If I had a Dollar...

I've watched Vox's threads on science vs creationism over the last several months but I've stayed out of the fray for two reasons, one I'm not at a computer when most of the commenting is going on and two, neither side ever says much that is terribly interesting or even relevant to the topic being discussed. If I had a dollar for every time someone totally missed the point on a blog post I'd be able to retire rich and debate on the internet all day.

Some facts we need to understand:

1. Creationism isn't science
2. Evolution isn't science
3. Creationism ≠ Christianity

Man has, at least for recorded history, tried to explain how he got here. Creationism is at its most basic form an explanation for man’s existence involving some higher power than man. Generally this involves a theology and some understanding of a god or gods who claim to have a say in the affairs of men by reason of being either; a) their creator or b) more powerful than man. Evolution is an attempt to explain man’s existence apart from any supernatural actions. Creationist’s claim divine revelation, evolutionist’s claim scientific method, each will use “proofs” but neither method is science.

If the two approaches to understanding how man got here aren’t science, what are they? The issue is not one of science but of philosophy. It will remain as such until man discovers a way to travel between the “Big Bang Breakfast Bar” and the “Restaurant at the End of the Universe”. Until that time all the idea’s we come up with concerning the origin of life and our purpose in it, will remain philosophical musings.

You may be able to step back, look at this, and agree, in terms of man’s knowledge, this topic will never be settled. Why do we seem able to spend so much time and mental effort on it? The creationist believes they are following the will of a god, and their actions will matter eternally. They of course have an entire theology they want you to embrace. The evolutionist doesn’t want to embrace a theology. He needs to demonstrate that man did not come from a god.

That’s why its important. If this was about two opposing ideas that had no further impact on ones life than a 7^th grade science class lecture most of us would never give the creationism debate a second thought. Since the issue is much bigger, theology vs no theology, each side has a stake and neither can afford to be wrong. That’s also one of the reasons that evolutionary creationism is a joke, it’s a blending of two idea’s that are mutually exclusive at their premise.