It’s sad that the issue has always been Creation vs. Evolution. How come we think that if evolution is true, then creation isn’t? Why is it so unbelievable to think that God created through evolution? Perhaps I am too empiricist. I have studied six-literal-day creationism, old-earth creationism, and progressive creationism (i.e. theistic evolution), and to be completely honest, I find theistic evolution more agreeable to science and to the biblical texts. The creation accounts we have are apologetic/polemic and not scientific in nature. We are not supposed to read them as scientists; we are supposed to read them as an uplifting of Israel’s God YHWH over the surrounding pagan gods (especially those of the Babylonian Empire, in which—I believe—the Torah as we know it today was compiled). And the idea that science and faith are at odds is blasphemous to me. If God is real, and if He created, wouldn’t we be able to catch a glimpse of how He did it—the mechanisms, tools, and features of His creating power and act? We have peered deeply into the glass of earth’s history and see that it is not 6-8000 years old but 4.8 billion years old; and we look into the stars and see that they were here long before earth: the universe is 12-14 billion years old! Our earth is draped in a rich tapestry of life. I flip through some of my books on evolution and the history of life and see so many different kinds of marvelous creatures—the pinnacle of which (and I say this in my own childish fantasies) is the dinosaurs—and each different species and family and genre shrieks “Design!” I won’t deny that these animals ever existed (the idea that Satan put them there to trick is ridiculous and idiotic); and I won’t deny that God is the Creator. I believe He used evolution—a tool which He created—to bring about the world as we know it now. And then He said, “Hey, I’m gonna create a special organism, which I’ll make in My image, and which will have a truly unique connection with Me.” And so humans came onto the scene. Is this heresy? I wager it depends on whom you talk to.
“Will God judge everyone based on the same set of standards? Will He be harsher with those who were wealthier, who lived in better circumstances, who had an easier life? Will He be more lenient with those who were poorer, who lived in dire circumstances, who had a difficult life?” This is a question that has been lurking lately. When God judges us for our actions, will the girl who had sex on the streets to provide for her children be judged just as harshly as a girl who had sex just to have fun—or to use and manipulate boys (I have never met such a girl, but I am sure they are out there)? I can’t imagine a just God not taking into account such things. I’ve always been taught that we will all be judged by the same standards… Perhaps my re:thinking of this is heresy?
The concept of Hell is something else that has been bothering me lately. Usually I’ve just filed it away into a theological woodshed, but it is becoming more and more real to me. It is a life-changing concept. I’ve been struggling with the idea of God tormenting people in Hell forever. It’s just unbelievable to me that we can have no choice about whether or not to come into this world and yet be forced to suffer in eternal torment if we don’t do or believe the right thing. I am trying to bring the two poles together: God the Loving Father tormenting people in Hell forever (something no father in this world has ever been guilty of), and God the Lover who loves us all so deeply and yet torments us forever because we didn’t do or believe the right thing. Perhaps I am dancing on the lines of heresy. Or maybe I’m just re:thinking things. I’ve been pouring my heart and soul into the scriptures about this. I’ve been so cultured into the mindset of exclusivism that any other idea—inclusivism, conditionalism, universalism—seems to scream “Heresy!” But the truth is, I’ve never examined these matters for myself. And now I am. And I don’t know what I’m going to find. The truth, hopefully. It’s a fascinating and yet morbid matter.
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