From my POV regarding evolution from Adam and Eve. I have NO IDEA as to whether Adam and Eve is more symbolic towards the more Neanderthal version of us having moved to a more enlightened train of thought through a realization or ability to solve problems than actually just appearing out of a 'bolt of lightening', so to speak. Isn't it obvious - from a Christian POV - that the colour of people from various races is merely an environmental adaptation, or evolution...?.

I start having issues with religion when discussion becomes frowned upon.

You have made a very good point there StG...< "Isn't it obvious - from a Christian POV - that the colour of people from various races is merely an environmental adaptation, or evolution...?."

I grew up a Catholic Christian, and attended a Catholic girls high school for all my schooling. While we had Religion classes where we studied the bible etc, we also had Human Biology classes.

We were taught about evolution and the various theories of the time about the different stages of human development. It was my favourite subject!

At no time did anyone in our religion classes say anything against what was taught in the Human Biology classes or vice versa. Although, we were taught the biology by a lay teacher.

I have therefore had no trouble coexisting with both principles, and I believe that the bible has told us only symbolic stories about our human beginnings.
I now make up my own mind about the evolution of our species rather than believing what our ancestors and an ancient book believed in.

The thread will be a long one ,we talk a great deal once we start about this subject.
No harm in that, both sides feel they know the answers but I regret to say we truly do not.
Last night on my way home from a long day I tuned to ABC radio.
The talk was about us being hard wired to believe in superstitions, and act in certain ways, from childhood.
I mean no offense, but in posts from me, and other non believers I/WE get a bit rude at those who do not share our views.
I see some of that[ maybe I am wrong?] in STG and others in defense of their views.
What of God if evolution is excepted by Christians, what of Christ, did he exist.
Was he the son of the creator?
Why the very many Gods
Why so different.
We should not brand our God as the only/right one
Is it not evident they evolved in different environments just as different races and colors did.
If God made us he also made us different and just maybe himself different for different environments.
I think we Will see trench's being dug by both sides in this thread and occupied as people dig in defending their views.
If I say Catholics have been evolutionary in their belief it is just because they have.
Remember what they did to a man who told them about the movement of planets .
Yet now the are evolutionists.
One thing I do believe mankind needs to believe , in the sometimes unbelievable.
If God ever existed my view is he/she is not truly known to us.

I know lots of practising Christians, and most of them seem to have little difficulty in reconciling evolution by natural selection with their faith. However, they are not biblical literalists - although I have had the odd interesting conversation about "intelligent design" with some. Most seem willing to regard the Bible as something that has to be interpreted in order to be understood properly, which leaves intellectual space for rationalisation in which religious belief defers to science when they are in conflict.

I agree that this could become an interesting discussion, despite the fact that it seems to me that the subject has been done to death on OLO. It could even be amusing - where's runner, by the way?

I guess, as a Christian with the ability to think you kinda consider the non-literal side of the teachings as being open to interpretation. The bible was sold to me as lessons for interacting with the world around me and the people in it. Probably more or less an extension of traditional family morals. Possibly as a kid I took the teachings of the bible as parallel to being the sort of person my parents wished me to be. The bible is full of examples of lessons we learn as a person stumbling our way through this life. For me, I guess, those stories reassure me that I'm not the only person having gone through those trials. You're not alone, so to speak, when sometimes it feels like it.

As for the bible itself I'm fully aware that through history people in power with varying degrees of agenda were the only ones with access to the teachings and those very people saw the value in control of the masses and the power that fear and faith really does have. Suicidal Muslims and people like the followers of David Koresh are classic examples. Probably this is why I question the bible in the literal sense of blind faith and run with "treat others as you wish to be treated" way of thinking. IF this way of living isn't good enough for God, then so be it, but I gave it my best. I'm human, and I'm fallible, I'm sure God knows this.

As for God. I take "him" as a cosmic energy over some old bloke.

Church?, I find the churches full of hypocrites, and probably the biggest lesson I have learned from the bible was via Thomas: Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."

lol I guess I could write a book on what I believe, but one thing's for sure, it's ever evolving.

Graham:

It's not only Christians who have problems with evolution.

Most Jews are secular – like me. We have no problem with evolution. Neither, on the whole, do "Liberal", "Reform" and "Conservative" Jews. Orthodox Jews are split. Some reject evolution. Others have found ways of interpreting the Torah to accommodate it.

Sects like Chabad reject evolution outright. Some of their rationalisations are quite funny. "Dinosaur" bones are really the bones of lizards that swelled up as a result of being submerged by the flood! Yes, really! That's what kids attending a Chabad kindergarten have told me in all solemnity.

Muslims on the whole find it difficult to accept that apes, dogs, pigs and humans could have a common ancestor. The most prominent Muslim creationist writer seems to be Harun Yahya. Here is a link to his website:

http://www.harunyahya.com/

However here's the kicker.

THE PEOPLE WHO SEEM TO HAVE THE GREATEST PROBLEM WITH EVOLUTION ARE ATHEIST LEFTIES.

If you entirely reject evolution you have no ideological problems. Whatever research on human evolution turns up has no affect on your ideology.

However, many on the Left have great difficulty accommodating the IMPLICATIONS of recent findings about human evolution to their ideology. The modern "evolution wars" appear to have started with the publication of Edward O. Wilson's Sociobiology. See:

http://www.amazon.com/Sociobiology-New-Synthesis-Twenty-fifth-Anniversary/dp/0674002350/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265930515&sr=1-1

The definitive account of this early skirmish is "Defenders of the Truth" by Ullica Siegerstrale. See:

http://www.amazon.com/Defenders-Truth-Sociobiology-Ullica-Segerstrale/dp/0192862154/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265930672&sr=1-1-spell

Since then, especially in the last decade, matters have gone from bad to worse for the Left

Graham,

If you are not disturbed by what we now know about human evolution then you don’t understand the problem.

But that's probably a topic for a different thread