[_ Old Earth _] The creation - evolution continuum

[Wertbag]

I've read an interesting article that points out that most people aren't even aware that there are numerous positions to hold when it comes to the beginnings of our planet. Most people think creo/christian vs evo/atheist are the only choices, but in fact there are at least 10 different beliefs (and probably numerous variations of those positions).

1 - Flat earth - The flat earth society has around 200 members. It represents the most extreme biblical literalist theology: the earth is flat because the Bible says its flat. Scientific views are of secondary importance.
2 - Geocentrists - Believe the earth is the centre of the universe, believe in literal translations of the Bible, disbelieve in most science.
3 - Young Earth creation - Believe the earth is 6000-10,000 years old by dating the biblical events. Believe in literal translation of genesis and the great flood stories.
4 - Old earth creation - Harmonizing creation with the scientific data so that creation occured but in the time frames believed by modern science.
5 - Gap creation - Belief that there is a gap between the literal readings of genesis 1:1 and 1:2. That the world was created, then time passed before the final creation in 6 days of mankind.
6 - Day-age creation - Belief that the 6 days mentioned in genesis are in fact long periods of time, even thousands or millions of years.
7 - Progessive creation - Believe God created the big bang and everything after is as He planned. Accept almost all science, just believe the starting point is God. Believe in microevolution but not macroevolution, believe God is required to start life.
8 - Intelligent design creation - Making no claims about knowing the how or where of creation, but attempting to prove creation in the complexity of life. The belief that life is too complex to occur naturally.
9 - Evolutionary creation - Believe in all evolution and modern science, believe that God created the big bang and everything progressed through natural laws from then on. God started the universe but didn't necassarily start life.
10 - Materialist Evolution - The common atheist viewpoint that both the universe and life are created by natural events and that no diety is required for either.

This list is very brief, but it highlights the vast differences in ideas.

 

[ThinkerMan]

Put me between 9 and 10, and "God" should be "god" in that reference, because it definately wouldn't be a Christian God based on that definition.

There is no more reason to believe in either 9 or 10, hence why I consider myself agnostic, not necessarily athiest.

More to the point, I believe it doesn't matter whether it's 9 or 10.

 

[Featherbop]

There are many positions of the same very basic veiw, but when it comes down to the basics, there are 2: God created, or noone created.

the others are smaller disagreements within the same basic beleif.

 

[Barbarian]

Put me in at 8.75. God remains completely engaged with nature, but does not "design."

 

[Featherbop]

Put me in 3,and parts of 4, 7, and 8.

 

[Arnold Philips]

I'm probably a 9 dead on.

What about all the other creation myths? My favorite is the Chinese creation myth. If I remember correctly, the creator god fashioned the Chinese people out of the finest, silkiest, smoothest, yellow and amber clay he could fine. After making the Chinese, he was tired, and so just dragged a rope through the mud and flicked the rope around, and so then you have all the other colors of the world.

 

[SyntaxVorlon]

The evidence points to 10 in my view.

 

[nekohakase]

I think I'm with the 4, 6, and 7 views.

they're all pretty similar, the ones I've mentioned above, aren't they?

4 - Old earth creation - Harmonizing creation with the scientific data so that creation occured but in the time frames believed by modern science.
6 - Day-age creation - Belief that the 6 days mentioned in genesis are in fact long periods of time, even thousands or millions of years.

pretty much the same thing above. Except the Bible could refer to stages in stead of days for the 4 view, and 6 requres that each "day" be a fixed peiod of time.

7 - Progessive creation - Believe God created the big bang and everything after is as He planned. Accept almost all science, just believe the starting point is God. Believe in microevolution but not macroevolution, believe God is required to start life.

This one is the same just minus the Bible. But even Macroevolution, I think, is feasable since God may have given guidelines and then let the chemicals develop on their own (like a scientist having designed the experiment to have a specific outcome)

 

[nekohakase]

My favorite is the Chinese creation myth. If I remember correctly, the creator god fashioned the Chinese people out of the finest, silkiest, smoothest, yellow and amber clay he could fine. After making the Chinese, he was tired, and so just dragged a rope through the mud and flicked the rope around, and so then you have all the other colors of the world.

: That's so funny! I like.

Haru