Quote:
Originally Posted by Old-Goat
Rival:
Evolution does explain the continued complexity of a thing but it can't explain the presence of that thing.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
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Evolution explains not just the continued complexity, but the increasing complexity. That means that *IF* god created life, the life he created was less complex than life as it exists now. Science shows us how much less complex when it comes to understand how far back we can trace evolutionary processes. As humanity has conclusively discovered and proven, either god created life as single-celled organisms, or god created a world with evidence to suggest it was older than it was. Such as buried bones for dinosaurs that never actually walked the earth.
Either theistic theory is technically valid. With the former, we still have much to learn from the world he created. With the latter, the question needs to be raised as to why god created such evidence in a young earth. With either, the path is clear: continue studying the creation he put before us.
Which is the same path as the non-theistic theory. The difference is that the non-theistic path makes no assumptions as to the nature of god. If god does actually exist, these people will arguably have the best understanding of his nature, through knowledge derived from the study of his works.
The lesson of the lightning rod is "Theistic theories can - and do - provide inaccurate depictions of the nature of god". The scientific theory of lightning is FAR more accurate than the understanding derived from the ~46 biblical references to lightning being a token of the wrath of god.
If god is directly responsible for lightning, the scientific theory gives us far more insight as to why God would use lightning than the previous, theistic theory that God heaved lightning bolts from the clouds to smite evil. The scientific theory tells us that God doesn't use lightning to exact vengeance on certain people and structures. If he did, we wouldn't be able to reliably protect people and structures from the effects of lightning.
Assuming god exists, the scientific theory of lightning provides MUCH greater insight into the nature of God than the theistic theory did. Similarly, evolutionary theory offers much greater insight into the nature of god than the Adam and Eve theory.
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