so if he proves that evolution is false, how does it prove that christianity or god is true?

See, that’s the thing. Even if evolution is proven false, it doesn’t immediately mean that ‘god did it’ is the real answer. It just means that there’s another possible explanation for the diversity of life – evolution may not be the real answer, but it sure as heck is the most probable.

im really annoyed that religious people try to prove other people wrong and not prove themselves correct.

Without the literal creation story, the rest of the doctrine becomes incoherent.

Only according to fundamentalists and Biblical literalists, and there is nothing which says that their interpretation is more truthful than those of liberals and other non-literalists.

Jesus died for the sins of the world, which were passed down from parent to child all the way back to the entrance of sin into the world at the fall of man.

Yet humans are still fallible creatures capable of sinning. The Genesis story may not be literally true and sin may not be inherited, but that doesn’t change the fact that humans are sinful.

Either you believe what the book says, or you’re just making up a religion for yourself that’s an imitation of Christianity.

Or like I implied, the changes made to scriptural interpretations are but a part of the natural evolution of religions.

Without the literal creation story, the rest of the doctrine becomes incoherent. Jesus died for the sins of the world, which were passed down from parent to child all the way back to the entrance of sin into the world at the fall of man. No actual fall of man, no original sin, no reason for Jesus’ death. I mean, come on, Jesus spoke of Adam as a literal, specific human being. Either you believe what the book says, or you’re just making up a religion for yourself that’s an imitation of Christianity.

This, precisely, is the reason that I quit being a Christian. Someone had to spell it out for me on the Bad Astronomy blog, but it was exactly the reason. I was a Christian because I wasn’t ready to admit I wasn’t. I watered down my faith to the point where I didn’t really believe in the god of the Bible or Jesus or anything, but still lived a ‘good Christian’ life – oh, except the fact I didn’t. I was only taking into consideration the Golden Rule part of it – the ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ part of the Bible – which I’ve learned really doesn’t require faith in the first place. Go figure.

Ken Miller is a man I respect, a Christian man not afraid to state the truth – yes people, evolution happened, here’s how. Sadly I know Evangelical Christians will just ignore what he says even though he is devout. Evangelical Christians dismiss Catholics, you’d not believe the anti-Catholic sentiment that came out of my family’s church.

For someone like Ken Ham accepting the core of Christian teachings necessitates that one believe that the Creation story be literally true. For other Christians, meaning non-fundamentalists and non-literalists, there is no such requirement as what is gained from the core beliefs do not leave one needing to believe in a literal creation story.

Without the literal creation story, the rest of the doctrine becomes incoherent. Jesus died for the sins of the world, which were passed down from parent to child all the way back to the entrance of sin into the world at the fall of man. No actual fall of man, no original sin, no reason for Jesus’ death. I mean, come on, Jesus spoke of Adam as a literal, specific human being. Either you believe what the book says, or you’re just making up a religion for yourself that’s an imitation of Christianity.

While it is obviously possible to be a Christian and accept evolution—cognitive dissonance not being an uncommon phenomenon in humans—that doesn’t mean the two things are rationally compatible (hence, cognitive dissonance).

Actually cognitive dissonance can only occur if the person holding the beliefs considers them contradictory; the term can not be applied by one person to another, even if the first person believes the beliefs contradict each other. So you can’t say that what Ken Miller is exhibiting is cognitive dissonance, only he is in the position to determine that.

In order to be a Catholic and accept the fact of evolution by natural selection, a person inevitably ends up rationalizing/watering-down one or the other. … When reality comes into collision with one’s faith, that person has to make a choice—which one will I water down? This is the nature of holding supernatural beliefs.

It would be strange for the beliefs of a religion to be adapted to newly acquired knowledge wouldn’t it. Almost like what has been happening throughout history. It is not watering down, but rather a matter of the beliefs adapting and evolving without delegitimizing the religion.

Tell that to Ken Ham. He’s part of a large, well-funded, and politically influential movement of people who want that garbage taught to children as science. And don’t tell me he’s a fringe kook.

It’s a matter of perspective. For someone like Ken Ham accepting the core of Christian teachings necessitates that one believe that the Creation story be literally true. For other Christians, meaning non-fundamentalists and non-literalists, there is no such requirement as what is gained from the core beliefs do not leave one needing to believe in a literal creation story.