all 28 comments

[–]christnmusicreleases[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (27 children)

A Christian girl, Rachel Whitaker (Jordan Trovillion) goes off to college for her freshman year and begins to be influenced by her popular Biology professor (Harry Anderson) who teaches that evolution is the answer to the origins of life. When Rachel’s father, Stephen Whitaker (Jay Pickett) senses something changing with his daughter, he begins to examine the situation and what he discovers catches him completely off guard. Now very concerned about Rachel drifting away from her Christian faith, he tries to do something about it!

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (26 children)

Why do mainstream Christians hate the idea of evolution?

[–]christnmusicreleases[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (7 children)

Wrong frame of debate. Society always evolves, but species don't beget new species. Macro vs micro.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

but species don't beget new species

We can measure the changes in DNA now.

All cells constantly mutate. Our activity creates specific forms of stress. Under this stress, cells less compatible with it die faster. If you persist in doing something, the stress applied to your body is always the same, and like certain terrain helps creatures develop certain traits, all cells in our body develop traits beneficial for our actions as well. This way, multicellular life forms can direct their evolution.

New species? There are people and animals with newly developed unique traits. Viruses and bacteria constantly drastically change themselves. The length and structure of DNA, the amount of Chromosomes change. What kind of specie would be new enough in your eyes?

The church accepts gays and trans, any popular madness, but evolution, nooo, better die. Why can't they just claim that evolution is the tool of God and continue doing their thing?

[–]Vulptex 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

That last part is usually not true at all, those 3 things are literally their worst enemies. Actually they're starting to go backwards and even starting to say non-whites and women are inherently bad. That's not like them though so I suspect it's a reactionary thing.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Actually they're starting to go backwards and even starting to say non-whites and women are inherently bad.

Define they. All major versions of organized Christianity have been moving towards globalism for quite some time now, Russian Orthodoxy being the only exception.

[–]Vulptex 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

They=most churches, especially in the US. It's gotten to the point where I think all they care about anymore is political slapfights and Puritan-American tradition.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

If you say so.

I don't have the stats. I only hear about it when yet another religious organization bows down to political pressure.

[–]Vulptex 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

That's the nature of organizations, what'd you expect?

[–]christnmusicreleases[S] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

What you are describing is microevolution, also known as variation outside of the theory of evolution.

There are limits in genetic variation. The expression of DNA varies. Traits can change within a certain degree. But they do not transcend set boundaries. We have no species which beget new species.

Churches should accept gays and trans, but not their sinful lifestyles, and they should not be giving positions of leadership if they live such lives.

[–]Vulptex 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (17 children)

Right idea for the wrong reasons. Evolution is inherently evil because it draws from what's bad in the world. The idea is that the lucky ones with the best traits survive and everyone else is screwed, either living a miserable life or dying early. Then there's also malevolent utilitarianism, where you get the most useful traits for survival of the species rather than to live well. This is where you get sexual dimorphism, racial differences, and just hardwired genetic traits in general. And racists and nazis LOVE evolution, because it sides with their only-the-best-matter rhetoric.

However most of what you will hear is just fundie snark. Several decades back there was a debate about what should be taught in schools. It's still going on, and all they're concerned about is winning and proving they're right.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (16 children)

the lucky ones with the best traits survive and everyone else is screwed

But it isn't random. Your actions and habits put your cells under selection pressure. Evolution rewards those with steady hearts and good morality.

Accept God and evolve, lol. You could make a religion out of this.

[–]Vulptex 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (15 children)

No, evolution would reward those with the genes best at reproducing. If anything morality makes you worse off in its eyes, it's a fight to the top, if you win it's at someone else's expense.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (14 children)

No, evolution would reward those with the genes best at reproducing.

In a land with free food. But such a land is destined to become a death trap, anyone with a brain would escape it as soon as possible. And when food is scarce, mindless reproduction leads to ruin.

morality makes you worse off in its eyes

How so? The amoral degrade, the faithful keep evolving. The judgement day is a question of time.

if you win it's at someone else's expense

Children inherent from their parents. Violence creates the seed of its destruction.

[–]Vulptex 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (13 children)

In a land with free food. But such a land is destined to become a death trap, anyone with a brain would escape it as soon as possible. And when food is scarce, mindless reproduction leads to ruin.

People who get food first survive the longest to reproduce more, no?

How so? The amoral degrade, the faithful keep evolving. The judgement day is a question of time.

In a battle to the top the amoral win. It's just the state of this world, you cheat and win, play fair and get crushed by the cheaters.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (12 children)

People who get food first survive the longest to reproduce more, no?

Yes. And their children will keep fighting. Every surviving creature, big or small, will grow better at reproduction and murder. Until the land becomes so deadly it's completely random. A death trap.

In a battle to the top the amoral win. It's just the state of this world, you cheat and win, play fair and get crushed by the cheaters.

A cheater born among the honest will win. He will tempt other potential cheaters. Then, they will begin building their own doom.

Game pieces can't cheat. We can choose our type. But we aren't the one who decides the rules and moves the pieces.

We can keep a desire in the heart. We can't force you mind to restructure itself in accordance with this desire. This just happens, a process we don't initiate and can't control.

The body follows the mind, the world adapts to the shape and actions of the body. But the exact way the world reacts, we can't control.

[–]Vulptex 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (11 children)

Yes. And their children will keep fighting. Every surviving creature, big or small, will grow better at reproduction and murder. Until the land becomes so deadly it's completely random. A death trap.

That's the idea. Evolution supposedly boils down to randomness, and the best results winning out over the worse ones. I told you it's evil.

A cheater born among the honest will win. He will tempt other potential cheaters. Then, they will begin building their own doom.

Game pieces can't cheat. We can choose our type. But we aren't the one who decides the rules and moves the pieces.

We can keep a desire in the heart. We can't force you mind to restructure itself in accordance with this desire. This just happens, a process we don't initiate and can't control.

The body follows the mind, the world adapts to the shape and actions of the body. But the exact way the world reacts, we can't control.

Okay, but that's got nothing to do with the concept of evolution.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (10 children)

evolution supposedly boils down to randomness

Those who evolve at random, would be the first to die out. All cells constantly mutate. Our actions and lifestyle put all cells in our body under directed stress. Cells incompatible with our actions die faster. Compatible cells, prosper and multiply. This way, our evolution is not random.

Those who just endlessly run in circles won't win, even if they are in the lead. They'll only get better at running. Cheating can make one the first. But in this endless race, there are no victory conditions.

Controlled evolution is the way. Morality gives us more control over it.