Monday, February 24, 2014

GOD and Evolution

This is a topic that I tend to get in a lot of arguments over. My viewpoints are very different from the norm. Most people choose one or the other. I'm an advocate for both.

The great nonconformity near Uintah, UT 

In college I took a Geology class that I fell in love with. After I started getting into the higher level classes I came to find out that the fossil record is amazing and tells such a powerful story. But where did God fit in? What about His story of the Creation?


This was a huge matter of prayer and study for me. If I were to pursue this Geology path I must find which was right or wrong. However during my study one day the spirit pricked my heart with the idea that God used science as a means to which he created the earth.

As far as the time it took him to create the earth and the 4.6 Billion years our geologic record shows?

 "And they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years—all these are one year with God, but not with man." D&C 88:44

Albert Einstein mathematically discovered the Theory of Relativity, which is the ability to speed up and slow down time. We as humans know it's mathematically possible but are unable to do it. But God has all power and knowledge and can preform such a task. Could he have created the earth in 6 days when our record shows 4.6 Billion years? Sure.

Also, the fossil record goes hand in hand with the sequence of events that is described in Genesis. 

Now as far as the Rocks tells us:

After a huge Super Nova (Big Bang) or something all the elements in space started to collect and combine forming stars planets and such.
 The earth was too hot for any moisture. It was all in the atmosphere.







 Finally it cooled off enough so there could be rain that wound stay on the surface of the earth.







   Once there were seas, and somewhat of a functional atmosphere, the condition was right for a very simple single-celled organism to develop.                                                         (most likely in an oceanic trench as shown below)
Bacteria-like organisms multiplied in the oceans until the first algae (very simple make-up) formed. These are mounds of algae called stromatolites.






After that plants with stems formed, then they got stronger and were able to exist out of the water...so on and so forth. Then fish were in the seas, then amphibians, then reptiles, then mammals. So many life forms evolved to bring on new ones. Some became extinct, fulfilling the measure of there creation, providing room for others. 

Scientists know how to make things. Complex things. They can't just snap their fingers. A process must be performed to get from point A to point B. We know that energy can't be created or destroyed. We also know God used unorganized matter to make the earth and his creations. Could it be possible that "evolution" was the means by which he organized it? If you say "no", who gives you the power to say what God can or cannot do? 

Isn't this verse in Genisis Interesting? 
"And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven." Genesis 1:20
If this is true why didn't God go into more detail?
"For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding." 2 Nephi 31:3
Imagine if God did go into detail back in the day. Don't you think it would have seriously confused everyone? Plus it isn't important to Gods plan. He wants us to live good lives and rely on Jesus Christ.

My husband is a great example to me on how much all of this doesn't matter. He believes in living a good life, and all of this doesn't make a difference to what is right and what is wrong. It might not matter to you either, and I'm okay with that. However, to someone like me who went to college to study such a subject I needed a solution, and this makes sense to me.

What about the Monkeys????

 That's a subject for another day. (If enough are interested :) )

1 comment:

  1. I never studied geology, but I have always believe that science supports the fact that there is a God. I am right there with you!

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