Friday, August 22, 2008

Evolution Discussion

So as you all know, we embarked on an interesting discussion Thursday as Darwin's idea of "natural selection" came up. To remind you, natural selection is "The survival and successful reproduction of the organisms that are best suited to their environment." In relation to this came up the idea of survival of the fittest. However, things got interesting when the idea of Evolution came up and how we can reconcile Evolution with the Religious World.

Emmanuel shared with us an impassioned response to his belief in regards to this. While some students agreed, others did not. So you may continue the discussion here. I will leave you with some guided questions to assist in the facilitation.


Is it possible to believe in both Evolution and the Creation story of a particular religious faith?

How does religion fit into the larger framework of the Nature vs Nurture debate? In other words, is religion nature...or nurture?


There you go.

23 comments:

pinkpanther Queen said...

Religion is nurture. The basic concept of religion is taught to one as a child. You can either believe in Jesus to find comfort in the afterlife, which is why most want to believe in it. others who want to know what is going on would believe in science. But people find balance between the two. For example you wont find a Pastor or a Deacon telling you the story of how Dino's came to be nonexistent or will you find an archeologist speaking of Adam and Eve. If you believe in one you cant believe in the other because they tottaly contradict eachother. Some believe God is an alien but thats a different story

Nera said...

I'm not reiligiously strong. I'm looking into a religion that most might think bizarre (no people i'm not a satanist...the religion i'm looking into doesn't even have a "satan"...and no it's not scientology!) Basically, in this religion it's belive what you want. It's a very experimental religion. True there is evidence on evolution, however is the evidence always right? How many people are incarcinated based on hardcore evidence pinning them as the criminal when years and years down the road it's found that the "criminal" is in fact the "victim". I doubt that the theory of evolution and religion will ever coincide. There's just too much in between. Evolution is a threat to religion. If they were to accept evolution what would happen to God's great creation? The Lord would lose his credibility and become just another deity and lose his status as the All Mighty...I think...I don't know...it's past one thirty in the morning so my thinking is a bit shaky right now...i'm just doing this because I have to...

Evolution and religion...revolution? What about devolution? Everybody is getting smaller! O.O ...well at least here they are. -blink blink-

Emmanuel Demosthene said...

No matter how you choose to look at it, Religion is nurture. People aren't just born praising Jesus and reading hymns. That is a path of life that their personal experiences bacon them onto.
There is also another matter that I would like to address as long as we are on this range of subject... Many people choose only to see the points where science disagrees with religion, when religion or question "Where did we come from?" sparked the thoughts that brought forth science.
Science is not a tool for the destruction of faith, but rather a hornets nest for those who are not afraid to go look for the truth to solidify their findings and hear out others who athere to do the same. All we want is the truth...

In other words, science is not against religion. So if anyone had that train of thought stuck in their heads, fix that sh*t!!!

mariah said...

I can agree with Emmanuel to a certain degree. Religion is nuture. You just dont come into the world knowing your beliefs. It's planted in one's head when is just a child, vulnerable believe anything. It's impossible to believe in both Evolution and the Creation story of a particular religious faith. At one point in time they (meaning theories ) will clash together yet someway some how find balance between both..

Ethel V. said...

Regardless, of anyone's perception of this concept; religion is nurture.
Like the other blogger s have mentioned in their blogs, you don't just come out the wound and as you develop, some hymns come out of your mouth. However, what both sides of this matter fail to realize is that they are able to tie together. If one actually looks into the bible, and read the stories and prophecies and whatnot;you'll see that science is able to support and give proof that something happened. We see this everyday, with those shows as to where archeologists go to the places these stories took place and explain [from their office as well] how many things fit together. Adding to the fact that they have actual scientists and pathologists on the shows and contribute their part as well. No I don't get my beliefs from a show: i simply do my own reading and listen to what they have to say. So in a nutshell: if we stop arguing and actually communicate with each other, we would actually see that we can work together, and GET ALON PEOPLE! It's one's own ignorance and biased tones that make it seem as though people those different beliefs are against themselves.

sharon black said...

I CHANGED MY NAME

jorie said...

Religion is nurture.I kinda agree with Emmanuel because there are lots of gaps between religion and so many questions that can’t be answered. I’m the types of people who believe in science and like to see all the facts. I got a question to the religious folks. Does scientist or any one who don’t quite believe in Jesus because they don’t have proof go to hell, if one exist?

Mark Charles said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jimmy_Dean18 said...

Religion is nurture. I do think in some way the two can coexist but not any time soon because nowadays technology is drastically improving. Almost everything can be technologically/scientifically proven. Maybe in the future when this gets way too out of hand people can finally start to see matches, but as of right now I don't think so. For example, the disappearance of the dinosaurs. One account for that can come from the bible from the Noah story and the great flood. On the other hand, there's the Plate Tectonics Theory. Also the Ice Age and the melting of the Ice which was a massive part located on the northern part of our continent and melting into a lot of water and washing down everything south. That can be compared to the Noah's Ark story of Jesus telling Noah to build an Ark so he can put people in it and save them from the great flood. But people who believe in either science or religion are way too stubborn, blind, and have way too high egos, choose to believe only what they want. So even if someone from religion choose to be stubborn and not believe anything from science, people who believe in science are also doing the same they just don't see it. Noone see it because they are too caught up in their own head and are not being open minded to consider other point of views.

Camille said...

I don't really touch the subject of religion much because i chose to believe in what i believe in regardless of anyone's views, but i agree with emanuel, religion is nurture. we aren't born knowing who god and jesus is, we're tought who are gods are and who we should believe when born.

tamara romain said...

When I was a child I went to church every weekends. I was the child of God. Now as I get older I realize that have lost a my belief. I never qusetioned that God was real higher power.Until I Started to leran about evolution from the science perspective. I seperated my self from church, because I Saw of hypocritcal people there. I thought how can God live here.

SP said...

Hard choice...I would have to say that people should have a belief in both concepts. Religion surely is nurture because as Emmanuel and the others said, it does not come instantly. You learn as you go and grow. Then again, everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. We're taught religion and about evolution, both are tied...

chachy said...

RELIGION IS A HARD SUBJECT BECAUSE MANY OF US GOT DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW...BUT RELIGION IS NATURE

sophomore status said...

It is possible to believe in both the Evolution and Creation story of a particular religious faith. No particular religious faith has the correct story on how people develop and were placed on earth. You can choose to believe in anything you want. You listen to different stories and you come up with your own interpretation.

I don't care wat your religion is or what you believe clearly religion is nurture. There's people with different religions and different perspectives on what's real. However, it wouldn't make sense if you believe in one thing and believe in another. These things would totally contradict each other.

batman6 said...

many people have many different beliefs because in general nobody really knows their true beliefs because they did not live in those times...so wat happens is they begin to believe in their religion from on behalf of what they were brought up in their household....

Tell said...

well many ppl have diffrent beliefs but ithink tha whatever they grow up to believe tha will be thier bilief... unless their really into religon and have their own thoughts and beliefs.

Zaraki Kenpachi said...

iam not into going to church but i do beilieve in god and thats the only thing that i beilive in,so science is just something thats trying to throw us off by saying it was the big bang that made us come to be.

Wesly said...

For me i was brought up into the world with the belief of God existent. So i say the religion is nurture. I can't change or say anything because it the things i have been thought growing up.

faandaD said...

i belief in evolution but no matter how much facts we got there are so many things that we cannot explain so that is where some might say religion comes in... maybe there is a higher power..

Mark Charles said...

Since i was a kid a always belived that god was protecting us. So when people talk about evolution i just don`t listen because i feel like you can`t belive in both. So religion is nurture.

lovemonkey305 said...

Despite all of the controversy surounding both evolution and the Creation Story, it is possible to believe in parts of both of them. Although both of them are very different from one another, it is possible to draw your own depictions as to what actually happened to the rise mankind and other things.This is Charles by the way!!!

sharon black said...

Religion is nurture. The basic concept of religion is taught to one as a child. You can either believe in Jesus to find comfort in the afterlife, which is why most want to believe in it. others who want to know what is going on would believe in science. But people find balance between the two. For example you wont find a Pastor or a Deacon telling you the story of how Dino's came to be nonexistent or will you find an archeologist speaking of Adam and Eve. If you believe in one you cant believe in the other because they tottaly contradict eachother. Some believe God is an alien but thats a different story....

Patreesia D. said...

Religion is nurture. i'm sorry but i don't believe in the whole religion thing and to be honest i really don't care about it. people tell me all the time that i'm going to hell if i don't believe in God and i tell them well bring on the heat because i like it. my mother tried to force religion on me, i didn't come out of the womb believing anything.

About Me

Miami, FL, United States
I teach AP Psychology, American Government, Economics, American History, World History, and Inquiry Skills at Miami Edison Senior High, where we are "Rising to the Challenge!"