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>Modern Catholicism also has no issues with evolution so generally the "life is infested with parasites and therefore can't be declared good like the Bible says

>Modern Catholicism also has no issues with evolution so generally the "life is infested with parasites and therefore can't be declared good like the Bible says" is a fundamentalist problem to try to explain. Evolution appears to be how life got to its present stage on Earth and we have the history encoded in our DNA. Arguing against that is embracing blind, stubborn faith and ignorance. If only most Christians thought like that... I've grown around Christians of all kinds of denominations and I've never met anyone with that mindset, even the Catholic ones. They all took the Bible to the absolute literal and whenever reality didn't agree with their beliefs they always engaged in the most ridiculous and insane mental gymnastics instead of reevaluting their point of views.

I_Am_Nous 3y ago
I am scientifically minded (so much so that I was atheist for a long time due to biblical literalism) and I also believe God has no reason to lie or mislead us about things like the age of the earth or our side by side evolution with animals. The first 15 chapters of Genesis are Jewish poetry, not a literal account of creation. There are even two creation accounts, one right after the other, which contradict each other! That no longer being an issue with my faith has helped my mental health immensely. I don't feel the painful cognitive dissonance I used to because the point Genesis is trying to get across is "God made everything and it wasn't hard for him, we can choose to do things he doesn't want us to do, and this tendency can lead to a lot of serious shenanigans. Then God promises stuff to Abraham." To be fair to most Christians, they are not apologists and as most atheists will tell you have a very limited understanding of most points of their faith, let alone individual points of contention in the bible. So the only defense mechanism they have is withdrawing to literalism and flail too much to reevaluate. Then there's the ones who are apologists, and most of them online are downright annoying lol
thyrsus 3y ago
I too am Catholic, and understand the Catholic teaching that, within its domain, science honestly pursued tells scientific truth, e.g., evolution. Science trespasses when it leaves its domain to make assertions about God or the soul. That you encountered so many Catholics bereft of that understanding is sad.
- randomguy987 3y ago
  Science is based upon reproducible observations, not assertions. It isn't restricted to a domain because it can be applied everywhere, by everyone. It is a way to find effective truth, faith or subjectivity be damned. Whether I believe in radio waves or electricity doesn't enter into it - the cell phone still works.
  - I_Am_Nous 3y ago
    I don't think what you are saying is in conflict with the parent comment. They said science leaves its domain when making assertions about things which can't be scientifically verified. For instance it would be really difficult to prove God doesn't exist. The scientific method as a mindset helps us uncover things but only if they can be tested and reproduced, as you said.

I_Am_Nous 3y ago

I am scientifically minded (so much so that I was atheist for a long time due to biblical literalism) and I also believe God has no reason to lie or mislead us about things like the age of the earth or our side by side evolution with animals. The first 15 chapters of Genesis are Jewish poetry, not a literal account of creation. There are even two creation accounts, one right after the other, which contradict each other! That no longer being an issue with my faith has helped my mental health immensely. I don't feel the painful cognitive dissonance I used to because the point Genesis is trying to get across is "God made everything and it wasn't hard for him, we can choose to do things he doesn't want us to do, and this tendency can lead to a lot of serious shenanigans. Then God promises stuff to Abraham." To be fair to most Christians, they are not apologists and as most atheists will tell you have a very limited understanding of most points of their faith, let alone individual points of contention in the bible. So the only defense mechanism they have is withdrawing to literalism and flail too much to reevaluate. Then there's the ones who are apologists, and most of them online are downright annoying lol

thyrsus 3y ago

I too am Catholic, and understand the Catholic teaching that, within its domain, science honestly pursued tells scientific truth, e.g., evolution. Science trespasses when it leaves its domain to make assertions about God or the soul. That you encountered so many Catholics bereft of that understanding is sad.

randomguy987 3y ago
Science is based upon reproducible observations, not assertions. It isn't restricted to a domain because it can be applied everywhere, by everyone. It is a way to find effective truth, faith or subjectivity be damned. Whether I believe in radio waves or electricity doesn't enter into it - the cell phone still works.
- I_Am_Nous 3y ago
  I don't think what you are saying is in conflict with the parent comment. They said science leaves its domain when making assertions about things which can't be scientifically verified. For instance it would be really difficult to prove God doesn't exist. The scientific method as a mindset helps us uncover things but only if they can be tested and reproduced, as you said.