“Creation”, the new film about Charles Darwin, unable to get distributor in the US

[Mental Lental]

I've read a few books on creation/evolution and evolutuion just doesn't seem feesable (sp?). One question that immediately springs to mind is why did it stop with us, why aren't we still evolving?

Lol brilliant. That's your argument against evoution? ROFL

Classic.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I don't understand why the two can't sit together really. God created the Earth and it's creatures... and they evolved. Personally I reckon He made the planet and he's now got his feet up. He doesn't get involved in the day-to-day running of the planet, but may occasionally blow something up for a bit of a laugh

The bible & churches are completely man-made creations and I don't buy into them at all. Why would a God who is perfect expect his people to pray to him every week? If he's perfect he wouldn't have such an ego surely?

 

[Juan Albion]

shame the relgious dont even have the foresight to try and claim evolution as the act of an omnipotent deity

Funny that all those I've ever met that have talked about this say something close to that. How much of a moron do you have to be to swallow the tabloids' suggestion that Christian=Creationist like so many people on here seem to?

 

[Juan Albion]

The bible & churches are completely man-made creations and I don't buy into them at all. Why would a God who is perfect expect his people to pray to him every week? If he's perfect he wouldn't have such an ego surely?

If you believed in God, why wouldn't you want to pray? Does a wife not appreciate being told by her husband that he loves her (or do you think that is an ego thing too)? Both are means of closeness and dedication.

 

[Juan Albion]

'Coz it helps them deal with a) their own mortality and b) our own enormous ignorance, boerthelm. Can't come up with nice tidy answers for everything? Simply make something up which explains all those pesky unknowns away, invest complete and blind faith in that, and stop worrying about it...

That's a very arrogant statement - and again very ignorant. I wish atheists would make their mind up. First we have them saying on buses that there's (probably) no God so stop worrying and enjoy life. Now HHS tells us our beliefs are something we invent to stop worrying. Make your minds up!

 

[Gwylan]

Of course evolution and Christianity co-exist, Darwin himself was a strong believer in God and the Origin of the Species itself makes reference to that. In later life, Darwin moved away from Christianity but still appeared to maintain some deistic beliefs and there are (uncomfirmed) reports that he reverted to Christianity when he was dying.

It doesn't surprise me about the US blocking the film - remember that only the first part of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights trilogy has been made, the producers finding it difficult to raise the money for a work that is so anti-church.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Make your minds up!

Ah, but that’s the difference you see -most atheists do make up their own minds whereas a lot of believers have their minds made up for them - it’s called indoctrination. It would be interesting to see how many of these people would have chosen the same belief system as adults rather than having acquired it after hours of religious propaganda when they were impressionable children.

 

[Juan Albion]

Ah, but that’s the difference you see -most atheists do make up their own minds whereas a lot of believers have their minds made up for them - it’s called indoctrination. It would be interesting to see how many of these people would have chosen the same belief system as adults rather than having acquired it after hours of religious propaganda when they were impressionable children.

What a complete load of tosh. You think people who are religious are robots or something? You think we are incapable of thinking for ourselves? You think that we don't spend a lot of time questioning our own beliefs? You think we don't have doubts? You think our beliefs don't grow/change as we grow? You think we don't hear both sides of the arguments? Just how stupid are you?

As for atheists thinking, I'd suggest there's a case to be made to claim that a good percentage of atheists haven't bothered to think about anything spiritual, that they are atheist by default (or lack of thinking). But if I suggested that, my reasoning would be as lazy as yours.

Oh, and by the way, my parents took me to church approximately twice as a child.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

What a complete load of tosh. You think people who are religious are robots or something? You think we are incapable of thinking for ourselves? You think that we don't spend a lot of time questioning our own beliefs? You think we don't have doubts? You think our beliefs don't grow/change as we grow? You think we don't hear both sides of the arguments? Just how stupid are you?

As for atheists thinking, I'd suggest there's a case to be made to claim that a good percentage of atheists haven't bothered to think about anything spiritual, that they are atheist by default (or lack of thinking). But if I suggested that, my reasoning would be as lazy as yours.

Oh, and by the way, my parents took me to church approximately twice as a child.

You’re obviously easily rattled judging by the amount of time you have to resort to using a bold key in your posts.

Anyway, moving on . The fact remains that some of the major religions rely heavily on producing their converts at an early age - unfortunately people rarely like the truth. Some also engage intellectually and spiritually with their audience in a spirit of mutual respect. It takes all sorts to make a world.

Another thought - you will not often find a person born in Ireland becoming a Moslem or a person born in the Middle East becoming a Catholic. Why is this the case when each of these religions is supposedly so powerful. The reason being is that we are a product of many things, family, environment, customs etc. - but (mostly) we will go with the flow. You’re born in Brighton - you support the Seagulls

Many atheists have considered and debated spiritual matters at some length but by a process of logic have ruled these out - it certainly doesn’t mean they have not thought about it. That is just your opinion which you are entitled to.

 

[xenophon]

What are the two most common elements in the universe?







Hydrogen & Stupidity

 

[Gwylan]

Oh, and by the way, my parents took me to church approximately twice as a child.

That's interesting. I have found that the most religious adults are ones who didn't have much religion forced down their throat as a child - and the most militant atheists had a heavy religious upbringing (obviously, this isn't true for everyone but that's the trend that I've observed).

So, I'm not sure that Lyndhurst is right - I don't think kids brought up in a religious household necessarily retain their views. I was brought up in a Welsh chapel family and you can't get more hardcore religion than that but I gradually shed by Christian beliefs as I grew older.

I'm not militantly anti-Christian though (I can't stand Dawkins who strikes me as bigoted as any Bible-bashing redneck) and always believe that religious beliefs should be respected. But I really don't see the battle between evolutionists and creationists as battle between Darwin and Christians - people who reject evolution as a theory are blinkered and refuse to face facts, but that shouldn't be an excuse to damn all Christians.

 

[Insel affe]

That's interesting. I have found that the most religious adults are ones who didn't have much religion forced down their throat as a child - and the most militant atheists had a heavy religious upbringing (obviously, this isn't true for everyone but that's the trend that I've observed).

So, I'm not sure that Lyndhurst is right - I don't think kids brought up in a religious household necessarily retain their views. I was brought up in a Welsh chapel family and you can't get more hardcore religion than that but I gradually shed by Christian beliefs as I grew older.

I'm not militantly anti-Christian though (I can't stand Dawkins who strikes me as bigoted as any Bible-bashing redneck) and always believe that religious beliefs should be respected. But I really don't see the battle between evolutionists and creationists as battle between Darwin and Christians - people who reject evolution as a theory are blinkered and refuse to face facts, but that shouldn't be an excuse to damn all Christians.

Similar story to you Gwylan, Although im from a long line of Anglican priests,Deacons and monks. However i do agree with nearly everything you say, although being in church from a very young age (Living with my gran) the last being St Marys church in Fittleworth,West Sussex. I noticed that church in my opinion is a crux,a comforter a hand to help people who need and require help or reassurance in the life for various reasons.I never got a chance to talk to my grandad about life the universe etc,And my dad totally rebelled as you suggested above.I feel as is normally the case that somewhere in there is the truth you just have to look,and never mock someones beliefs, because sometimes thats all people have.

Ps shouldent you line end "but that shouldn't be an excuse to damn all RELIGIONS" As our Muslim friends dont believe in Evolution.

 

[beorhthelm]

Funny that all those I've ever met that have talked about this say something close to that. How much of a moron do you have to be to swallow the tabloids' suggestion that Christian=Creationist like so many people on here seem to?

i dont know, ask the moronic chirstians who believe in creationism exclusivly. apparently (see original post) thats 40% of america. maybe the religious groups in UK and europe are a bit more intelligent, i recall that the Vatican does actually have a line like this.

 

[Gwylan]

Ps shouldent you line end "but that shouldn't be an excuse to damn all RELIGIONS" As our Muslim friends dont believe in Evolution.

I was referring to the actual subject matter of the thread: the groups stopping the distribution of the film are Christian groups not Muslim ones.

AFAIK (and I'm not an expert in Islam theology)there should be no problems in Muslims accepting the theory of evolution - just as some Christians and Jews accept it. I'm sure there are large numbers who don't however but they're not the ones resisting the distribution of a film.

 

[Insel affe]

I was referring to the actual subject matter of the thread: the groups stopping the distribution of the film are Christian groups not Muslim ones.

AFAIK (and I'm not an expert in Islam theology)there should be no problems in Muslims accepting the theory of evolution - just as some Christians and Jews accept it. I'm sure there are large numbers who don't however but they're not the ones resisting the distribution of a film.

Point taken.

 

[Finch]

A topic on religion and evolution. Unsurprisingly it didn't take long for people to throw the insults out.

I don't like to discuss the topic much, as athiests tend to be offended by the mere existence of an opinion other than their own and attack peoples opinions with insults fairly quickly.

I believe in both creationism (big bang anyone?) and evolution (the bible should not be taken literally, or we'd be chopping womens breasts off if they injured our nuts). They are not mutually exclusive.

As for the actual topic, is the film any good? I haven't seen it.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I'm baffled as to how the literal creationists (the folk who think the world came into existence 6000 years ago) have achieved such a dominant position in contemporary America.

I spent a lot of my youth in the company of committed Christians. I can't recall ANY of them believing that religion was incompatible with the science of Darwin. What I do remember being taught (by Irish nuns, mainly) is that faith is a mysterious thing that no-one will ever understand and that true religion is a struggle to achieve some understanding.

How did all these people suddenly become CERTAIN about creation? And everything else, for that matter? And how do they get by without the struggle to understand?

 

[Tricky Dicky]

As for atheists thinking, I'd suggest there's a case to be made to claim that a good percentage of atheists haven't bothered to think about anything spiritual, that they are atheist by default (or lack of thinking). But if I suggested that, my reasoning would be as lazy as yours.

That is as stupid as your argument as your argument for religon.

You are prefectly allowed to have your faith if you want to, personally I gave up fairy stories when I was a kid. To close, I would like to quote the venerable Stephen Fry on the subject ... "Religion .... shit it !"

 

[Lord Bracknell]

personally I gave up fairy stories when I was a kid.

What have fairy stories got to do with religion? And what has religion got to do with fairy stories?

What you are revealing, I think, is that you were never exposed to religion as a child. Or, if you were, you weren't paying proper attention.

By all means, reject religion. But don't dismiss it as 'fairy stories'. That's simplistic, prejudiced nonsense, no different from the simplistic nonsense that the creationists believe in.

 

[bhaexpress]

The ignorance of the creationists is staggering. They insist the earth is only about 6,000 years old when scientific measurement and calculations show it to be about 4.5 billion years old with some scientists thinking it is even older. Having to put up with all the religious cobblers which is constantly on TV or in the papers is one of the downsides about living in the US. The other day a guy in the Bronx won the New York mega lottery - 150 million dollars. Fair play to him - he then starts wittering on about it being part of god’s plan - right, so he’ll donate the bulk of it to charity. No he won’t - he’ll blow it on fancy women, fancy houses and fancy cars like any self respecting lottery winner would !

I have some fairly intelligent relatives in Canada who also hold the same beliefs, mind you they are Born Again Christians. I have discussed it with them but they cannot be dissuaded from their beliefs any more than I can be of mine. At the end of the day they're entitled to think what they want as they're breaking no law and not bothering anybody else.

However, my problem with all religions is that there are those who take it far too literally and that's where the problem lies. Fundamentalist Christians are just as bad as any other sect sadly as they believe in something of which there is absolutely no logical explanation and yet they act on what their particular 'teachings' because of it. In some ways not unlike the followers of Adolf Hitler and his ilk.