We've all heard this sentence before. "But evolution is just a theory". Even when taught the proper definition of the term "theory" when used in a scientific context, theists often struggle to accept evolution as fact or at least as the most reasonable explanation for the beginning of life as we know it today. Yes, it may interfere with their religious beliefs, but so did many other theories in the past that have been proven to be true. We know that the earth is not flat, but spherical. We learned that the earth orbits around the sun and is way older than 6000 years. Most theists accept that. Why is evolution such a big deal? I do not think that the theory of evolution disproves the existence of God. You can believe in God and accept the theory of evolution. Is it because they do not understand the concept of it?
What are your thoughts on this?
(P.S. English is not my native tongue so I apologize for any grammatical mistake that I may or may not have made.)
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Blaze Gatonio
I think it has to do with either of the two creation stories from Genesis 1 or 2. Their hangup is on god creating the first animals, humans, and plants.
That's true, but the Bible also says that the sky is an ocean, but of course that is just a metaphor, right? Well, why isn't the creation story just a metaphor? Many people who do not accept evolution rather believe that their God made the earth in 6 days. Is it because they didn't see evolution happen with their own eyes?
First, people that do not believe in evolution but have been educated on it, are in minority. With even the Vatican/Pope publicly embracing the theory of evolution, (they just give their god credit.)
I think lots of theist take particular offense on this is, that they are deeply insulted to think that their distant cousin is was a monkey, and that their grand (times 100 million) father was a single celled organism. Plus of course admitting to evolution pokes even more glaring logic holes in their holy babble.
Central concepts like: we have a soul, we go to heaven if we do not sin etc all start to get real murky. Admitting to evolution opens up a very icky can of worms of follow up questions to these theist.
@Blaze Gatonio: "why isn't the creation story just a metaphor?"
The creation myth in Exodus is too specific to be a metaphor. God creates plants, and birds, fish, animals, things that swim, fly, walk and crawl. But it doesn't mention microbial life, which was the only form of life for eons and still makes up a huge part of the Earth's biomass. It's not a metaphor. It's just plain wrong.
Gravity is just a theory too. Try jumping off a tall building.
Theists hate "evolution" because it completely dispels the theory that a god created everything.
True 'The Origin of Species' does not dispel the theory of a god, but theists don't even understand what evolution is. They ignore that DNA PROVES that evolution is a FACT!
Germ theory of disease is only a theory. Don't wash your hands after handling raw meat.