Do Christians believe in Dinosaurs?

[ekedolphin]

Haven’t read the thread yet. But here’s another data point.

I’m a Christian, and I believe that the Earth was created about 4.5 billion years ago. I accept that the universe is about 13 billion years old. I believe that some day, the Earth and the other inner planets will be swallowed up by the sun, and that some day, we’ll reach the heat death of the universe.

I think it’s doubtful that the human race will live long enough to witness either of those latter two events.

I believe that dinosaurs roamed the earth for millions of years.

And I don’t think that any of these facts contradict my Christian faith.

[nicky]

Christians believe in dinosaurs. For various reasons heretical fringe groups believe in creationism, but they are going to burn in hell for it.

[tomndebb]

@nicky

Christians believe in dinosaurs. For various reasons heretical fringe groups believe in creationism, but they are going to burn in hell for it.

Let’s not start down this path to a hijack.

[astorian]

@Bullitt

I think non-believers struggle with this and may say that we believers change our story as more scientific evidence is revealed, to conveniently “fit” the biblical narrative to new facts. The Genesis creation timeline used to be taken literally, many years ago, but now we take it as a non-literal story. I get that, I can understand that.

But as with everything from evolution to the Big Bang and Expansion Theory to plate tectonics and particle physics and gravitation and such, and also with faith and the bible story as more evidence of archaeology and science and such are revealed, what we know (or in faith believe) becomes richer with the new information. That, or is judged to be heretical and the information sources condemned if not persecuted and killed.

The more we know, yes we know more, but yet also there is more we realize that we don’t know.

Well, the Big Bang theory was first postulated by a Catholic priest, you know.

And I’m not sure if the Genesis was EVER supposed to be taken literally. If I had met “J” (the name given to the unknown author of much of Genesis) and asked if the Earth was really created in 6 days, I expect he’d have said, “Beats me. I wasn’t there.”

So, what WAS that creation story supposed to teach us? Several things: first, that there is a God, that he created all things, and that his creation is good.

Second, that the reason we have an imperfect world is that humans have the knowledge of good and evil. As long as we are capable of evil, we can’t and won’t live in Paradise.

[Bullitt]

Good word.

@astorian

Well, the Big Bang theory was first postulated by a Catholic priest, you know.

Cool, I did not know that.

[Guinastasia]

@Bullitt

Good word. Cool, I did not know that.

Yep. Georges Lemaitre.

[dropzone]

@astorian

I’m 55 and attended a Catholic elementary school and a Catholic high school. Even then, schools always taught that the universe to evolve. We were taught about the Big Bang theory, and no one ever suggested it was incompatible with God.

In 5th grade science class, we re-enacted the Scopes trial, and we all were on Darrow’s side. Evolution was taken as self-evidently true, and anyone who wrote differently on a test would have flunked.

We were taught that dinosaurs were extinct more than 100 million years before humans existed.

Of course, there are Southern fundamentalists who would argue that we Catholics aren’t really Christians.

(muttering) Bloody Catholics.

@Guinastasia

Yep. Georges Lemaitre.

Mentioned before, but I was born with Future Jesuit stamped on my forehead. Then I discovered girls.

[Bullitt]

@Guinastasia

Yep. Georges Lemaitre.

Georges Lemaître. Thank you for that, that was an interesting article. This was, too:

Georges Lemaître - Important Scientists - The Physics of the Universe

[digs]

Just wanted to pop in to say “Hi, Lutheran Assistant (to the) Pastor here. With a Biology background. Believe in evolution. And in finding a way to clone dinosaurs. Yes, even if they end up overrunning the theme park.”