Ok, here goes. I have been thinking since post #8 about how to better express my meaning. I am honestly frustrated because I thoght I expressed it pretty clearly. While I am closer to getting this back on track I am still grappling with the exact syntax to effectively direct it. So in other words, just hold up and bear with me a sec alright?
First, evolution vs. creationism = irrelevant. This is precisely why I put in the editorial note saying I originally meant for the thread to be in "Faith and Belief". I still would rather have it there if it can be moved, unless of course the Admins feel it belongs here more than there. So what I am saying here is that it isn't about evolution. I do not see evolution as a valid scientific method or worldview. THIS IS NOT THE POINT. Even if evolution is true, it does not exclude the existence of God because He could still be the sustainer of the evolutionary system you hold to. This is what I am getting at. I am not saying that belief, adherence to, loyalty to, faith in, etc. an evolutionistic world view begins with a rejection of God. I am referring to cases in which the two coexist.
Second, let me clarify what I am asking by a quote.
It is a non-choice.
This is not true and I will prove it with an illustration. If I set and an apple and an orange in front of you and say choose which you will eat, you will make a choice. "I choose neither." Fine, you still made a choice. A non-choice is a choice, at least in this case. It is a choice to not believe. The idea of a higher (I would say supreme) entity which governs the system in which all existence take place has been presented. Vote yea or nay. Or to be more accurate: Vote yea or do whatever else other than voting yea you want. A decision to not believe in God is a decision to believe something else other than that God exists.
Ok. So now back to my question. Why? Some of the posts so far have, to some degree, expressed the type of answers I was looking for. It seems the rest attempt to redefine belief and faith. The question is not whether evolution is a faith (even though I maintain that it is). The question is "Do you believe in God or do you believe something else" with a presumed answer of "something else" and a follow up question of "Why do you choose to believe so?"
A few brief statements of futher clarification.
I am not asking because I can't relate to God not being important to you. I ask because a choice has been made. I have my own speculations on why that choice was made but as I said in my first post I am holding back on posting them until such a time as I think an adequate level of response has been reached.
I am not separating between "evolutionist" and "atheist". Please examine my question again:
I am curious to know why you, as an evolutionist, have made the choice to exercise your faith in this way.
My question is clearly pointed to the specific person of an evolutionist who does not believe in God. I can see now why this can create confusion but try to think of it as if I had asked atheistic plumbers. I am talking to the atheist but the atheist with the specific worldview of evolution.
Just a sec while I review this post again...
Ok then. Please excuse an apparent lack of literary quality. I have been expressing these things pretty much as they come to me, so there is an obvious lack of quality when compared to some of my other posts. I think, with this post, and especially with it coupled to my first post, I have set forth clearly what I am looking for. If not please let me know what the area of confusion is.
And just to beat redundancy with a big gnarled stick:
As an evolutionist who does not believe in the existence of God, you have made a choice of belief against the existence of God and for some other belief, whatever that may be. I would like to know what motivates you to choose the way you do. Individuals to whom this question does not apply need not respond.
Ok, I hope the covers it.
Russ
™ Version 4.2
