(July 7, 2012 at 4:55 pm)jerNYC Wrote:Quote:I am not throwing God into evolution. We can both affirm that evolution happened in the exact same manner. You seem to think from the data of evolution I infer God, and then conclude that this inference is unjustified. However, I infer God on other grounds, and from the properties of God and the data of science would conclude that God planned evolution to happen. I don't feel the need to say that God tinkered with evolution. I would say that he set up the dominoes so that the random mutations he wanted happened. This would be before evolution ever occurred, perhaps even at the big bang.
When you state that, “I infer God on other grounds, and from the properties of God and the data of science would conclude that God planned evolution to happen” you are in fact, “throwing God into evolution.” The “properties” of God that you mentioned are vague enough to let you impose God onto evolution, the big bang, and any other natural process you please. However, you can’t actually explain God’s involvement in any of these phenomena. You can’t rationally explain how, “God planned evolution to happen.” This is merely an unsubstantiated claim and we just have to take your word for it that God was involved.
The reason I believe God planned evolution is because I believe he exists and he created mankind. I believe these things on the grounds of the personal experience of God. I am not arguing for these things though. It feels like you are expecting me to present evidence for God, and then concluding my belief in Him is rationally unjustified because I cannot present this evidence. If this is the case, I reiterate that I am not trying to prove to you God exists. I am, however, defending against the case that I am being irrational. About the vague definition, as I said earlier, it is also possible that God was defined too narrowly because of the arrogance of mankind, and not because of God. It is also true that around 1000 AD we see Thomas Aquinas define God in a similar way, and I would also think that this is how philosophers defined Him. However, many of these definitions are consistent with the Christian God even though they do not enumerate all of His properties.
Jer, it doesn't seem like we are getting anywhere, and I don't feel that you are really understanding my logic. Given the amount of time it takes to give a response to a post of this length, I need to really think if there is value in responding further.
