Re: Evolutionary mechanism GOOD??
john zimmer (jzimmer@therad.rpslmc.edu)
Tue, 05 Jan 1999 09:58:49 -0600
At 05:26 PM 1/5/99 +1030, Mark Phillips <mark@ist.flinders.edu.au> wrote:
>If one accepts the Evolutionary Creationist position that life as we
>know it was created by God through evolution, one must also accept the
>mechanisms involved as being good. In Genesis 1 we see that God was
>very pleased with his creation process, observing how good it was all
>the way through.
>
>It doesn't take very much zoological study to realize that the life we
>see is very much reliant on death and suffering. The entire food
>chain is based on the death of animals lower down on the chain to
>provide nourishment for animals higher up the chain. In order for the
>lion to live, she must devour the deer - a painful and horrific
>experience for the deer.
>
>Not only is this death and suffering a necessary part of the status
>quo of life today, it was also necessary in the very development of
>life. The reason the deer is so quick on its feet today is that less
>quick ancient relatives were devoured.
>
Reply:
Pain is a natural response - biologically designed to help
an animal avoid what needs to be avoided. Is the animal aware that
there is a function to pain or rather that pain functions?
Same with genetics, is our body aware of the function of genetics
or that genetics functions? Perhaps God made a functional universe.
Surely, we, who are not so functional, can look at the universe
and see the hand of God in the beauty and remarkable coincidences
that the universe (and the evolutionary record) afford. But then,
who are we to step away from the function of pain and the function
of genetics and say Oh, that's mean and nasty? From Jesus,
we learn to embrace suffering. And ironically, from that embrace
we find life. In a weird sort of way, suffering functions.
Ray
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