We're using creation here in the sense of it being the means that the universe was created by, whatever that was. Not in the Science vs. Creation sense.
If you: AGREE (You don't understand creation)
You're admitting that you don't know it all.
- I know enough math and science so that I can't see how everything could have happened by chance.
- I find it hard to imagine a god outside this universe that could have created it.
Isn't this where most of us belong before we've put serious work into understanding how we got here?
If you: DISAGREE (You think you understand creation)
You imply that you have found an explanation that you believe and understand pretty well. Not perfectly, we're trying to be reasonable, but a sound explanation of all critical steps of how we got here. There are two types of views for this.
If you believe there is no god
- You Trust in Science - The problem is that you would have to have a much better understanding of the different fields of science than the best experts in those fields do. As the THE TRUTH tab discusses, there are at least four major events that lead to our existence which need an explanation. Science hasn't done very well at explaining them though.
If you believe there is a god
- You trust in a god - You have studied a religious explanation of its god's work of creation and are trusting in it.
- Or, you've gotten personal proof of a god.
Proof of a god isn't going to apply to many of us. So, most that think they do understand how we came to be are placing their trust in science or a religion. Another word for trust is faith. If you have studied this issue and understand the reasons for your belief then you have a justified or deserved faith. If you haven't done your homework and just believe what you do because you choose to, you are taking a blind leap of faith. This applies equally to a scientific and religious positions that haven't been earned.
Conclusion
It's a shame there is so much anger and hostility between people over the question of how we got here. It is probably the biggest question each of us will ever face. We would have an easier time figuring this out if there were sincere intellectual discussions between people, where everyone laid-out their explanation for their position instead of throwing insults.
There are compelling sounding cases to be made for several different world views; compelling at least as long as you only study your view and avoid those of other people. One of our opportunities to learn is when we listen to others to hear the problems they see with our view and learn about their view and its problems.
All creation explanations sound impossible. They really do since our minds have to stretch to reach for more science than we know or to comprehend a god beyond human understanding. Yet we're here. Creation by some means did happen. Depending on how it happened, there could be a benefit for us after this life if we understand how it happened. So, we can only gain by taking our best shot at answering this question and being determined to get an answer.
Go to the THE TRUTH tab to look at a summary of what Science and one Religion (Christianity) each have to say about how we got here.
3/21/13