For those Christians/Creationists who accept that God created the animals using evolution as the mechanism, do you reject human evolution? [Spirituality & Religion]

@basilfawlty89

Ooo we don't see Zoroastrianism popping up very much here lol.
Yes, humans are indeed taxonomically grouped with the rest of the great apes. By any anatomical reckoning we are grouped with non-human apes.
But there remain creationists who deny that relationship/\.

@Pikachu yes, but the difference I think it that fundamentalism wants you to deny reality. In our religion, even though you get fundamentalists, fundamentalism is actually discouraged. You're always encouraged to question and find the truth.

@basilfawlty89
I think fundamentalism is discouraged in most religions these days. The scientific method has proved itself too reliable to be denied within a rational world view.
Adherence to fundamentalist interpretations of religious doctrine demand that the believe deny science...and that's just getting harder to sell lol

@Pikachu indeed. I do think there can be a harmonious relationship between religion and science. I mean Lemaitre after all was a Catholic priest.

@Pikachu If you ever meet a religious person who denies the Scientific Method, just remind him that a man of the cloth came up with it lol

@Qwerty14

The problem is that those religious folk think that they're not rejecting the scientific method. They think it's ok to reject science where it disagrees with scripture and accept it where it does not.

@Pikachu They'll feel pretty dumb when they find out most of the modern science in the last 500 years was done by men of faith. A lot who worked directly for the Catholic Church.

@Qwerty14

They have no problem with that. They're happy to point out when good science is done by Christians. They're just selective about which science they champion.

@Pikachu I'm sure a lot of science deniers will be fascinated to find out many of these theories such as the big bang, vaccines and evolution were made by religious men. Darwin did become more agnostic in his later years but he was firm that he believed in God.

@Qwerty14

lol probably. But they really shouldn't be because lots of the origins such science were posited by men in a time where religiosity was the overwhelming majority.
I've personally spoken with young earth creationists who are surprised to find that a young earth was contested by christian geologists.

@Pikachu Being religious is still the overwhelming majority in most countries. But I do think we are shifting away from science and religion overlapping and that is a concern. Not because I think science needs religion (though the more funding the better) but because the religious need science. That's why I'm thankful for Pope Francis. He has really pushed the Catholic Church back in the right direction. I would love to see the Catholic Church become a leader in scientific research again.

@Qwerty14

But an every shrinking majority and with striking correlation to affluence and education (excluding the Us LOL). Where's in the past even those more affluent and educated nations were still very religious.

@Pikachu Have any religions actually seen a loss in numbers? All the info I've seen show them all growing. With Islam taking the lead over Christianity in the next 30 years which is a troubling thought.

@Qwerty14

I don't know about absolute numbers but i'm not too bothered about Islam taking over Christianity. Religion isn't a problem. Fundamentalism is.

@Pikachu Exactly how would one go about fixing that problem then? Isn't fundamentalism everywhere. Like it extends well beyond religion.

@Qwerty14

I don't know how to fix it but we appear to be on the right track. At least as far as Christian fundamentalism. I imagine the same trends could bee seen in Islamic fundamentalism. Education and human rights appear to be key.

@Pikachu I take back my previous statement. It seems fundamentalism is not what I first thought. Not only do I think it isn't a problem, I don't think any nation could openly call itself fundamentalist. I dont even think people read religious texts, let alone follow them properly. I think it's the lack of reading that causes the issues in some religions these days. They'd all be better off actually opening a Bible and reading it haha

@basilfawlty89 You're a Zoroastrian/Parsee! Not many of those here. I had heard that some leaders are trying to modernise the faith, while others are fighting to hang on to the strictly traditional ways, but hadn't heard that version of interpretation of Ahura Mazda's creation.

@hartfire I'm a Zoroastrian convert. I'm not ethnically Parsi or Irani. But converted after discovering the Avesta and Gathas.

@basilfawlty89 Fascinating! Were you raised in one of the Biblical faiths as a child? If so, what set you seeking for an alternative? If raised without a religion, what inspired your search for a faith? What about those the Avesta and the Gathas had such strong appeal?
I lived with a Parsee for two years in London, back when I was a student. His family was very welcoming and allowed me to witness the ceremonies. I read a bit about it and found it a very ethical religion.