Comment on Dr. John Sanford Lectures on Inevitable Genomic Deterioration by Sean Pitman.
@pauluc:
If evil comes not from God but from Satan then is Satan a creator or an intelligent designer? We then no longer have one intelligent designer but 2.
There are billions of intelligent designers that we know besides God and Satan. Humans are intelligent designers as well.
Determining that intelligent design was required to explain the origin of a given phenomenon is not the same thing as determining which intelligent designer was responsible.
How do we tell the difference?
That’s much harder to do. However, the Bible is a big help in this regard in that the Bible explains what God is and is not responsible for. According to the Bible, God is not responsible for the existence of the suffering on this planet. We are responsible for it since we, collectively and individually, have rebelled against God’s will. We have separated ourselves from God and are now realizing the natural consequences of this corporate choice.
It is “natural” but is predation good or bad? It is clearly designed for a purpose and well adapted to that purpose. Is death good or bad? Is it the final enemy? It is certainly essential for life, sustainability and growth for carbon based life. Did satan construct the death pathways in a cell? Is the carefully “designed” system of evenomation seen in stinging insects, and reptiles a product of chance and degeneration, of God or of an evil intelligent designer or of the anthropomorphization of evil Satan.
You really think that death is in fact “good”? You see no problem with the death of sentient creatures of any kind? – not even humans? Do you even believe in an afterlife? – in a life after this one? If so, what’s the point of death for humans? – to only be raised again? What do you think Heaven is going to be like? What on earth are you looking forward to?
As far as I’m concerned, in no sense of the word is the suffering of sentient beings, humans or animals, “good”. It may be seen as a necessary evil in the current order of things, but that doesn’t make it any less evil. For all who are not sociopathic, the suffering and death of any sentient creature, the pain of a crushed bird or a severely injured dog, for example, calls for expressions of pity and empathetic pain on our part – and on the part of any good God.
No good God would ever deliberately create the current order of things for any reason. This is a horrible world in which we live. If the next life is also going to be based on the “survival of the fittest”, I want no part in it. And, I dare say that no one else with an ounce of ability for empathy with suffering creatures of any kind, would want to live forever under such condition either.
The Bible is far far more hopeful than the picture painted by Pauluc. The Bible describes the original world and the world made new as a place where there is no death or suffering for any sentient creature of any kind. That’s the world that the God of the Bible created and described as being “very good”. That’s the world that I’m looking forward to God re-creating.
Remember, we aren’t talking about the death of single cells or orange peels or apple cores here. We are talking about the suffering and death of sentient creatures who can experience pain, suffering, and the fear of death.
Do you think the Jesus you admire so much created such evil? Your Jesus did deliberately created this world of untold suffering and evil? – the same Jesus that the Bible describes as fighting so hard to alleviate suffering in this world? The same Jesus who did in fact call death the “enemy”? – the same Jesus who felt pain when he saw even a sparrow fall injured to the ground?
I’m sorry, but you have a very different picture of Jesus, and of God, than what I see as the God of the Bible…
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
Sean Pitman Also Commented
Dr. John Sanford Lectures on Inevitable Genomic Deterioration
@Ken:
Aside from the fact that science cannot definitively prove any theory, yes, a form of historical science can be used to test and evaluate Biblical prophecies. You have to know a lot about history though. You can’t simply read Daniel and Revelation and hope to understand what you’re reading unless you have detailed knowledge of the historical events being discussed.
I recommend you start with the “70 weeks” prophecy starting with Daniel 9:24. This prophecy precisely predicts the First Coming of Jesus as well as his death to the day.
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
Dr. John Sanford Lectures on Inevitable Genomic Deterioration
@-Shining:
I’ve been doing this a long time (almost 20 years now) and I can tell you that, as far as I know, no one has misunderstood my position as a young life creationist who also recognizes limited forms of Darwinian evolution…
This isn’t like accepting a little bit of Nazism. The Darwinian mechanism is given its name because Darwin really was the first to popularize it in published literature. Therefore, he deserves to have his name attached to the mechanism of RM/NS.
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
Dr. John Sanford Lectures on Inevitable Genomic Deterioration
@-Shining:
I’ve only been expaining why I say things the way I say them. I believe it is best to at least try to start off a discussion on as much common ground as is possible with those on the opposing side in a discussion… to openly admit those points, from the opposing side, that are actually valid.
As I see it, there is simply no advantage in arguing that Darwinian evolution is completely wrong – that I believe in no form of Darwinism. It’s just not true for one thing and admitting those things that the Darwinian mechanism can produce only adds to the credibility of the creationist position – in my opinion.
Sean Pitman
www.DeteectingDesign.com
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