Introduction
In the modern society, religious principles have a considerable impact on the ongoing debate regarding evolution and creationism. However, few scholars and analysts give no data as regards to the influence of religion on the debate. Studies show that religious approaches support the creationist perspective whereas non-religious approaches tend to support evolutionary perspective. It should be noted that the debate is even complex as opposed to how it is usually presented in simple terms.
Some scholars support evolution yet they are religious whereas some non-religious individuals are of the view that everything was created in the world. The understanding of the debate demands an in-depth analysis of issues surrounding the two theories or schools of thoughts. The main aim of this article is to establish the influence of religion on the big debate that has always raised controversies among scholars and analysts.
Creationism vs. Evolutionism: The Impacts of Religion
The issue under contention in the ongoing debate between creationist scholars and evolutionist scholars is whether the earth and everything in it were created or they came about as result of countless cosmic accidents. Creationists believe that God created everything.
This is the official standpoint of many religions meaning that religion is the major variable in the debate. Without religion, the debate could be taking a different direction because the church has always opposed the idea that people evolved from apes. In fact, the debate is usually considered a debate between science and religion or reason vs. religion.
Religion has ensured that the debate on the origin of species and the earth in general continues (Butler 56). The debate could be over in case the competing institutions were separate from religion. The debate has been in existence for over one fifty years because the church has always defended its standpoint on the matter. Religion has ensured that no theory is generated to give an alternative explanation other than creation and evolution, which they highly dispute.
The church upholds its status as the major societal institution, which should explain issues related to morality, sexuality, and justice. In this regard, it has always revived the debate on the origin of species, claiming that people have the right to know their origin since it would amount to morality, justice, purpose, development of the sense of self-worth, obligation, and humanity. The understanding of the origin of man has a tremendous impact on the individual behavior.
The theory of evolution teaches that human beings and other species evolved through gradually to become what they are in the modern society. The current species represent the ideal population that has gone through various processes to be what it is now. The most superior species tend to survive while the weak is always eliminated because they are unable to cope with the challenges of society.
For instance, the strongest species in society are able to acquire food and water. This makes them strong to acquire desirable qualities, which are passed from one generation to the other. Charles Darwin termed this type of arrangement as the survival for the fittest because only the strong species could live long (Beer and Darwin 69) Evolution theory tends to suggest that the less fit species should be eliminated in society to pave way for the strong.
Through this, resources would be enough for only the strong species (Miller 21). According to the theory, nature is very discriminative because it does not allow the mating of the strong with the weaker. Moreover, it does not allow the blending of superior and inferior race because this would destroy quality.
If nature allows the blending of various races, the process of evolution would be under threat because inferior qualities that are unable to cope with the environment would be produced. Therefore, the war of nature and other factors such as famine and inadequacy of resources have led to the extinction of weak species. The current species in the modern society are all strong implying that no species is going to be lost any soon. Human beings are not exempted from the war of nature simply because they are a class of animals.
The theory of evolution has always been misquoted to execute social injustices such as exterminating so many Jews during the Second World War. Hitler was of the view that Jews were from an inferior race yet they were multiplying like vermin. This means that the world would then be filled with an inferior race, with undesirable qualities.
Scholars at the time did not oppose Hitler’s views because some claimed that Hitler was a reasonable evolutionist who was fulfilling the theory of natural selection. Some scholars claimed that Hitler’s actions were to be understood within the precincts of evolution. Stalin invoked the theory of evolution in exterminating the lives of over sixty million people in the world.
This shows that the theory can affect negatively human behavior. People misquote or misinterpret the theory to suit their own selfish interests. The church has always given these reasons to justify the claim that the theory of evolution should never be relied upon to explain the origin of species. The church has been successful in convincing people to believe that the theory is destructive since it states that the weak should be allowed to die since they would have been selected negatively.
The issue of natural selection and survival for the fittest is one of the issues that have encouraged various religious organizations to fight back enthusiastically. In reality, the theory of evolution is unethical since it claims that the weak should be left to die since they do not have a chance of surviving in an environment that is dominated by the strong individual.
The church and other religious organizations from Islamic and Hindu religions cannot sit back and see the weak oppressed simply because the theory of evolution does not favor them. This would amount to immorality and injustice to the weak. This is something that does not please God.
The church, as well as other religious groups, has consistently accused evolutionary theory for bringing about all forms of evil in the human life. Evolutionary theory posits that survival is for the fittest in society meaning that oppression and subjugation is justified. Moreover, an individual is justified to do anything in society, as long as it enables him or her to survive.
This would mean that social crimes such as robbery, kidnapping, carjacking, murder, money laundering, and drug trafficking are justifiable since it is a source of livelihood to many individuals. It is claimed that the church has played a critical role in ensuring that evolution theory is not applied fully in society since many people could have suffered. The rich in society have always dominated the poor by subjecting them to poor working conditions claiming that survival is for the fittest in society (Strobel 88).
Through evolution theory, some scholars came up with a notion that the end will always justify the mean implying that the process through which an individual uses in achieving his or her objective does not matter in society. However, the religion groups have always ensured that all people, including those in positions of influence, observe ethics. The theory has not been executed fully since religion has played a role of hampering full implementation of the theory.
Religion teaches that God, created the earth, as well as all living creatures meaning he has the right of taking what he brought in this world. In this regard, no entity should try to take away life with claims that only the strong should survive. Abortion would be allowed legally in many parts of the world in case religious groups do not intervene during the designing of constitutions. In Kenya, there was a heated debate over abortion, with some claiming that it should be allowed since it is part of the process of natural selection.
The church was able to reduce the debate to when does life start. Some noted that life starts at conception while others argued that life starts at birth. However, religion prevailed because it was agreed that abortion could not be procured unless under special conditions, especially when the life of the mother was under threat. The church has contributed too much to the debate. It has influenced the direction of the debate by giving some justifications based on the bible and Quran.
Works Cited
Beer, Gillian, and Darwin, Charles. The origin of species. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996. Print.
Butler, Samuel. Evolution, Old and New: Or the Theories of Buffon, Dr. Erasmus Darwin, and Lamarck, As Compared With That of Charles Darwin (1911). Washington: Kessinger Publishing, 2007. Print.
Miller, James . An evolving dialogue: theological and scientific perspectives on evolution. Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 2001. Print.
Strobel, Lee. The case for a Creator: a journalist investigates scientific evidence that points toward God. Grand Rapids: Zondervan/Willow Creek Resources, 2004. Print.