And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.
Mark 11:22
"Seventh-day Adventists teachers and church ministerial leaders from across North-America attending the Faith & Science Conference in St. George, Utah, until July 14, are pointing out how informative they are finding the event presentations.
Loma Linda University Biology and Paleontology Professor Leonard Brand. Brand ...“There are two ways,” Brand said. “Either we believe in the biblical story of a recent literal creation, or we accept evolutionary periods described in millions of years.”
Brand made clear that both proposals ultimately demand faith.
“Are scientists based on faith?” he asked. “Many say ‘no,’ but in fact, their presuppositions are based on faith. After all, how much do those assumptions control the interpretation of evidence?”
Secular scientists, Brand explained, take many things for granted. “They say, ‘This is the way it is, and this is the way it must be,’” he said. The creationist advantage? “We can compare and contrast both assumptions, and make an informed decision,” he said
2 parables
“There is a wolf in the neighborhood, and this wolf sets out to kill dogs,” Brand said. “But the first owner says, ‘I will raise a lot of puppies. Many will suffer and die, but the strongest will survive.’”
“The second dog owner chooses a different path,” Brand continued. “He puts in a fence and teaches his dogs to stay inside the fence. When one jumps over the fence, he runs and fights the wolf to save his dog. He gets beaten badly, but saves the dog.”
It is a parable of two stories about creation, Brand said.
“In theistic evolution, suffering is part of God’s plan to create,” he said. “Death is part of God’s plan to create. Evil is the way it is, and there is no way around it—God is responsible for evil.”
AR