Why are Christians against evolution?

[Cleanthes]

Hi, here goes.

I'm a philosophy and theology student in the UK, and the more I study the more I struggle to understand why (some) Christians have a problem with evolution. I think there's no reason why we shouldn't come at it looking at the evidence like everyone else - and there are much more important things to worry about! I thought I'd investigate some of the reasons and try to put together an article on why Christianity doesn't require a rejection of evolutionary theory. Basically, I'd like to look at the arguments for a Christian rejection of evolution one by one and dismiss them. The ones I've come up with so far are:

1: Evolution contradicts the Bible ('we can't say the earth is 6000 years old')
2: Evolution insults human dignity ('we can't say we're different from animals')
3: Evolution defeats arguments to design (we can't say 'God made that!')
4: Evolution leaves no room for the doctrine of the Fall (we can't explain where right and wrong come from)
5: Religion and Science are naturally conflicting ('whose side are you on?')

So my questions are: Have you come across other arguments for a Christian rejection of evolution? What are they? Why do birds, suddenly appear, every time, you are near?

Thanks, much appreciated.

Cleanthes

[leo-rcc]

Good question.

Well basically, if Christians accept the ToE, that means the whole Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve never happened, which means there is no original sin therefore the whole Jesus dying at the cross to absolve us from original sin makes no sense.

That is in a nutshell the whole anti-evolution argument.

[Cleanthes]

That's what I'm trying to get at in point 4 - some people think if we accept evolution we can't explain where sin comes from/started. This puts it better though, thanks.

Any others?

Cleanthes

P.s. When you talk about original sin, it sounds like you might mean inherited sin. Original sin is about humanity's general sinfulness & fallen nature, which began with Adam. Inherited sin is the idea that we all get blamed individually for Adam's sin, even though we didn't do it. I don't think inherited sin is right - it seems obviously unfair and I don't think it fits with the Bible. To be fair, there are a lot of Christians who disagree with me.

[leo-rcc]

No I meant original sin, because as you say:

Original sin is about humanity's general sinfulness & fallen nature, which began with Adam

If there is no Adam, there is no original sin, so no inherited sin afterwards either.

[Cleanthes]

OK, fair enough. I wasn't saying the argument isn't valid without inherited sin, I just meant to clarify because a lot of people conflate the two.
In hindsight, I sound a bit patronising there - sorry .

Cleanthes

[Kyuuketsuki]

When you talk about original sin, it sounds like you might mean inherited sin. Original sin is about humanity's general sinfulness & fallen nature, which began with Adam. Inherited sin is the idea that we all get blamed individually for Adam's sin, even though we didn't do it. I don't think inherited sin is right - it seems obviously unfair and I don't think it fits with the Bible. To be fair, there are a lot of Christians who disagree with me.

Adam and Eve are fictions (except for Mitochondrial Eve of course).

Kyu

[Cleanthes]

Oops, I forgot

Anyway, you're going to have to make concessions - my irrational brain can't keep track of everything at once!

[Kyuuketsuki]

Anyway, you're going to have to make concessions - my irrational brain can't keep track of everything at once!

Concessions? Such as?

Kyu

[Cleanthes]

Heh.

Well, coming from a theistic viewpoint I'm bound to make occasional slips like the one above - assuming that Adam and Eve existed etc.. I suppose among some of the Christians I'm used to talking to I can take that kind of thing as a given and get on with the discussion.
I'm not saying it's not valid to challenge me on it - of course it is, and it's very important to do that. Keeps me on my toes! I can't be making those kind of assumptions here.
However, if it happens every time I assume God exists or something for the purposes of argument/explanation, then things will tend to get off-topic very quickly and I'll get confused.
So I suggest a bit of give and take. I'll do my very best to avoid or qualify those kind of assumptions, but if one slips through the net you call me out on it without getting too cross with me!
I guess you could take this as a kind of general apology and plea for clemency in advance for those kind of mistakes.
To be fair, it's not as though you had a go at me above - I have no reason to suppose you won't be nice - right..?

Cleanthes

[lrh9]

I'm not sure why I'd try to convince anyone that evolution and Christianity are compatible.