Hi there!
So yes, I thought I would come to you first, with this (believers) - because it leaves something out, something to be desired. I am not sure what it was that was inspiring about this notion of "beating Evolution"; I have never really desired to 'defeat' almost anyone, certainly not since I became one among the believers. The point is, that Evolution and Creation can co-exist, just not on the terms of opposition that have been set out already. They (the Evolutionists) don't want a 'god', to Creationists leaving out God leaves out far too much. We know that God continues regardless - it's just hard to know how it is that He is bringing us together, when our mindset is so easily (and lightly) divisive.
We do not want to be divisive, but our opponents make deliberate claims about our integrity, that it is hard to ignore. The key to this, is to establish - meaningfully - that we don't want to be divisive! The best way to do this: is to stop looking for a sign that we have "beaten" Evolution - if we can show that restraint, maybe something that the Lord had to say, will shine through. I mean it's a possibility, right (that's what we want: a possibility - with God all things are possible*)? The point is we know what we would do, if we were trying to fight Evolution; if we were fighting Evolution, we would look for a sign, that it was failing or getting harder to understand or what have you?
I mean Evolution is defeating itself, on a regular basis: you can't attribute it to the individual, it has to come from monkeys, it takes billions of years - I mean the lack of probability that it is true, in the sense that it was intended, just goes up and up. Ask them what happens to a butterfly, if the butterfly's evolution goes the other way: they don't know! It doesn't become a caterpillar again, nothing. But herein is the difference, I am not looking for the butterfly to be an example of Evolution "being beaten" I want to understand what Evolution takes for a foundation, that is, that from which the sign develops, good or bad. If we had the foundation, we could argue the point that the possibility that Evolution may be ahead, not that we want it, but it seems that is what Evolutionists, are asking?
Jesus said the house divided against itself, will fall. That is still true today, as it was almost thousands of years ago. What I think Creationists are saying is, "there are structural faults in the house, get out while you can!" Am I right? I mean this is not something you evolve, it's something you avoid altogether! The predator is made of flesh and blood just as anything is; if the wolf licks the frozen blood, where a blade is concealed, the wolf dies giving the trap his own blood! If Evolutionists reject us that no sign that Evolutionists can be defeated is possible - we have their confession: "Evolution has no point!" I mean what is going to stop us, from going to the grave, with exactly this 'point' in mind.
I want to give Evolutionists time to defend themselves, just as I would be defended, what is disappointing is that the simplest, most graceful argument is a problem with our reasoning, not their sanity? I mean I get that nature is inspirational in different ways, the whole point is to get inspiration from God, for precisely this reason. Reason strengthens reason, assuming that sanity remains aloof, demeans the integrity of very sound words of faith, which could not be at all, if faith was in question. I mean Jesus really took the faith seriously - He didn't say "leave that, you'll never get fruit from that". No! You have to decide; character comes with struggle. The lens through which we view Evolution, does have to be defined. It's simply not possible that Evolution be true in all contexts, and not feed into a scenario where development is expressly against Evolution being anything but defeated - for example, in connection with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: how does Evolution contextualize with the fruit of this tree, if it does not at some point differentiate between good and bad Evolution (at the very least)?
So look, I have presented the reality that it is best that we not try and make a sign of Evolution's 'defeat'. This means embracing Evolution, teasing apart what it is that works (adaptation, generational integrity, trial and error science) and then asking what more can be done, to include those who include (as a rule). Evidently, there is something that can't be discovered, unless everyone is included - how we handle that as believers, is to say "Here is Jesus, our best!" and it is not hard to imagine that if Evolutionists wanted to, they could advance something similar. I guess that's why I came to you guys first, because I want my focus to be squarely on how Evolution responds to our Lord!
My life will be over, before any kind of sign (of Evolution's defeat) can be developed, I guess that's why I have found this concept (of not creating a sign) so easy and light. I really feel like Jesus wants us to show the love we had, first (and for that I am a slave). Maybe I am wrong, maybe the Lord was desperately bitter and beginning to be backward even seriously, about people's opinion and the Devil's lauding it over God - I just don't see anything but the Cross, Jesus putting a stop to blame (for which He takes first place!).
What I hope you see, is that this is concretely a desire not to "die by the sword" (as Jesus said we would (die) if we lived by the sword). I learned to identify signs as important, by turning the other cheek; now we have a concrete way forward: I think we should work with that?
God bless.
*As Jesus said, in the gospels.
So yes, I thought I would come to you first, with this (believers) - because it leaves something out, something to be desired. I am not sure what it was that was inspiring about this notion of "beating Evolution"; I have never really desired to 'defeat' almost anyone, certainly not since I became one among the believers. The point is, that Evolution and Creation can co-exist, just not on the terms of opposition that have been set out already. They (the Evolutionists) don't want a 'god', to Creationists leaving out God leaves out far too much. We know that God continues regardless - it's just hard to know how it is that He is bringing us together, when our mindset is so easily (and lightly) divisive.
We do not want to be divisive, but our opponents make deliberate claims about our integrity, that it is hard to ignore. The key to this, is to establish - meaningfully - that we don't want to be divisive! The best way to do this: is to stop looking for a sign that we have "beaten" Evolution - if we can show that restraint, maybe something that the Lord had to say, will shine through. I mean it's a possibility, right (that's what we want: a possibility - with God all things are possible*)? The point is we know what we would do, if we were trying to fight Evolution; if we were fighting Evolution, we would look for a sign, that it was failing or getting harder to understand or what have you?
I mean Evolution is defeating itself, on a regular basis: you can't attribute it to the individual, it has to come from monkeys, it takes billions of years - I mean the lack of probability that it is true, in the sense that it was intended, just goes up and up. Ask them what happens to a butterfly, if the butterfly's evolution goes the other way: they don't know! It doesn't become a caterpillar again, nothing. But herein is the difference, I am not looking for the butterfly to be an example of Evolution "being beaten" I want to understand what Evolution takes for a foundation, that is, that from which the sign develops, good or bad. If we had the foundation, we could argue the point that the possibility that Evolution may be ahead, not that we want it, but it seems that is what Evolutionists, are asking?
Jesus said the house divided against itself, will fall. That is still true today, as it was almost thousands of years ago. What I think Creationists are saying is, "there are structural faults in the house, get out while you can!" Am I right? I mean this is not something you evolve, it's something you avoid altogether! The predator is made of flesh and blood just as anything is; if the wolf licks the frozen blood, where a blade is concealed, the wolf dies giving the trap his own blood! If Evolutionists reject us that no sign that Evolutionists can be defeated is possible - we have their confession: "Evolution has no point!" I mean what is going to stop us, from going to the grave, with exactly this 'point' in mind.
I want to give Evolutionists time to defend themselves, just as I would be defended, what is disappointing is that the simplest, most graceful argument is a problem with our reasoning, not their sanity? I mean I get that nature is inspirational in different ways, the whole point is to get inspiration from God, for precisely this reason. Reason strengthens reason, assuming that sanity remains aloof, demeans the integrity of very sound words of faith, which could not be at all, if faith was in question. I mean Jesus really took the faith seriously - He didn't say "leave that, you'll never get fruit from that". No! You have to decide; character comes with struggle. The lens through which we view Evolution, does have to be defined. It's simply not possible that Evolution be true in all contexts, and not feed into a scenario where development is expressly against Evolution being anything but defeated - for example, in connection with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: how does Evolution contextualize with the fruit of this tree, if it does not at some point differentiate between good and bad Evolution (at the very least)?
So look, I have presented the reality that it is best that we not try and make a sign of Evolution's 'defeat'. This means embracing Evolution, teasing apart what it is that works (adaptation, generational integrity, trial and error science) and then asking what more can be done, to include those who include (as a rule). Evidently, there is something that can't be discovered, unless everyone is included - how we handle that as believers, is to say "Here is Jesus, our best!" and it is not hard to imagine that if Evolutionists wanted to, they could advance something similar. I guess that's why I came to you guys first, because I want my focus to be squarely on how Evolution responds to our Lord!
My life will be over, before any kind of sign (of Evolution's defeat) can be developed, I guess that's why I have found this concept (of not creating a sign) so easy and light. I really feel like Jesus wants us to show the love we had, first (and for that I am a slave). Maybe I am wrong, maybe the Lord was desperately bitter and beginning to be backward even seriously, about people's opinion and the Devil's lauding it over God - I just don't see anything but the Cross, Jesus putting a stop to blame (for which He takes first place!).
What I hope you see, is that this is concretely a desire not to "die by the sword" (as Jesus said we would (die) if we lived by the sword). I learned to identify signs as important, by turning the other cheek; now we have a concrete way forward: I think we should work with that?
God bless.
*As Jesus said, in the gospels.
