Are Evolution & Creation Compatible if Genesis is Interpreted Metaphorically

Faith & Science Conversation
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Which is just another way for the religion mongers to say that the whole purpose of creation is to glorify the religion mongers.

Of course I disagree.

The only sort of person who seek to glorify themselves are those with an inflated opinion of themselves who need the acclaim of others to prop up their delusions. While this might describe the religion mongers it certainly does not describe God.

God’s notion of greatness is COMPLETELY different…

Matthew 24:11 He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; 12 whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; 28 even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 11:27 and John 14: 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me?

Jesus’ character is clear and by it the character of the Father is revealed as well. The one who exalts himself is not God but the devil and those Jesus calls the “children of hell” in Matthew 23:15, the Pharisees and religion mongers using religion for this purpose and thus painting God in their own image to use for that purpose as well.

The purpose of creation is not for God to exalt Himself, but to be a servant of servant in caring for His children just as good parents are usually required to do. To be sure the parent’s hope is that some of this will rub off on their children so they would become great in the service of others also. And so Jesus said, John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do." This is the dream of every good parent, that their children will do even greater things than they have done.

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I don’t think that suffering and death resulted from A&E sinning, but because they had no remorse and as a result showed no good conscience. Adam blamed his sin on Eve and Eve blamed the snake. Neither took responsibility for their actions. Neither had any remorse and change of heart. That is why God didn’t forgive them but rather kicked them out to learn the hard way.

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My answer yes, of course, the writers of the Bible knew nothing about history, their story is just that; a foundation myth for establishing religio-political control of society, sating the genetic ‘moral’ taste receptor of the sacred with a myth of chosen people.

That is in full conformance with evolution.

As a rational person craving faith, wanting our little Earth local incarnation to be true, what’s the problem?

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Hear the angels sing of the King of kings
Who made Himself poor
See the mystery and the majesty
The Creator is born
Oh the Maker became a man
Let us sing what the angels sang

Glory to God in the highest
Glory to God in the highest
Our hope has appeared
God has drawn near
Glory to God alone

See the One who spans the heavens with His hand
With fingers so small
See this babe so poor all of heaven adores
He’s the ruler of all
Let us worship our humble King
Adoration we humbly bring

Glory to God in the highest
Glory to God in the highest
Our hope has appeared
God has drawn near
Glory to God alone

Glory to God alone

Oh the Maker became a man
Let us sing what the angels sang

Glory to God in the highest
Glory to God in the highest
Our hope has appeared
God has drawn near

Glory to God in the highest
Glory to God in the highest
Our hope has appeared
God has drawn near
Glory to God alone

I sing this. I love this song. I give glory to God alone. He is truly worthy.

But this doesn’t mean that this is what God wants. Thinking like that shifts the glory oh so subtly over to ourselves. I do not think any such thing. It is not what I read in the Bible either.

Isaiha 1:11 “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of he-goats.
12 “When you come to appear before me, who requires of you this trampling of my courts?
13 Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.
14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates;
they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes;cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.

But singing “Glory to God in the highest” is so much easier. I like to sing praise songs. But who is it really for? Myself. The same goes for all the religious stuff of every age. What does God really want? (hint: that would be the part in bold above)

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Seek and you shall find, my dear friend. Don’t stop seeking Christ. Don’t stop loving Him. And in the end, when all is said and done, I believe you will see His face. :slight_smile:

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Thanks Joshua. A surprising amount to deconstruct there.

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