Darwin and God

Darwin on Evolution

Pre Class Notes and thoughts.

I find that these readings have opened up my thinking about religion. I would say that I have not believed in God for the good majority of my life. In fact, I would have scoffed about the subject of organized religion prior to undertaking the class readings of the past two semesters. I don’t propose to suggest that I have embraced Christianity in my life; however I have new found respect for the bravery and integrity of those who practice faith. In relation to the creationist vs. evolutionist debate – I now also realize that neither camp really has anyway to determine the reality or prove universal truth the existence or non existence of God or otherwise.

So Darwin, whose writing I thoroughly enjoyed and whose scientific “Baconian” methodology and passion for seeking information and delightful anecdotes of nature and science – still fails to prove the lack of existence of intention behind this entire wondrous and fascinating ecological world that we are not in charge of, but simply a part of.

I don’t think that he even truly concerns himself with pitting his own work against the notion of God, and though he mentions creationism, I believe he is simply endeavoring to change the preexisting oversimplified and limiting understanding of our world. He very clearly seeks to open up the world of science – and contribute to the infinite potential of discovery.

I think that it is the work of fundamentalists in both camps who play off the work of Darwin to undermine Christianity and any believer of a higher power.
The beauty of “diversification” is that there is room for varieties and all elements of characters are necessary to the subtleties of “mutual relations.” Darwin repeatedly states that the subtleties, purpose and effect of biodiversity are too sophisticated for us to begin to understand or even be aware of. We can most certainly apply this to the diversification of ideologies and the undertakings of human kind.

So interesting to me is it that the process of opening my mind involves opening it to religion.