(Thank you, Melody, for suggesting this blog series— I quite enjoyed climbing up on my soapbox for this. It’s something I don’t get to write about very often. ^-^ And if you’re new here— welcome! Thanks for visiting my corner of the internet! :))
~
In which I rant about something I’m quite passionate about that has many, MANY misunderstandings anchored to it…
(Me, when I’m told that my faith is a “fairytale” and that I’m “brainwashed” :P)
(“Allow me to tell you a thing…” *grins*)
But first, I should probably explain briefly what it is. That might help. Ahem.
Biblical creationism is exactly what it sounds like: The belief that our world was created as the Bible clearly states— by God, in six 24-hour days, roughly 6,000 years ago. In other words, it’s the literal interpretation of the book of Genesis. Why is it so important? Because your interpretation of Genesis (and therefore the rest of Scripture) will shape your entire worldview.
As some people like to make very clear, this belief in the authority of the Bible butts heads with evolution, the most widely accepted theory of origins. And whenever something clashes with the mainstream, it becomes the catalyst for a lot of controversy. (But remember— just because it’s widely accepted, doesn’t mean it’s truth. Can I get an amen?)
And with that controversy comes quite a few stereotypes against Biblical creationists that I would really love to bring to light…
~
i. We are not too stubborn/ignorant to accept scientific fact. Quite the contrary— Christians and non-believers look at the exact same evidence; it’s a matter of interpretation that depends on the seeker’s worldview. For example, the Grand Canyon. And also– I know this is a long article, sorry ‘bout that, but it’s quite informative about both viewpoints on when and how the Grand Canyon was formed, which is an integral argument in the Bible’s favor.
ii. We do not believe that evolution is completely nonexistent; animals evolve within their kinds, but that’s it. For example— different breeds of dogs are running about all over the world. But all those breeds originally came from one canine. Not a different animal, like a fish or a gorilla. We didn’t come from apes or wheat or bacteria or whatever it is scientists are claiming currently. (I don’t even think the scientists themselves know. Heh.)
iii. Speaking of scientists: Not all scientists are anti-creation— just look at Ken Ham (the founder of Answers in Genesis) and this list of creationists, to name a few. Also— see these profiles of creation scientists and other epic Christians. John Ray (founder of biology), George Washington Carver, Leonardo da Vinci, and many more. So fascinating!
iv. We don’t think we know everything. We know all too well that we as humans don’t know everything— that’s where our faith comes in. Me? I don’t pretend to fully understand God’s motivations for creating us in the first place— but I know that He is good. I don’t know much about heaven at all— but I know that He is there and that’s more than enough. Besides, why would I believe in and follow a God I could completely comprehend? That would take away His godliness.
v. Our faith isn’t fairytales and mythical fluff; it’s actually quite reasonable, and if you’re willing to give an open-minded look at history and science you’ll see that. Science does not disprove the Bible. I can’t emphasize that enough.
vi. “You can’t use Christianity to explain origins and the natural world; that’s religion, not science.” Sorry, but that’s wrong. You can indeed be both a Christian and knowledgeable in science— again, see all the creationist scientists listed above ^^.
vii. Not all Creationists even claim to be Christians. I mean, it’s rather hard to have one without the other, but it does happen. (That’s mainly the old-earth creationists, intelligent design-ers, and theistic evolutionists though. Those are the people who believe in a Creator/divine Power, but not necessarily God or the Bible. They’re still choosing to believe man’s word over God’s— that’s what it all boils down to, when you think about it.)
viii. We don’t go around thumping our Bibles and refusing to listen to others’ opinions. Not all of us, anyway. I personally really enjoy having calm, intelligent discussions about this— but since I respect your stance, please extend the same courtesy to me. Or else I will begin to grow aggravated. And who wants that?
~
So… yes. I think that’s it for today. *jumps down from soapbox* 🙂
All this science-y stuff might be kind of confusing (trust me, it’s not my subject of preference either), so I’d love to talk about this further if you’d like! Just… no starting heated debates please. I’m not interested in those. If you believe differently, hey, that’s totally cool. But no amount of arguments will get either of us to change our minds, I reckon, so… shall we agree to disagree? 🙂 I would very much like to hear your thoughts though!
If you actually got through all this (and perhaps even clicked on a link or two?): you, sir or madam, are lovely. Thanks for reading, and I hope I’ve managed to successfully bust a few stereotypes!
(Wait, I just realized– P&P. Busting stereotypes. HAHAHA. Unintentional puns are the greatest puns!)
{love always, Em}
**note: All GIFS used are not mine. I am not talented in the art of GIF-ing. Credit goes to whomever took the time to make these!
{A Portrait of Grace} 