Evolution and God merge when we extend the view of each to the beginning of the Universe and try to understand natural selection and the Act of Creation. We get into a murky philosophical area that seems to be world's apart to most types of scientists and peoples of various spiritual persuasions. It seems to be a result of looking at the same thing from two different perspectives.
Things look vastly different when the view through a telescope is compared to the view through a microscope. Our sensory perceptions via sight and hearing are not incompatible since we, from the beginning of our life, have learned to accept the truth of both and now have no struggle to understand their compatibility.
A pictorial display of perspective was part of my thought this morning when I awakened to the following view from our condo as a result of sleeping in because a storm closing schools had been predicted.
The same bush that is to the left of the snow covered table is bowed down under the weight of fresh heavy wet snow. In the following photo it is shown less than four months earlier after a frost had helped the upper leaves get their fall colors.
I don't have a picture to show the before creation view to compare with the pictures above. Nor do I have a picture that shows natural selection. Natural selection is a term that summarizes the culmination of many events whose precise details can only be predicted in a general way. Furthermore it is determined by the absence of elimination for the survivors still capable of reproduction and fortunate enough to, in fact, reproduce because of factors they have or lack that differ from those not surviving to reproduce.
THE ARGUMENT GOES ON
After thinking about this post and before composing it I happened to do some channel surfing and found a discussion in progress on EWTN where a layman was trying to explain his church's view on evolution, and a clergyman was looking at its possible position in the philosophical or theological scheme of causality. They seemed to be a little closer to finding evolution possible than some skeptical scientists are of finding God possible.
Evolution by the process of natural selection and God as its creator are both facts to me. But I have to recognize many do not have the experiences to come to the same conclusion. I would like to contribute to all accepting God and evolution. But I realize I may only be able to prove to some scientists a few new facts about evolution, whereas I am dependent upon God to complete the resolution of the broader conflict.
Life goes on for those of us surviving the worst shooting event known in Kalamazoo, six of the eight shot died. About the same time, the natural death, at age over 99 and one half years, of a friend who lived a commendable life, will not make national news. May they all rest in peace and enjoy the gifts God has prepared for them.
Joe Engemann Kalamazoo, Michigan February 25, 2016 [my camera's clock is a few hour slow, just like me]
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