I'm a theistic evolutionist.

Author: Dynasty

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Dynasty
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Change my mind.

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@Dynasty
So you don't accept Evolution?
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@Dynasty
Change my mind.
What is a theistic evolutionist? Yes, I could provide a definition myself, but I find that theistic evolutionists are like atheists, there are no two alike. 

So please tell me what your understanding of this term means? Thanks in anticipation. 

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@Seth
I do accept Evolution.
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@Tradesecret
atheists, there are no two alike. 
Finally someone worked that out.

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@Dynasty
Obviously not.
See thread title
ethang5
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@Dynasty
What reason would anyone have to change your mind?
Dynasty
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@Seth
I have.
Dynasty
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@ethang5
Not sure really.
Seth
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@Dynasty
Your thread title is an oxymoron,
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@Dynasty
Don't worry about the threads title, the rest of us understand it.

Perhaps someone will find a reason to change your mind if you told us the basic beliefs of a theistic evolutionist and how it differs from a basic evolutionist or a basic theist.
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SO basically you're agreeing that evolution is a fact, but you think a god did it. Is that correct? Why would a god do that? Or need to do that?
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A Theistic evolutionists is what one has to call themselves because.
They believe in a god and they loveeeeeeeeeeee dinosaurs. ROARRRRRR.  

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Being a theistic evolutionist allows one to believe in God and David attenbrough. 
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@Dynasty
Change my mind.
The only difficulty here is the "theistic" part of your condition since nothing short of a full-frontal lobotomy would ever change the mind of a theist. The reason is that in order to maintain an idiosyncratic belief one must wear blinkers, so to speak, in order to block out any conflicting information.

Also, as we know, Churches tell their followers to remain stoic in their belief, and if you do so, it shows that you are a strong steadfast individual, not the weak, vacillating, impressionable geek that brought you to religion out of desperation in the first place.

The fact that you do accept evolution shows that you have peeked through your blinkers and that there is indeed light at the end of the tunnel.

You took the leap of faith which was obviously a wrong move and you have now put one foot forward in order to test the sweet fruits of freedom (reality).
Just bear in mind that if you really are going forward, one foot must follow the other and you will pull yourself out of the religious quagmire, never to return again.


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@Dynasty
It appears you and I have intersections. I call it creational evolution. I've heard others call it evolutionary creation, though that reversal of terms seems contrary to a natural order. I entirely concur with the language Darwin used in his last paragraph of On the Origin of Species, editions 2 - 6, mentioning that the Creator breathed life into one form, or into many. He did not acknowledge this in his first edition, having already suffered a crisis to what faith he had at the beginning, which wasn't much. Clearly, he held this added phrase in the rest of his editions for a reason, and IO don't buy that it was just to satisfy his wife's family, as charged by many, including the celebrated Richard Dawkins, who many here admire [worship?].
I believe creation continues to this day, via evolution. In this respect, I don't see science and religion as different coins, and not even as two asides of the same coin. I consider them as on the same side of one coin, and the other side are all those who deny one, but not the other.
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@Salixes
...nothing short of a full-frontal lobotomy would ever change the mind of a theist.
You said you used to be a theist. That really supports your full-frontal lobotomy claim.
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@Seth
atheists, there are no two alike. 
Finally someone worked that out.
LOL @ Seth.

You do realise that every person on this world thinks that there are no two people alike? 

I accept that there are no two atheists who believe the same thing just like I accept that there are no two Christians who believe (or don't believe) the same thing. Yet there are enough similarities about atheists to put them into a box and to declare they are a religion with particular doctrines. 

All Atheists don't believe in God.

All Atheists believe in evolution. (Whether it occurred here on earth or on another planet and was transported here by aliens is another issue) 

All Atheists believe that humans must make their own destiny. 

All Atheists don't believe in a judgment day, that occurs after death. 

All Atheists don't believe in an afterlife. 

All Atheists believe that once you die - you die. Full Stop. 

All Atheists believe that their position is superior. Primarily because they believe it is not rooted in superstition. 

And this is just a small sample. 

Christians believe some same things and some non-similar things. some Christians believe in Hell and some don't. some believe in miracles and some don't. Some believe the bible to be absolutely true and some don't. Some believe that you can pray to Mary and the Saints and some don't. 

The point is - Christians are still Christians whether they believe the same or not. In my church, there are as many differences as there are similarities. The primary things we unite on is Jesus. He is our Lord and Saviour. Everything else can be different. I prefer capitalism. My closest friends believe socialism. We have Labor supporters and Liberal supporters. My Christian cousin is a Greens supporter. Some of us disagree with abortion and some of us agree with abortion. Some of us agree with capital punishment and some of us don't. some of us believe in theistic evolution and some of us believe in full evolution and some of us believe in creation. Some of us go to public school. Others to private and others homeschool. some like guns - others hate guns. But we are united in Christ. 

Atheists are just as dissimilar - but they are share certain things - evolution is one - that death is the end is another. See above for others. 

My particular view is that atheism - is a religion. True it is not an organised religion - it is the quintessential paradigm of a non-organised religion - much like wicca or the older pagan religions. 


Dynasty
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@Seth
It's not an oxymoron
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@Dynasty
Change my mind.
Is there something wrong with the one you have?
It's not an oxymoron
Correct. The fact that evolution is an observable feature of reality is more or less unconnected with the question of whether some god(s) exist.
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@Dynasty
Which version  of evolution are you referring to?
Dynasty
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@secularmerlin
But, we have philosophical arguments for the existence of God.
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@Dynasty
If you wanted to discuss philosophical arguments for or against some god(s) why mention evolution at all? The two are completely unconnected.
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@secularmerlin
Two contradictory words used together is an oxymoron, the title is an oxymoron.
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@Seth
Evolution in no way contradicts all versions of theism.
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@ethang5
You said you used to be a theist. That really supports your full-frontal lobotomy claim.
You see, this is where you keep rubbing everyone up the wrong way with your constant misquoting and misinterpreting.

Now, if I were to play your game and and misquote and re-interpret just for the hell of it and to avoid the issue, I could say:

"Derrr Ethong, like I did not say that and you're a liar and a troll"

And I would be technically right since I didn't say anything.....I wrote something. But, not being a perpetual mischief I would not respond in such a way.

And my answer is:

Ewww Eyyy Sayyy old chap, it looks as though you have tripped the light fantastic and fell flat on your niewwwwze. Because what I conveyyyyed to yeeeew in faaaaact was that I used to geeeewww to Church yeeewww seeeee.

I waaas the little bugger who would fart on the wooden peeewww and drop marbles on the floor during services. 
And each time I read a passage from the Bible this little red man with a pointed tail would sit on maaaay sheullllder and saaaay, "No, no, don't succumb".

Seeewww old chap, by saying that I am a theisssst simply because I said I used to geeewww to Church earns you a right old clip over the ears.
Dynasty
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@Seth
the title is an oxymoron.
Not really.
Salixes
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@Dynasty
But, we have philosophical arguments for the existence of God.
And not one of them is nor ever has been successful.
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@Tradesecret
My particular view is that atheism - is a religion. True it is not an organised religion - it is the quintessential paradigm of a non-organised religion - much like wicca or the older pagan religions. 

And your view is completely wrong.

religion: "A state of life bound by religious vows" (Oxford dictionary)

You are deliberately stirring up hatred in others and you should refrain from doing so.
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@Salixes
You said you used to be a theist. That really supports your full-frontal lobotomy claim.

I didn't say anything.....I wrote something.

Because what I conveyyyyed to yeeeew in faaaaact was that I used to geeeewww to Church yeeewww seeeee.

by saying that I am a theisssst simply because I said I used to geeewww to Church earns you a right old clip over the ears.
Like you said, full-frontal lobotomy. Again your post supports your claim. You told us you use to be a "devoted" Christian.

That is the term atheists use to convince Christians they were really, really, once Christians. There were all so devoted!

I haven't a clue why you think your old posts of you lying that you were once a Christian will be difficult to find.

Anyway, when I told you that you were never a Christian, you got miffed and pulled out the "no true scotsman" fallacy on me. (was in atheist vogue back then)

So we'll split it down the middle. Some people require a full-frontal lobotomy to stop being a theist, others get it to address other mental issues like obsession and compulsion.

That way, you didn't lie, then or now.