A funny thing happened at last week's debate between candidates for the Republican party nomination. When asked for a show of hands on who did not believe in evolution, Mitt Romney abstained and kept his paws on the podium. In other words, he signified that he did believe in Charles Darwin's elegant description of the origin of species.
Well, it is no secret that Romney has been courting Christian conservatives. This past weekend he gave the commencement address at Pat Robertson's Regent University. It's quite a balancing act, really, considering that Robertson's own Christian Brodcasting Network has declared Mormonism a cult.
The candidate and his Christian supporters have been working hard to overcome Evangelical antipathy toward the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, whose 19th-century founder, Joseph Smith, said he revised parts of the Bible to correct it.But his statuesque demeanor at the debate regarding his views on evolution have caused some evangelicals to seek further clarification on where the candidate stands on the matter of the earth really being only 6,000 years old. In response, Romney's campaign has released a statement:
"Governor Romney believes both science and faith can help inform us about the origins of life in this world."It's classic Romney. Vague, wishy-washy, and will further the perception that he is constitutionally incapable of taking a stand on a controversial issue and sticking to it. The question for the former governor is, what happens when science seems to contradict a matter of faith, as in the case of the age of our planet? Furthermore, how do we decide who is right when two faiths disagree on bedrock cosmological questions? Your evangelical constituents want to know, Mr. Romney.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 14)
31. Just to clarify, the phrase separation of church and state does not appear in the constitution, it first appeared in a letter by Thomas Jefferson and was later adopted by the Supreme Court of the United States. Do things evolve, absolutely, does that mean evolution and creationism can't coexist, no. Anyone who has read the bible knows that many of the lessons taught were delivered in parables, is it possible that the Seven days of creation was a story describing evolution, it is possible. Thereis an abundance of evidence supporting creationism and the fact taht species evolve to adapt to their surrounds is substantial. But, evolution fails in one critical area, the most damaging item to the theory of evolution as it relates to men & women descending from apes is the fact that despite an ample fossil record, there is no skeleton of half-man/half-ape. We have thousands of fossils of dinosaurs, but not one legitimate fossil showing the transformation from Ape to man.
Chris at 4:56PM on May 8th 2007
32. Dinosaurs are mentioned in the Bible at least a dozen times. Also, we have countless instances of cave drawings of dinosaurs, proving that dinosaurs and humans coexisted. Go ahead, mock like BHS if you wish, but it's true.
Adam at 4:58PM on May 8th 2007
33. I think all of you have missed the point...first, people of the LDS faith (mormons) belive in EVERYONE's right to claim and follow ANY religion they choose; an opinion the founding fathers claim as well. Also, NO president has ever been successful in "pushing" their religious beliefs on anyone. With the nation heading toward a more liberal state of mind (right or wrong) I don't see any president's religious influence overcoming the Congress or the Senate.
DLR at 5:01PM on May 8th 2007
34. Adam- It's easy to criticize evolution, but let me ask you- How do you think life was created? And what facts and evidence do you have to support your theory?
Nestea at 5:03PM on May 8th 2007
35. Usually when a proven law of science contradicts a theory, scientists drop the theory in the can and look for something else. The first and second laws of thermodynamics contradict the theory of evolution, it should be canned. It takes more faith - belief in things unseen but hoped for - to believe in the religion of evolution than it takes to believe in God. If you want to know if He exists or not . . . just ask Him.
Thinking at 5:13PM on May 8th 2007
36. Nestea- You bring up an interesting point, but you aim your question, "How do you think life was created?" squarely at the idea of creation, but those who believe in evolution must answer the same question. For evolution to have taken place, it must have started somewhere. I think this goes to the heart of the argument, either side can prove their theory, because nobody was there to witness it and it is not currently taking place today. We can't see an ape change into a man and can't see god come down and create something from nothing. This is the whole point, despite the fact that neither can be proven as a law, one is presented as scientific fact while the other is left out of the public discussion.
Chris at 5:30PM on May 8th 2007
37. Leaders who are not spiritual and do not practise goodwill, kindness, and decency, and a moral accountability in their daily lives, are not leaders at all and have no emphathy for humanity and all other creatures.
John at 5:21PM on May 8th 2007
38. Adam...OK, if you insist on being the student...
Here's just one link to literally thousands of presentations on transitional forms you conveniently ignore.
http://home.entouch.net/dmd/transit.htm
As I mentioned before, you're out of your league. And speaking of links, archeologists continue to unearth transitional primates, to say nothing of the dinosaur-to-bird links, "pre-horse" fossils, pre-wolve" fossils, and on and on. Time is on the Evolutionist's side...new findings relating to transitional species are published almost daily.
"A mind is like a parachute. It's worthless unless it's open."
BHS at 5:25PM on May 8th 2007
39. Nestea,
I believe that God created the earth and everything on it. And it's not easy to criticize evolution, because everyone believes it, and anyone who negates it is ridiculed. But, you just can't put all your stock in evolution as the origin of life, because it is flawed. I have many reasons that lead me to believe that God created the earth, many of which you have probably heard before. It is impossible that we came from a cosmic accident, a single asexual or hermaphroditic organism to modern man. We can explain a lot of things that people couldn't explain when the Bible was written, but we are still clueless about a lot. For instance, we can explain the process that occurs when a little baby is growing in the womb of its mother...but why does it happen that way? The miracle of life is one of many examples that makes me think "God". But, I realize it is not proof. Neither theory will ever be proven. But, take a look into the Bible with an open mind, and see if your heart is convicted.
Adam at 5:24PM on May 8th 2007
40. Drawings of "dinosaurs" by cave men? (I think someone has been watching too many Flintstone reruns). There is absolutely, positively, totally and without question NO CREDIBLE SCIENTIST or person claiming even minimal understanding of geology or anthropology who'd make such a statement.
BHS at 5:31PM on May 8th 2007
41. All of this points to the dangerous merger of Fundamentalist church and secular state. Its prohibited by the Constitution - but the Republicans always try to join the Fundamentalists in abolishing the First Amendment. I find it extremely frightening and VERY Nazi like. Pat Robertson is insane - so why are these candidates kissing his a**
Phil at 5:36PM on May 8th 2007
42. BHS,
These are discoveries I have read before. As I said, the penguin as a "man-bird" is the main reason why I don't believe that these are transitional forms. If they were, there would be countless numbers of them, not a rare find now and then. Bones that scientists claim to be "transitional" forms are found now and then, and get the front page of national news everywhere...including AOL. I believe there is an explanation for any of these forms, and the explanation may have died out a thousand or two years ago. And if penguins had died out a thousand years ago, their skeletons would be on the front page of AOL news as the "upright-walking, non-flying, transitional form" and it would be "concrete evidence". We can agree to disagree, but don't fool yourself into believing that these pictures absolute proof. Our minds cannot even comprehend a hundred million hears, so why do we throw those numbers around so readily? I think it makes people feel smart. Why not give Jesus a chance??
Adam at 5:38PM on May 8th 2007
43. BHS,
Why, because you say so?
Adam at 5:40PM on May 8th 2007
44. Chris,
Good point, Chris. But if push comes to shove on the issue of evolution vs. say, creationism, my vote is for the ones who observed - at risk of torture or death - that the earth revolves around the sun (not the other way around) and that the plague is a curable disease (not the possession by the devil).
"Religion is man's way of explaining the unexplainable."
BHS at 5:44PM on May 8th 2007
45. Adam- If it said in the Bible that 2+2=5, would you spend your valuable free time arguing on the internet that 2+2 does not equal 4?
Nestea at 5:45PM on May 8th 2007