Pope Francis declares Evolution and Big Bang theory are right

[Agent327]

Maybe that's God's test? Maybe he is seeing how many people are going to go down the sinful path of 100% literal interpretation?

"Let's see how many of these humans I created are smart enough to figure this one out"

Good one.

 

[Kyriakos]

<God> Heh. I will create some smart humans, and some dumb, and also very dumb, and some turning violent when identifying they are dumb or ugly as i made them- but i remain invisible so they are bound to take it on the other humans

 

[warpus]

In other news, man who isn't at all versed in the biological or cosmological sciences loudly proclaims his opinion on them to people who know more than him. Film at 11.

More like:

Religious leader of over a billion people attempts to dispel misconceptions about the beginnings of time and humanity to a minority of his followers who believe them, in an attempt to better his flock and improve humanity as a result, drawing his information from experts in relevant fields.

 

[Arakhor]

Yes. The Papal Seat may have much to answer for, but honestly Pope Francis is not doing that bad a job. Now if only he would rule infallibly that the world was not created in six days as Genesis says, it might just kill what little Catholic creationism remains, stone dead.

 

[Manfred Belheim]

More like:

Religious leader of over a billion people attempts to dispel misconceptions about the beginnings of time and humanity to a minority of his followers who believe them, in an attempt to better his flock and improve humanity as a result, drawing his information from experts in relevant fields.

Just because the mad people number in the hundreds of millions, doesn't mean I have to give their beliefs any more attention than if it was just one old guy shouting at pigeons.

 

[Kyriakos]

Yes. The Papal Seat may have much to answer for, but honestly Pope Francis is not doing that bad a job. Now if only he would rule infallibly that the world was not created in six days as Genesis says, it might just kill what little Catholic creationism remains, stone dead.

Or at least rule infallibly that popes aren't infallible. Ie move even more to the realm of logic

 

[gay_Aleks]

<God> Heh. I will create some smart humans, and some dumb, and also very dumb, and some turning violent when identifying they are dumb or ugly as i made them- but i remain invisible so they are bound to take it on the other humans

You roll 1! Nobody understands you, and Satan manages to disrupt all your Mythic feats.

 

[Agent327]

More like:

Religious leader of over a billion people attempts to dispel misconceptions about the beginnings of time and humanity to a minority of his followers who believe them, in an attempt to better his flock and improve humanity as a result, drawing his information from experts in relevant fields.

Actually, it is a bit of old news. The Catholic church already acknowledged both, as far as I am aware. So the thread title should read

Pope Francis reaffirms Evolution and Big Bang theory yet again

It would be news if he decided to change his position all of a sudden.

Yes. The Papal Seat may have much to answer for, but honestly Pope Francis is not doing that bad a job. Now if only he would rule infallibly that the world was not created in six days as Genesis says, it might just kill what little Catholic creationism remains, stone dead.

I'm sure you meant to say Holy See. Actually, the pope can do such a ruling ex cathedra. But since both scientific subjects were already affirmed, it would look like overkill. It's not like these are hotly debated issues in Catholicism.

 

[El_Machinae]

To be clear, I don't want the Holy See making declarations regarding natural facts. It's already bad enough the CC feels the need to declare events in saint's lives 'miracles'.

 

[Farm Boy]

To be clear, I don't want the Holy See making declarations regarding natural facts. It's already bad enough the CC feels the need to declare events in saint's lives 'miracles'.

I try cope with that mainly through attempting to hold a somewhat nuanced view of the definition of "miracle." Not that it's always appreciated by practicing Catholics.

 

[warpus]

I always thought it was silly for them to suddenly "find miracles" after JP2 died, so that they could make him a saint. It's so obviously.. forced. If there was a miracle, why didn't we hear about it there and then? If you want to make someone a saint, just do it, don't make yourselves look like fools in the process..

 

[Evie]

I don't want the church to make pronouncements on the veracity (or not) of scientific theory or fact, beyond treating leading theories as likely explanations (which is what the pope is doing here - the thrust of his argument is not "Yeah they're real", it's "What science tells us happened nowaday works with...'"

I'm prefectly fine with the church seeking to enlighten its followers as to how those natural facts and theories fit with their own theology and scripture, though. Helping its followers accept sound science and natural facts is a good job on the church's part. Even if it's a reiteration on the Church's part.

 

[Harv]

To be clear, I don't want the Holy See making declarations regarding natural facts.

Isn't this how they got into trouble over the past 500 years?

It's already bad enough the CC feels the need to declare events in saint's lives 'miracles'.

The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

-Matthew 11:5

 

[Arakhor]

As I understand it, the Pope cannot make an ex cathedra statement on the veracity (or lack thereof) of a scientific theory, as it is not a point of Catholic theology. Thast's why I opined that Francis should rule on Genesis not being taken as a literal account of the creation of the world, as that is a point of theology.

 

[warpus]

I don't want the church to make pronouncements on the veracity (or not) of scientific theory or fact

Me neither, but I think the pope just saw so many of his followers being lead astray. I doubt he will make a habit of pronouncements like these, I think in this case it was just him trying to make things right, when he saw a wrong. He seems to be a guy who deals with things on a case by case basis, which is a good way to govern.

 

[Berzerker]

As I understand it, the Pope cannot make an ex cathedra statement on the veracity (or lack thereof) of a scientific theory, as it is not a point of Catholic theology. Thast's why I opined that Francis should rule on Genesis not being taken as a literal account of the creation of the world, as that is a point of theology.

I dont understand their rules but didn't a pope tell Stephen Hawking a few years ago (maybe a decade) not to research existence before the Big Bang because that was God's realm?

 

[Arakhor]

I have no idea, but I doubt that sort of research is even possible.

 

[CavLancer]

Since reality is likely something resembling a hologram anything could be real, or the contrary. It depends more on who is running the projector and it always has. The pope might not be aware of that or he could just be espousing stuff everyone has come to accept for his own reasons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DIl3Hfh9tY

 

[El_Machinae]

I have no idea, but I doubt that sort of research is even possible.

It's very hard, because very sound theoretical concepts have a hard time generating testable predictions. It's not impossible, or we don't know if it is or isn't impossible. But it's at least tough.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

I'm with Classical on this one.

I'm in an evolution thread and I'm siding with Classical. Well, there's a sentence I never expected to use.

Evolution is a cruel, extremely uncaring, viscous struggle for survival where all involved are always hungry, afraid for their lives or killed in utterly gutwrenching ways. If this was the result of a design, then the designer can't have a single caring molecule of emotion.

So then the choice becomes clear. Either God is good and created man according to the YEC principle. Which is clearly bonkers. Or It is devoid from morality and created life that follows evolution. Options only apply to an omni-everything God.

Laat option is that It had nothing to do with creation and is a result of some natural process itself.