Comment on Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation by Kip Coleman.
Let me make a clarifying statement.
My intent was not to come here and debate the individual points of specific texts.
Nor was it to debate whether or not God exists.
My point was to say that Walla Walla University, and other SDA institutions, should recognize that the knowledge we impart to our scientific students should be based on the scientific method.
If we allow religion– whatever that religion may be– to distort the truths that have been observed, tested, and utilized through the scientific method, then we are not teaching true science, and the degree holds less worth.
Table of Contents
Kip Coleman Also Commented
Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation
@Holly Pham:
Holly Pham: I’m disagreeing with you, since you seem to think there can be no “day” without a sun. There can be. The creation of the sun should have no impact on whether the earth had a “day” before the sun was created, seen, etc. since a “day” is based on the earth’s rotational spinning time.
No, I’m saying that you and I know that one Earth day is one rotation around the Earth’s axis.
No one prior to Galileo even knew that the Earth was round. So, now, what is the definition of a day in Genesis Chapter 1?
Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation
Holly Pham: Yes!Doesn’t the “day” refer to the rotation of the EARTH? Suppose the earth rotated around for about 24 hours, and we couldn’t see the sun, like on a cloudy day. Would there be no “day?”
Isn’t a “day” on Mars the length of its rotational time? Same with other planetary bodies, correct?
I can see where there wouldn’t be a “day” if there were no earth, but not because there isn’t a sun, moon, or other celestial body.
I guess I can’t tell if you’re agreeing with me or disagreeing with me.
I would assume that since the author had no knowledge that the earth is round… their understanding of a day would be vastly different than our own.
Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation
@Sean Pitman:
As an aside, the Bible doesn’t say that the Sun, moon and stars didn’t exist before the creation week.It says that they did not become visible from the limited perspective of the observer until the 4th day.
In any case, it is quite clear from the text that the author intended to convey to his readers that the creation week for this planet was a literal week divided into identifiable “evenings and mornings”.On this point, there really is no argument – even among secular scholars of Hebrew.
I would respectfully disagree with you when you assert that there is no argument about the translation of Genesis 1.
You can peruse this article, which I found after a brief Google search, for more info on the debate there:
http://www.godandscience.org/youngearth/six_days_of_creation.html
But aside from that, I would still like to know: Why do you read the Bible?
Sean Pitman:
The question is, what makes the Bible’s claim to be of a Divine origin, to have access to privileged information, any more credible than the same claim being made for the Book of Mormon or any other book that claims to have come from God? What makes the Bible any more special or credible than a collection of good moral fables? – which seems to me to be your view of the Bible.
Those are very good questions to which I do not have the answer. It brings to mind a quote that I heard recently, though I would not necessarily call myself an atheist… nevertheless, here’s the quote:
“I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.” – Stephen Roberts