SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
The Independent reports that Pope Francis, speaking at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, has declared that the theories of evolution and the Big Bang are real.
“When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so,” said Francis.
“He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment."
Francis explained that both scientific theories were not incompatible with the existence of a creator – arguing instead that they “require it”.
“The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it. Evolution in nature is not inconsistent with the notion of creation, because evolution requires the creation of beings that evolve.”
Experts say the Pope's comments put an end to the “pseudo theories” of creationism and intelligent design that some argue were encouraged by his predecessor, Benedict XVI who spoke out against taking Darwin too far.
(Score: 1) by Frost on Wednesday October 29 2014, @08:38PM
"Experience"? A more accurate word would be "imagination". People imagine the divine. There is no particular method of coming to any conclusion about the ontological status of their imagination except to classify it as imaginary. Since it exists only in their minds, it's exactly the opposite of "objective".
Every night when I sleep I "experience" lots of things; what is the ontological status of those things? There is no objective, scientific evidence for them, even though the "experience" is vivid and undeniable. I call them "dreams" and don't let them interfere with my waking life, except perhaps for some occasional comedic or inspirational value.
Imagine God all you like, if it makes you feel better and helps you live your life. But don't mistake your imagination for external, objective fact.
(Score: 1) by drgibbon on Wednesday October 29 2014, @11:16PM
"Imagining" is a very poor choice of word for the extremely powerful experiences that people undergo during mystical/spiritual experiences (imagining makes it sounds like they are daydreaming, when really it would be more like everything you know and understand as reality is being fundamentally altered), experiencing is much more general and applicable. For instance you may say that you imagine your dreams (with which not everyone would agree), but no one would disagree that you experience your dreams. So you can call it imaginary (and it may be) but that claim alone does not constitute scientific evidence of anything. You may believe that dreams have no relevance in your life, and only provide "occasional comedic or inspirational value", but again, that is in no way scientific proof of anything. This is my point, you are actually propping up a personal (and culturally derived) belief about something and presenting it as an objective fact, when there is scant little objective evidence to be found. I did not say that God exists, I merely pointed out that (a) profound experiences of spiritually do exist, (b) that they can be empirically and pretty reliably induced, and (c) that we have no scientific means available to assess their ontological status (with which I am actually not all that concerned).
Certified Soylent Fresh!
(Score: 1) by Frost on Thursday November 06 2014, @03:38AM
Well, sir, you have a pretty high tolerance for delusion.
(Score: 1) by drgibbon on Thursday November 06 2014, @07:00AM
It's not much to do with tolerance for me, more like an honest appraisal of the state of play.
Certified Soylent Fresh!