Udanor wrote:I just got into a debate with a friend. We debated a couple things about christianity. (he is not a christian) If anybody could give me some answers I'd be more than grateful
1. He said that if Adam and Eve where the first and only people, than the whole world would be incest (or at least started that way).
Does it really say that Adam was the first man?
Does it say that God did not create more people
I read Genesis
, and my answer to both questions is "No".
but maybe i missed something...
2. He also brought up evolution.... (I am much more a philosopher than a scientist
) so I'm not really good at debating evolution...
Anybody got something I could say that would prove that evolution is not proven?
obviously neither sides of the big debate "Is the theory of evolution true?" has bin able to prove anything since the debate is constantly being debated...
Thank you
First about Genesis, if your friend aware that many leading Christian scientists (collins, Falk, Dembski) do not hold that Genesis was ever meant to be read litterally? Even St Augustine wrote that the bible is not a history book but a theology book. Unfortunately, many fundimentalist Christians hold so strongly to their young earth, litteral genesis readingings that this view has been slapped onto all of us, even if we see the obvious errors.
So ask him this first because without a litteral interpretation of Genesis they have no argument. Second, you are correct that Genesis does not say Adam was the first man. This was Paul in the New Testament who said this. However, reading his letters even this phrase reads better as an analogy rather than simple facts. He was comparing the theological roles of Jesus vs Adam. So a litteral reading of a theological comparison would be silly.
In general I personally hold the view that it is possible God did make and Adam and an Eve but that these were simply the primary beginners of the HEBREW nation. There were other people created along with these two. But this is just how I think.
As for evolution, no it isn't for sure. There are many holes in it. HOWEVER, for argument's sake I take the view that evolution is an accurate method by which God put life on earth, (dispite all the holes).
The holes are a trap which I honestly think Satan may have thought up. If God exists then he presided over everything. He controlled the parts we know about as well as the holes we don't. So to place God only in the Holes (or the God of Gaps theory), is self defeating. It implies that once we have no more gaps, God is gone which simply is illogical.
I highly suggest you and your friend read two books. They are both excellent and highly acclaimed by both Christians and secular scholars.
The Language of God by Francis Collins
Comming to peace with Science by Darrel Falk.
These are excellent and give a wonderful overview of science. They also fall in line with the accepted scientific viewpoint held by almost all scientists so they are not contradicting accepted scientific facts in favor of their own viewpoint. They are really good books.
It is a first class human tragedy that people of the earth who claim to believe in the message of Jesus, whom they describe as the Prince of Peace, show little of that belief in actual practice.
