HF - thank you for a reasoned, thoughtful post on the issue.
The fossil record in not yet to a point to prove that Apes, simian species, and humans all descend from a 'universal common ancestor" - a thought used by Fundamentalists to decry the Theory of Evolution.
yet, IMHO - the Bible describes '7days' of creation - yet does not specify what is a day, or how a Universal Creator operated. A 'day' could be millenia in terms of a 'Universal Creator."
I personally see no conflict - nor should flexible minds see conflict between the religious story and the scientific method.
Originally Posted by oeb11
I have heard of a scientific explanation for the parting of the Red Sea(Chuck Heston use to make good movies) and for Noah's Arc.
Perhaps there is no conflict between religious story and scientific method.
However, I have not heard of any scientific explanation for how the first born Egyptian got some deadly disease but the first born of Jewish parents did not which was in the same Chuck Heston movie. Moses led the Jews out of bondage and they had to travel around in the desert for 40 years for participating in poor behavior. The universal creator (as you call it) got upset with them.
I have not heard of a scientific explanation for how the Virgin Mary had a son. Maybe there was some type of In Vitro Fertilization procedure 2100 years ago.
I won't get into the miracles that Christ was supposed to have performed like curing Leoprocisy. That is for another time.
Some people think that the "universal creator" that you refer to does operate in mysterious ways.
Oeb, you had a decent post going until you went on a tangent with the aoc concentration camps.