Re: Evolutionary mechanism GOOD??
Robin Mandell (rmandell@jpusa.chi.il.us)
Tue, 05 Jan 1999 18:59:15 -0600
At 06:29 AM 1/5/99 -0500, George Murphy wrote:
>Mark Phillips 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.
>>
>> We also observe human suffering today which is the direct result of
>> the mechanisms of genetics. Genetics is responsible for quite a bit
>> of variation of offspring. Sometimes this results in people with big
>> noses or eyes which are two close together etc etc. These people are
>> viewed as less attractive and thus are less likely to find a mate.
>> The more extreme the abnormality, the more unattractive they appear
>> and the greater the chance that they won't breed. This mechanism
>> ensures that the human race stays relatively healthy and functional,
>> but it comes at a cost. How many people have suffered great pain
>> because the variation of genetics dealt them a body which was not
>> attractive?
>>
>> It is one thing to say that all this pain and suffering we observe is
>> the result of the fall. It is quite another thing to say that this
>> "life", and the creation of it, is precisely what God refered to as
>> "good".
>>
>> Would anyone with a Evolutionary Creationist perspective care to
>> answer the above objection?
>
> My ride to the airport will be arriving soon & I've still got to get
dressed!
>So quickly, take a look at the exchange between myself and Fred Van Dyke
in the March &
>June 1986 Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation) (now
Perspectives on Science &
>Christian Faith) - one piece by each of us in each issue. In his 2d he
raises some of
>the same claims you do & I respond (successfully I think!). Briefly,
creation of life
>via suffering extinction &c bears the same mark as resurrection of the
crucified,
>justification of the ungodly & creation out of nothing.
> George
>George L. Murphy
>gmurphy@raex.com
>http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
Hey George Murphy I don't have access to those journals but would like to hear
your replies sometime.
Andrew