Why not go all the way?

[PickelledEggs]

Actually, you are all missing something here.  Every Catholic I know of believes that Adam and Eve were real, and so is evolution.  This is one of the "god of the gaps" things they do.  We are all familiar with the theistic apologetic notion that every fossil found just created 2 gaps instead of filling one.  Since it is impossible to have every intermediary fossil between our ancestors and ourselves, there is always room for Adam and Eve.

As it was explained to me when I asked this question as a teenager, what happened is evolution took place up to a certain point, then God twiddled his fingers and took the "not quite human" ancestor and made the first "modern" humans in one magical evolutionary leap. Tada!  Adam and Eve.   

So there you go.  It is a sort of cognative dissidence, but not quite what you guys seemed to be explaining.  It's more like a partial misunderstanding of how evolution works. 

At any rate, just thought I'd put that out there.  Accepting evolution does not require them to reject Adam and Eve.  And really, I don't mind the theists who don't deny science so much.  I know I know, the moderates always support the infrastructure to create extremists, but still.  Every single person who accepts evolution (and vaccines, and global climate change) should be patted on the back and considered our allies, IMO.

I don't mind a theist that doesn't deny or reject scientific advances either. It still boggles my mind though. And  I did think it was an interesting question.

What christian doesn't believe in Adam and Eve?  I've never met one.
Still unsure what "Why not go all the way?" means ???

I was referring to: If a theist believes in some/ most of the bible, why not just believe in the whole thing? Or if a theist is rejecting parts of the bible, what is stopping them from rejecting the whole thing.

[aileron]

Every Catholic I know of believes that Adam and Eve were real, and so is evolution.

Unscientific sampling method to be sure, but I was raised Catholic and don't know any Catholics who believe Adam and Eve were real people.  They believe that God guided evolution and at some point gave humans souls. 

So, yeah, sorry Thag, you missed getting a soul by one generation.  Sucks to be you.

[Nam]

It was Adam & Steve Jesusdamnit!

-Nam

[PickelledEggs]

It was Adam & Steve Jesusdamnit!

-Nam

I don't think I know an Adam....

(btw, my name is Steve)

[DunkleSeele]

Every single person who accepts evolution (and vaccines, and global climate change) should be patted on the back and considered our allies, IMO.

No, not really. People who accept evolution (and whatever other scientific truth) and still are theists are NOT necessarily our allies. Many of those people still want to have religion-based laws, deny women abortion and contraception rights, teach religion in schools, etc. They're still our enemies. Or, better said, society's enemies.

[PickelledEggs]

No, not really. People who accept evolution (and whatever other scientific truth) and still are theists are NOT necessarily our allies. Many of those people still want to have religion-based laws, deny women abortion and contraception rights, teach religion in schools, etc. They're still our enemies. Or, better said, society's enemies.

This.

Sent from your mom

[Nam]

I don't think I know an Adam....

(btw, my name is Steve)

Ummm...

It was Terry and Steve!!!!

-Nam

[Hydra009]

If a theist believes in some/ most of the bible, why not just believe in the whole thing? Or if a theist is rejecting parts of the bible, what is stopping them from rejecting the whole thing.

There is not nor has ever been a person who has ever believed the entirety of the Bible.  Believers always pick and choose.  And that's actually a good thing, considering its contents.  And even if they didn't have that habit, the Bible contradicts itself in places - a believer cannot affirm one verse without repudiating another, so full assent is a logical impossibility.

And I think we both know why some verses are shouted from the pulpits and others quietly forgotten.  These are the ones that appeal to a believer emotionally, fit with their view of the world, and have not (yet) fallen so far behind modernity that they're utterly unconscionable.

Every single person who accepts evolution (and vaccines, and global climate change) should be patted on the back and considered our allies, IMO.

No one deserves praise for simply not being a denialist nor should one be counted an ally before proving it.

And personally, I find it a tad unseemly when theists debate evolution and the focus is on whether or not it's compatible with the Bible, rather than whether or not it's evidenced.  I'd half expect these sagacious theologians to float in midair while debating whether or not gravity is biblical.

Politics makes for such strange bedfellows.  And suppose it is a worthwhile alliance, though I wonder how effective it is to fight superstition hand in hand with the superstitious.

[ApostateLois]

 It can be very hard for people to abandon a lifetime of beliefs, especially if there is the chance of rejection by their family and friends. No matter how many doubts they might have, they might feel that going that final step--abandoning belief in the Bible entirely--is not worth the risk of losing their loved ones. Or they may still have that fear of hellfire so deeply embedded that they can't shake it off. Doubting parts of the Bible is one thing--one can always be forgiven for that--but completely disregarding it is tantamount to not believing in God, and that means eternal torture in hell.