Today I'm going to be talking about Common Mistake Number Two: exchanging the Caring God for the Detached God.
One way that people like to fit Evolution and Creation together is by employing this method. They suggest that maybe God created the laws of nature, and then just kind of left things to their own. That isn't true. God created the laws, yes, but he didn't just retire after that. He's alive and doing things here and now. God is a Caring God.
The "Detached God" theory is called "deism".
The "Caring God" theory is called "theism".
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe both terms came from the Greek. "Deism" coming from the word "deos" and "theism" coming from the word "theos", meaning "god".
This mistake may seem like a fairly minor one because the post isn't as large as some others have been. However, the difference between a Detached God and a Caring God is infinite. Just think about it.
I'm not trying to convince you to become a Christian. I'm not trying to show you that Evolution is wrong (yet :)). This part of my series is just explaining three common mistakes made by both Evolutionists and Creationists. I really hope you'll stick around for the "meat" of this whole series.
Coming up:
July 18: The Opposites Myth
July 25: Owning the Microphone
August 1: Truth (not part of the Evolution series)
**New Series Begins!
Logic:
August 8: Selective Use of Evidence
August 15: Appealing to Authority
Thanks for reading!
of course, cant wait for the next posts
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! I should be posting today, but I'm so wiped out from the lake that the post wouldn't be very good. There's also supposed to be some friends coming over any minute now. I'll be posting tomorrow, though. Thank you *so much* for reading!
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't know that "deos" means "detached God" and "theos" means "caring God." The Spanish use the word, Dios, for God. So, hm.
ReplyDeleteI do agree that there is a huge difference betweeen a caring and detached God. Even though you can call me an Evolutionist, I do believe in the caring God. You're right. Many Evolutionists say that God made the laws of nature, stepped back, and watched it. Many are atheists. But many believe in a caring God as well. Good post! I just got back from a friend's lake house too.
Well, not quite. "Deism" is what the Detached God theory is called, but, yes, "dios" means "god", as do "deus" and "deos". I'm not really sure why the word for "god" is used for the detached god and not for the caring god. *shrug*
ReplyDeleteIf you believe in the caring god, how are you an Evolutionist?
Thank you so much! It makes me feel so good when people actually read my stuff, lol!
Hm...you responded quickly! But I will too! All those etymons really confuse me.
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe in a caring God. Yes, I'm an Evolutionist. But I believe that God inspired Evolution and created the world in the same sort of way that I believe he cares for us, but he still doesn't zap us out of all of our problems. I'm curious how you think that the believed method of creation of the earth determines whether God is caring or not. I don't think I can respond before I understand.
Sorry to be confusing! I’m a language nerd, so that’s the kind of stuff that I could go on about all day, lol!
ReplyDeleteI’m trying to understand exactly what it is that you believe God did. When you say he inspired Evolution, do you mean that you believe that he created those first organisms and laws of nature and then let things evolve?
No, God doesn’t exactly zap us out of our problems, but he is *very much* here and now, alive and interfering, working, changing, speaking.
Lols, I know this is confusing, but before I feel like I can answer, I want to know what exactly it is that you believe about God and creation.
I believe in a caring God and God-inspired evolution. Your comment of how someon cannot be an evolutionist and believe in a caring God is very narrow minded. Still looking forward though!
ReplyDeleteNo reponse to my last comment.
ReplyDelete