I found this link while reading Paul Krugman’s blog at the New York Times, and it bothers me.
Do you believe Creation happened in the way Genesis describes it?
WARREN: If you’re asking me do I believe in evolution, the answer is no, I don’t. I believe that God, at a moment, created man. I do believe Genesis is literal…
I have had this argument who knows how many times with a number of people both on the internet and in person and each time I have the argument it baffles me how someone can deny that the theory of evolution is the best understanding we have of how we came to be.
Is the theory of evolution flawless? Of course not. But there is not a better explanation right now and we continually find new evidence to support evolution. Does it explain how the universe was created? Nope. But neither does the Bible (at least not in terms that any scientist can accept). Not understanding how the universe was created is not evidence of God and a blow to evolution. It is simply proof that scientists have more work to do and more discoveries to make.
So why did this come up? Because Barack Obama, who I voted for, invited Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inauguration, which will probably be the largest inauguration…ever. Do I like Rick Warren? Of course not. I think his words are full of bigotry and he - and his followers - are part of the reason I am so hostile towards organized religion.
I am not mad at Obama (some people are). I think Obama can be friends with Warren (just as he can be friend with Reverend Jeremiah Wright) without agreeing with every facet of Warren’s ideology. Obama is a Christian, and so is Rick Warren. They both believe Jesus Christ is their savior. That is okay by me, as long as they keep it out of the White House and out of public policy.
A lot of people voted for Barack Obama because he wasn’t going to run the same divisive, ideological White House that George W. Bush did. This is an example of that. Of course he is going to talk to people you disagree with - that is the point. He isn’t going to continue the tradition of partisan politics. This is proof of that, and I am excited that he is actually following through with his promise.
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I think it is funny how people like you call Warren a bigot simply because he disagrees the amorality that defines this generation. And to call him an idiot makes no sense…God has not been disproved. In fact, as you probably know, there are foundational laws of physics (2nd Law of Thermodynamics) that challenge everything that evolution maintains. Adaption - yes, amoeba>fish>monkey>man - no.
Rod - the 2nd law of thermodynamics does not challenge evolution, not even a little bit. First, it is related to energy - not the structure of living things. Feel free to read more about why you’re completely wrong here. Also, the “laws” of thermodynamics make up a theory. You seem to misunderstand the scientific meaning of the terms theory and law.
Warren’s belief in God is not what makes him an idiot. Calling himself a Christian and then judging others is what makes him a bigot.
I have to point out also that we didn’t evolve from amobea to fish to monkeys to man… Our common link with fish and amobea forked so long ago… evolution spans like a tree, not a linear line. Every organism now is the end of a branch of this tree, and where those two branches were once one can be as far away as the beginning of time.
Right on with the Rick Warren thing. With the anti-evolution thing, the best reply to that is no reply at all. The world has passed people like this up on the evolutionary ladder. What remains now is to forget they ever existed and let the whole strain just die out. That argument is over and done with.
Sorry,
I disagree with your take on Rick Warren. I met him personally and found him to be a very humble individual.
Most all great leaders have been deemed as controversial., even Christ himself . You can’t please everyone. Some will love you and some will call you an idiot.
Time will tell about Obama. Hopefully he will go down in history as a great President.