religion is the cause of wars, I think it's peoples ignorance and greed that does that

Ok being "saved" Is such bullshit. There is no higher power to go to and there is no god. Religion is all bullshit and is the cause of almost every war. And that just means ur agnostic but u should be athirst cuz there is no god or any higher power so u were no "saved" thts just what they told u to brainwash u into believing in god

I was saved when I was 12 and was brought up strict born again baptist/Christian. I am however an athiest today and am raising my children as such. I have atudied creationism and evolution and for me, the decision was fairly easy. When you look objectively at both schools of thought, as hard as that can be, only evolution truly makes sense. After that realization, it gets harder to believe in a higher power at all. There's nt much room for intelligent design there! Is a tough spot your at and all you can do is gather more info and decide what is right for you. Try not to let other people influence your decision as this is a deeply personal one. Best of luck to you!

Well I have think about it all the time. I am the opposite, I grew up with no religious pressures. I have always questioned everything and the bible doesn't add up for me. However I have studied the origins of the universe to great extent and I feel like pulling my hair out 'cause we shouldn't be here. Our universe had to have been spark by something. The anthropic theory is something that has always found it's way into theoretical sciences. Check out the book by Leonard Suskind. The Cosmic Landscape:String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design. Let me know what you think

I'm exactly the same way. I have explored both views of how life was created and after that I went with science. I feel that science has the most logic to it. I know that I can put my faith in science and I will never be let down by it. For this reason I have also chosen to be agnostic.

If you have this question then obviously you are not ‘saved’ as you mentioned. Maybe baptized, but the two are different. When a person is ‘saved’ they become one with the body of Christ, and any question of this nature will not need to be pondered upon; because your faith will answer the question. You see, faith, ‘saved’, creation, & trust, all are at peace with each other.