Digging around for proof of God's existence

No, I'm not talking about micro managing every single organism. Natural selection still remains in place evolutionarily. I'm talking about overseeing the big picture, ensuring outcomes He wanted. Not every single mutation, just doing the occasional 'course-correction' to keep things on track, heading towards His goals. I believe He invented evolution to 'automate' the process of getting the earth ready for man. It just required a tweak now and then to keep it rolling.

Of course getting some goals done endangers other goals, so this is why the meteor hit the Yucatan and the dinos were wiped out. This is why we have, or had, vast deposits of oil and coal. I see God as more a director, making sure the final outcome satisfied the script, and less a stage magician, just magically making everything perfect in minutes.

Vivify had a protracted discussion with sonship about ID vs. evolution, so this is why I decided to ask him if it's possible that evolution could be God's tool for making our reality since he seemed to rule out a creator being on the grounds that ID seems ridiculous given that evolution makes much more sense. I happen to agree, but I also believe in a creator God, so I'm offering a way to 'fill the gaps' between God and evolution. I've always said that there's no reason they cannot co-exist.

Hmmm, I thought your post was written by the person who removed their post, and so I thought I was replying to them. Very odd.

Oh, well, this is the post I was replying to, and so my reply still stands.

Also, regarding the plastic-eating bacteria, this is obviously pure evolution, as it's only happened since plastic was invented. No need for a 'God-tweak' there. God's clockwork still rolls on, part of attempting to maintain the balance.

@suzianne said
No, I'm not talking about micro managing every single organism. Natural selection still remains in place evolutionarily. I'm talking about overseeing the big picture, ensuring outcomes He wanted. Not every single mutation, just doing the occasional 'course-correction' to keep things on track, heading towards His goals. I believe He invented evolution to 'automate' the process of getting the earth ready for man. It just required a tweak now and then to keep it rolling.

I see no problem with that. The only ones who would object to what you say are any Christians who insist on a literal interpretation of the Bible.

Sonship believes in an either/or version of ID, where if ID is true then evolution is not. It's from this perspective that I've argued with sonship.

I have no issue with the idea of an intelligent creator. In fact, there are Christians who refer to themselves as "theistic evolutionists", which are simply Christians who believe in science. They believe like you, that a Creator is in charge, simply making sure everything is on track.

I'm fine with this.

@fmf said
The mind is also tempted, and capable of, imagining whatever it wants about the universe.

It could be said that the localized mind inherits these properties from the Greater Mind or Cosmic Intelligence Itself, suggesting that the Greater Mind also has these temptations and capabilities, albeit on a grander scale.

P.S. --"Temptation" is probably not the right word to use in this context. Maybe "inclination" would be better.

But I seem to remember Plato wrote, "The truth spoken is half a lie" -- probably with a similar sense to "The map is not the territory."

@fmf said
If it comes down to faith for you, why are pretending to talk about "proof"? The Thomas story is not "proof" of anything. It is merely encouraging people to have faith without "proof".

If there is, indeed, any proof - or what may be possible evidence - of God's existence, then it is found in the nature of the universe and perhaps human consciousness. Its there in plain sight ...[text shortened]... s on his hands and feet" ~ and, for that matter, the notion of being "blessed" ~ have to do with it?

If it comes down to faith for you, why are pretending to talk about "proof"?


Dear fmf - I wasn't "pretending" I was introducing you to the idea that digging for artifacts from centuries ago, is all well and good from a scientific standpoint, but using these artifacts as proof or disproof of God's existence makes no sense.