Elder Nelson on Evolution "incomprehensible"?

[_bcspace]

It is also interesting to note that evolution also teaches that man has always been man, dogs have always been dogs, and monkeys have always been monkeys.

??

In evolution, species begets species. Cats don't have puppies, etc. You don't see a change in species unless you look over many generations. Thus, when a creationist brings up "everything after it's own kind", like Nelson essentially did, an evolutionist can truthfully say that evolution teaches the same thing.

Here is an evolution primer for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vss1VKN2rf8&feature=channel_page

[_SteelHead]

sorry bc you are confusing macro and micro evolution.

Scope, it's not just for breath.

[_bcspace]

sorry bc you are confusing macro and micro evolution.

Nope. Macro all the way.

[_SteelHead]

Macro allows for one species to eventually become another.

So each after his own kind, until they eventually become another kind.

On that note, are carnivorous post flood tigers of "the same kind" as non carnivorous pre flood tigers?

[_Darth J]

At B.Y.U., to get a grade in a science class, biology, I had to read Darwin's "Origin of Species", and write a 10 page paper on it showing I understood the basic tenets of evolution. The professor permitted us an addendum at the end bearing our testimony pro or con if we desired, but nothing could take the place of actually being conversant in the science. I have 9 books, well read, from Stephen Gould, "America's Evolutionist" in my library, and I prize his intellect and his fair and careful approach to the study, especially with respect to religious beliefs. I believe God created the Heavens and the earth; quite probably by the means of a "guided" evolution. The study of evolution, I believe, is basically a process of reverse engineering, and I support the science fully, as long as it's not done with an agenda of undermining religion and faith. One of Gould's books, "Rocks of Ages", deals eloquently with this separation, and I support his ideas of "non-overlapping magisterium", and "punctuated equilibrium." I don't expect the G.A.'s to be knowledgeable on these issues any more than I expect them to be gourmet cooks or wizards of baseball statistics. I just expect them to have enough background in priesthood administration and the gospel to keep this church headed in the right direction of preparing the world for the second coming of Jesus Christ. If they come up short on evolution, the big bang, or any other current scientific theory, so what?

The Mormon Apologetics Articles of Faith

3. We believe in continuing revelation and inspiration given to prophets, seers, and revelators, insofar as it pertains only to administrative decisions like consolidating the three-hour block on Sundays or where to build a new temple, and in homilies about conforming to proper LDS behavior, like how many earrings a girl can have or what movies you can watch.

It's nice to know, though, that the origins of the human race---which is a fundamental issue in the Plan of Salvation---is on the same level of importance as gourmet cooking or baseball statistics.

[_Darth J]

I don't expect the G.A.'s to be knowledgeable on these issues any more than I expect them to be gourmet cooks or wizards of baseball statistics. I just expect them to have enough background in priesthood administration and the gospel to keep this church headed in the right direction of preparing the world for the second coming of Jesus Christ. If they come up short on evolution, the big bang, or any other current scientific theory, so what?

Ezra Taft Benson
Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet

The prophet is not required to have any particular earthly training or diplomas to speak on any subject or act on any matter at any time.

Sometimes there are those who feel their earthly knowledge on a certain subject is superior to the heavenly knowledge which God gives to his prophet on the same subject. They feel the prophet must have the same earthly credentials or training which they have had before they will accept anything the prophet has to say that might contradict their earthly schooling. How much earthly schooling did Joseph Smith have? Yet he gave revelations on all kinds of subjects. We haven’t yet had a prophet who earned a doctorate degree in any subject. We encourage earthly knowledge in many areas, but remember if there is ever a conflict between earthly knowledge and the words of the prophet, you stand with the prophet and you’ll be blessed and time will show you have done the right thing.

[_bcspace]

Macro allows for one species to eventually become another.

So each after his own kind, until they eventually become another kind.

Yes, but at no time, according to evolution does one species give birth to a different species. See the above primer starting at about 5:32 for a good illustration of this.

On that note, are carnivorous post flood tigers of "the same kind" as non carnivorous pre flood tigers?

Depends on the DNA if such ever existed.

[_keithb]

I actually find it disturbing that a man that holds a Medical Doctorate could be so ignorant -- willfully ignorant -- of the basic tenants of biology. He MUST have studied this at some point during his career, either in his course work or in the paper he should have read to stay informed on his field. What on earth did he do with all of that knowledge?

[_bcspace]

It's nice to know, though, that the origins of the human race---which is a fundamental issue in the Plan of Salvation---is on the same level of importance as gourmet cooking or baseball statistics.

The only fundamental requirements regarding origins are that God is the father of our spirits and our physical bodies are created in His image. Evolution precludes neither.

[_Darth J]

It's nice to know, though, that the origins of the human race---which is a fundamental issue in the Plan of Salvation---is on the same level of importance as gourmet cooking or baseball statistics.

The only fundamental requirements regarding origins are that God is the father of our spirits and our physical bodies are created in His image. Evolution precludes neither.

No death before the Fall precludes evolution.

No death before the Fall precludes a creative period that involved death as part of the creative process.

The human race originating with Adam and Eve circa 6,000 B.C.E. precludes all current understanding of human evolution.

A global flood that killed every person and animal on Earth except the survivors on Noah's ark, and all animals currently alive being the offspring of mating pairs from Noah's ark less than 6,000 years ago, precludes evolution.

The logical conclusion that the human race is finished as is and will not evolve in the future (since we are in God's image) precludes evolution.

African Negroes being the descendants of Ham from Noah's ark, rather than Africa being the place where humans originated, precludes evolution.

Humans being created in a perfect, immortal state rather than changing over eons of time to adapt to their environment precludes evolution.