The Creation - Work of God or Work of Science?

[Daniel]

I pose the question of Religion vs Science to you all, and once again, I only ask for your opinion, so no death threats please.

Well, The Big Bang. HUGE explosion, and we're talking about an explosion that puts Hiroshima to shame. It created such heat that hydrogen and heluim atoms fused together to makes every single planet, comet, everything that out universe is made of. Yes, even those Burger Vans outside football matches.

But, the other side of the argument is this 'God' figure.

Everyone knows that God created the universe in 7 days (6 days if you really wanted to be picky) but this interpretataion of "7 days" is different among the different denominations of the religions.

So, what i want to ask is:

• Do you believe 'Creation by God' or 'Creation by Explosion'?
• Why do you believe that?
• Also, if you believe in the Creation by God, in what way do you interpret the meaning of "7 days"?

Thank you

[Katse]

I stink at these kinds of discussion but...

If the Big Bang was what started the universe, how was that possible. There was supposedly nothing there, then BOOM a molecule splits and the universe is made. I thought energy could neither be created nor destroyed.

[Juniper]

I personally don't see any contradiction between science and most religion. Religiously, I'm Christian (albeit liberal christian), and I consider Genesis to be more of a poetic book than anything; I've never thought the bible was made to be a textbook. I've always thought that, by definition, science is the study of nature and natural events, so therefore science could just be explaining how God did what he did. I try not to sweat things like that too much, I think a lot of supposedly "Opposing" issues can fit together just fine.

[Azerane]

I'm a christian and believe that God created the Universe, but I've never understood why people are always arguing over whether it was the Big Bang or God that created the universe. The reason being that in the Bible, it doesn't say how God created the Universe, all it says is that he created it. So it is possible that he created it using the Big Bang, and the time span of 7 days, refers to some long period of time.

So that's how I see it, so I'm on both sides really, hehe.

[TakaTiger]

Science > Religon..... nuff said

[Stormfury]

I don't have a problem with the framework of "The Big Bang Theory." But to answer question #one I'd have to say !yes to the BANG. I believe in it because I believe in cosmology, even if the date(s) are based on theoretical assumption. I do believe God (a god) created the universe and all its splendor. Though the time allotted is much more uncertain.

[Ashara]

Fully believe that God created the Earth. Everything in the Bible's true, and I don't question it. That's just me, though....

[Adrenaline]

Originally posted by Ashara
Fully believe that God created the Earth. Everything in the Bible's true, and I don't question it. That's just me, though....

Same here.

[nathalie]

I think even if I was religious I still wouldn't say that God created it all.

But since I'm not religious, I also still don't believe that God created it all.
Even though the Bible may say so. (but that, I think, is a total different subject/discussion).

Apart from that, I wouldn't really know what else could have made all this.

In school they have thought us 2 things:
* in "faith"-class: everything was made by God
* in history class: it all started with a big boom

I founded that rather confusing during my school days.
And I still find that confusing, also knowing that they still teach that in schools nowadays.
Because how can 1 or 2 teachers, give different explanations to the same class?

But that's just me ^_^

[Nephilim]

Originally posted by Ashara
Fully believe that God created the Earth. Everything in the Bible's true, and I don't question it. That's just me, though....

So you believe it's wrong to wear clothes made of more than fabric, and you don't leave your house during your period?

And um, I'll have to go with 'neither' here. I think I'll make up my own wonderful little world to live it; it's so much easier that way.

[Kintaru]

I believe the story in the bible about Adam and Eve was more of a way to explain the creation of the universe to a group of people who couldn't possibly begin to understand the big bang theory. And at the same time it presented a story that tried to give people a reason for all the pain and suffering in the world they had to endure.

So, I don't think the creation story in the bible is wrong, it's just different. Designed for a certain audience. Kinda like if your two year old asked you how the carborator on a 1974 ford worked.

[Neola]

Originally posted by ?nathalie?

In school they have thought us 2 things:
* in "faith"-class: everything was made by God
* in history class: it all started with a big boom

It's different here. In religion (the subject) they used to teach us that
the bible says everything was made by God, not that it's actually true. I think they're not allowed to make us believe anything even if we attend the class voluntarily.
Then, in biology (hmm, nope never had that in history...) they taught us evolutionism.

So you believe it's wrong to wear clothes made of more than fabric, and you don't leave your house during your period?

Haha, yeah, Neph's right. If you'd really stick close to the bible, believing every single word, you'd end up very confused (not saying that the bible "lies" in any respect). I believe we have to interpret and transfer some things and maybe leave a few out, like those Nephilim mentioned.

Then, to answer the question, I fully agree with Azerane here. God could have created the universe by evolution and 7 days could be...like 7 billion years or so. Would have to be a "both" for me.

[nathalie]

Originally posted by Neola
It's different here. In religion (the subject) they used to teach us that
the bible says everything was made by God, not that it's actually true. I think they're not allowed to make us believe anything even if we attend the class voluntarily.
Then, in biology (hmm, nope never had that in history...) they taught us evolutionism.

Yep, we got that in history classes, hehe.

Also, in religion class, they told us that Eve was born/made out of a rib from Adam?

How's that even possible *scratches head*


And after thinking about it again, Azerane's thought of it, I think that could be a possibility.

[Only-now]

It is very easy to interpret the bible as a set of guidelines, or stories used to allow us to better understand what the bible is trying to teach. Of course, then you have to look at whether there ever was any influence from a spiritual figure, or if it was just that. A set of guidlines and stories set up to explain to the rest of humanity why they should act a particular way that is then more beneficial to society in general.

Personally, I would have to agree with Pnt, in that I don't see how any theory of how the universe was created, and God having a hand in it all contradict each other. If I were to look at it from a religious standpoint, God created all that we see, as well as all the laws on how what we see works. So it isn't hard to imagine that God used a particular method to creat the universe. We still do not know what caused the big bang...so maybe when the Bible says that "Gos spoke and it was" is what initiated this whole chain of events.

~Kiva

[Neola]

Originally posted by ?nathalie?
Yep, we got that in history classes, hehe.

Also, in religion class, they told us that Eve was born/made out of a rib from Adam?

How's that even possible *scratches head*


And after thinking about it again, Azerane's thought of it, I think that could be a possibility.

Hmm...in history,they only taught us things they could actually proove, not theories...

Well the bible says that God took Adam's rib (he was sleeping btw) and made Eve out of it. Don't ask me how :S
But then again, if you interpreted it, it could make sense..I dunno

[Ashara]

Originally posted by Nephilim
So you believe it's wrong to wear clothes made of more than fabric, and you don't leave your house during your period?

And um, I'll have to go with 'neither' here. I think I'll make up my own wonderful little world to live it; it's so much easier that way.

Nope! I'm not that obssessive! I know a girl that doesn't leave her house when she's on her period because of that, though....Creepy.

[nathalie]

I don't leave the house eather normally when I have my period.
But that's just because I feel absolutely crappy for 5 days :s

(oookeeey, that was totally off-topic *lol*)

[Neola]

Originally posted by Ashara
Nope! I'm not that obssessive! I know a girl that doesn't leave her house when she's on her period because of that, though....Creepy.

Lol, is she going to school?

Originally posted by ?nathalie?
I don't leave the house eather normally when I have my period.
But that's just because I feel absolutely crappy for 5 days :s

(oookeeey, that was totally off-topic *lol*)

Yeeees, it was
Are you ever leaving your house, btw? (I mean apart from buying icecream ^^)

___________
Ok, sorry, I apologize for joining the offtopicness, I'm really really sorry, and I'm talking about REALLY REALLY sorry

[Titunen]

Hmm.. I do not believe in god. And I have to say I don't understand how the big bang could not be true.

Well think about it, it's said that the bang was some sort of a fission, meaning that a huge amount of very solid mass exploded into little pieces. And there's also fusion.
I'm not very good at explaining this, but doesn't it then mean that it's possible that before the big bang, there was something else, something similar to what we have now, and it got into this solid "lump" by fusion and then exploded into our world.

It still doesn't say how it all started, but I think it's a lot better answer than any gods.

[Nephilim]

Originally posted by Neola
Then, to answer the question, I fully agree with Azerane here. God could have created the universe by evolution and 7 days could be...like 7 billion years or so. Would have to be a "both" for me.

Hmm, interestingly, in the Qu'ran, the creation story says that the earth was created over seven periods of time, but tends to be translated as days. Which is unfortunately... but yeah, have to be careful with the Bible, because of so many years of mistranslations and interpretations taken as truth. Plus, the Bible was written by man so long ago, when we did not understand all we do now (i.e.--the Earth is not the centre of the universe) so the stories are very simple, passed down myths at the end of the day-- not kidding either, I can relate so many Bible stories to ancient Greek literature.

Oh, and the Adam and Eve idea? Just think of all the incest that brings up.

Ashara: "Nope! I'm not that obssessive!"

Well, then you hardly believe all the Bible says. Or at least, you don't put it all into practise, right?