For days I struggled to say out of (Theistic or No) Evolution/Creation
(Creationism) but +7 oz of wine makes for great profundity, verbosity of
style and a presumption that the orchid - this world's most complete of all
plants - is one damn fine expression of creation reality and yes, Faith (not
religion). If anyone wants to discuss the difference between Faith (Caps)
and religion (lowercase) please feel free to go off OGD. Be
warned/informed -
Credentials seem very important with some in this group so: I attended 17
years of Catholic schools to include taking (except 6 hours in 'Sacramental
Practicum' - or how we used to say - How to do 'the Magic.') all the
required ordination courses at a Seminary. Formal Catholic training by Nuns,
Brothers and Priests would be a couple years more but Dad was stationed in
Germany following W.W.II and my tutor was more interested in 'bartering'
cigarettes with my mother than offering wisdom in Catholicism ... or math
for that matter. Added comment: Don't know why - but it seemed very
important to a 'Village Priest in the middle of Indiana' who didn't find it
necessary for me to attend Pre-Marriage Instruction - I was 'privately'
confirmed by the Cardinal of Vienna. Hopefully everyone is impressed --- or
as President Bush says, In shock and awe.
Sharon,
Don't mean to 'pick on' you. Your comment just offered the springboard for
what has been building. I invite anyone who does not accept my belief in
some form of a Supreme Force to go off-line. I have no illusion that either
of us will change our beliefs but I will gain from you comments. As to the
rest and I do mean 'THE REST' ... isn't it really 'just
religion' rather than Faith?
I often quote from 'Through the Looking Glass' by Lewis Carroll but I don't
literally believe everything that is in it.
'The time has come,' the Walrus said,
'To talk of many things:
Of shoes - and ships - and sealing-wax -
Of cabbages - and kings -
And why the sea is boiling hot -
And whether pigs have wings.'
Why is it safe to assume that he (Jesus) believed it (the OT), literally
simply because He quoted from it? A logical(?) extension, There were many
things in the OT that Jesus did not literally believe because he did not
quote them.
'Assume' - possibly the most dangerous of words and also a most fun ---
'What do you call it when you break it down into its parts?'
Creation Evolution??? (Note that I do not say Creationism which I
consider to be a religious term which may or may not be valid but some find
of great value.)
Creation Evolution??? Creation IS so that evolution MAY BE.
Consider:
An intelligent Being/Force imaged a physical universe and it formed - was -
came to be. The Being (I think it much, much to limiting to say He or She
and especially It) posses(ed)(es) - all at the same time -
perfect/whole/complete Knowledge. The Being gifted this created but formless
universe with a set of rules. Some choose to call them the Natural Law but I
like to think of them as The Master 'Do-It-Yourself/Put-It-Together' Manual.
An assembly manual so complete; but, at the same time imaginative and
flexible, that the universe was, in time and over time, free to form all
sorts of things/creatures. Things and creatures that we (The Arrogant Human)
can only guess about. I find this concept TRULY awesome and APPROPRIATELY
respectful of the sublime limitlessness of The Being. The whole idea is
exciting! Talk about WISDOM.
Please don't see this as in anyway limiting the significance of God directly
acting in forming The Man, Adam. It is so much more. God KNEW!! Knew what
was to be and billions of years ago set Knowledge into motion. A
'System --- The PLAN' that would one day allow for the gradual forming of
the human AND ALLOWED FOR THE GRADUAL FORMING OF WHAT IS TO COME AT
SOME FUTURE TIME. I think to say otherwise simply expresses human pride and
insults the Being because in our arrogance we presume to place limits on
Limitless Imagination. Scary and exciting and sort of fun -- all at the
same time. What is to be???
One of the creatures that 'formed - evolved' from this imaged original
plan is uniquely gifted. Unique in that it is the only one (so far known in
all others) that has this gift/skill. The gift is the ability to choose to
say Yes to the Creator's gratuitous (we did not earn it) offer of
relationship. Sadly, some humans reject the gift and say No to this
sublime invitation of relationship. Some religions (including the one to
which I am a member) choose to label this 'Sin' but I see it more as waste -
something that is the antithesis of the plan of the Creating Being ---
something not in 'appropriate' balance with The Plan.
Each creature was/is/to be from the Mind-Will-Love of the Creator. As the
result of this gift the human is more complex BUT does not have greater
value than any one of the
