Science and Religion:

• Did Adam and Eve come from an ape?
• What is the church's stance on Dinosaurs?
• Did dinosaurs miss the ark?
• Why are dinosaurs Not in the Bible?
• Is the story of Adam and Eve true or made up?
• In the Book of Genesis, why does it say that people lived until they were like 600 years old?
• What is the proof that God exists?
• What does the church say about zodiac signs and astrology?

In asking this question you actually have brought two issues that the Catholic Church has been dealing with in recent years. First, let's talk about Adam. The Creation story as it is found in the Book of Genesis, is in fact two Creations... right? Just say, "Yes, Father." and nod your head like you think I know what I'm talking about. The first Creation is found in Genesis 1:1 - 2:4 and the second Creation starts in 2:5, this is the Creation story that has Adam in it. Well, both of these versions of Creation are there to teach us a very simple truth... everything was created by God, because He loves us. Don't get yourself all caught up in trying to figure what exactly a "day" was to God back then or how does evolution fit into al of this, because neither of those ideas have anything to with God's love and how He created us. Remember, the Bible is simple; you don't have to read more into it than God already wrote.

The second issue has to do with the "ape" part. The Catholic Church has always believed and taught that human beings were always human beings and that they were never anything other than human beings (and this is how you write an entire sentence using only one two-word phrase). I don't know if you've had the chance to see the newer version of "Planet of the Apes" yet (the special effects are truly impressive), but even in a movie, which is sort of playing with the whole idea of evolutionism, it still points out that humans and apes, no matter how similar, are two separate species. Always remember and focus more on the fact that God breathed life into everything and all, don’t worry too much about the ‘when.’

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They're extinct.

Really, though, the Church has never had a statement about dinosaurs, because existence doesn't have change the fact that God created everything (I wish they would say something abut "Barney" though).

And don't forget that the Unicorns missed the boat too :o)

Please, let me say this again... the Bible should in no way be used to prove or disprove the existence of dinosaurs...the Word of God could care less about dinosaurs. Its only purpose is to bring God's children the history of our Salvation and fulfillment of the God's Word in Jesus Christ... its not a science book... or a source for the creation of new Pokemon characters! I promise you if you read the Bible more for what God wants to say for your life and less for trying to find about things that don't matter you will get a lot more out of your time with the Scriptures.

NEwayz, I do want to congratulate on one thing... that reference to the animal standing in the Jordan River... you have stumped both the Bible Geek and myself... where is that passage found?

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Because even God is annoyed by Barney…

No, seriously, it’s because dinosaurs weren’t cool until Steven Spielberg came along.

Alright, enough…I have to say that I really like this question…

The most basic answer is that the dinosaurs lived and died in that timeframe in Genesis 1:19-20, because when it says “days” it doesn’t necessarily mean a literal 24 hour period; just because it doesn’t list the “dinosaur” by name, doesn’t mean that it didn’t exist. For that matter, it didn’t list the kangaroo, the giraffe, or the grizzly bear either…

Remember, some portions of the Bible are meant to be taken literally, some historically, some symbolically, some figuratively, and some a combination of these ways. Put simply, the creation account in Genesis is not intended to be an “all-inclusive” historical “ledger” of everything that did or didn’t happen, or did or didn’t take place within a given “creation time frame”.

The final verse in the Gospel of John gives us a little bit of insight, “There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

This verse reminds us that not everything was written down in the Sacred Scriptures…only the things pertaining to God, Christ, the Holy Spirit…the early Church, etc., and only the things that the authors were inspired by God’s Spirit to record, and the early Church Fathers were lead to include.

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The Bible is truth, total truth, let me make that very clear right up front.
Just because it is total truth, though, does NOT mean that each word if actual ‘fact.’
Something can be truth, and not necessarily fact.

That being said, there are several ways to read the Bible, because there are several different ‘types’ or ‘kinds’ of books contained within it. It’s not just narratives or novels, it’s chronologies, histories, prophecies, songs, poems and historical records. It’s a collection of all different sorts of writings, compiled into the greatest Book the world ever will or could know, because it is very truly, the inspired Word of God.

Some stories are meant to be read historically.
Some stories are meant to be read symbolically.
And SOME stories are meant to be read symbolically AND historically.

For example, Jesus truly cured the blind man = historical fact.
But the story is also a message of Christ heals man’s ‘spiritual blindness.’ = symbolism.
Both are true, both are essential, and both can lead us closer to Christ.

Specifically, with the Adam and Eve question, people have argued for centuries over whether ‘Adam and Eve’ really existed and whether things happened in the Garden, with the apple, and the snake, etc. Interesting questions, but not as important as the lesson we are to learn from Adam and Eve.

That lesson is that we are descendants of original parents, created by God, who out of pridefulness sinned by rebelling against God, and thus, opened the door of Hell and the reality and consequences of original sin, losing for all of us the union of life with God. Whether the story happened exactly like Genesis says, is not as important as what we are to learn and take from it, and we are not obliged as Catholics to believe that this story from Genesis is totally literalistic in language.

For more on Adam and Eve, you should check out some of Father J’s answers.

You also may want to read more about it the
Pope John Paul II's "Message to Pontifical Academy of Sciences"

Thanks for the question, and the interest…keep reading THE BOOK.

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Because…back then people didn’t smoke, there was no hole in the ozone layer, and it was before caffeine and ‘nutra-sweet’.
But that’s just a guess.

Biblical theologians have different answers to this question.

Some people believe that the folks in the Old Testament actually lived to be hundreds of years old. It tells us in Genesis 5:27 that, “The whole lifetime of Methuselah was nine hundred and sixty-nine years; then he died.” (Can you imagine that birthday cake? Talk about a fire hazard). People who believe this think that it was just some inexplicable “grace” from God.

Other people believe that they didn’t literally live to be those ages, and that the numbers hold symbolic meaning in Jewish antiquity.

Our Church teaches us very clearly, though, that the Holy Bible is faithfully inspired and free of error. That means that Genesis is absolutely without error, but that does not mean that it is absolutely “fact.”

Do you see the difference?

The creation story in the beginning of Genesis, for instance, is written from more of a “poetic” perspective, than a scientific one. So while Genesis is true, we don’t know – for a fact – if those folks really lived to be that old, or not.

One final thought, if someone who is a self-proclaimed “expert” on the Bible ever tries to tell you that it is absolute fact that Methuselah lived to be 969 years old, or that he absolutely did not…just look at them, smile and ask, “Oh yeah? Were you there?”

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Over the centuries, there have been millions who have attempted to prove the existence of God. Within our Catholic Church, thousands have dedicated their lives to contemplating the question, and attempting to explain it.

There are countless philosophical, theological and “common sense” arguments and proofs for God’s existence, which many people will immediately disagree with because the proofs don’t agree with their personal philosophies or beliefs, or way of thinking.

Ultimately, no matter how well it is described, it will always come down to a degree of faith, which is what drives so many “logical, scientific” types so crazy.

First, remember the words in Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him, for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Secondly, often during conversations, I like to put it this way:

IF there is no God, and I live a holy life consistent with the Gospel message and Church teaching, and some other guy just lives however he wants…than on the last day, I can still say that I have no regrets…I will have lived a good life, one I believed in.

If there IS a God, however, and I live a holy life consistent with the Gospel message and Church teaching…than on that last day, I’m sittin’ pretty and the ‘other guy’ better back the sunblock…’cause it’s hot where he’s goin’.

Finally, most people, if you use the Bible to prove God’s existence, will respond, “If I don’t believe in God, why would I believe in your supposed’ Word of God?” It’s difficult to use the Bible to prove the existence of God, but if people have an open mind to it, it’s easy to show that God is real, present and in love with His creation. For instance, just look around AT His creation.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft.” - Psalm 19:2

There are several Scriptures that point to the existence of God, and the fact that He has appeared to people on many occasions, here are a few:

“Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.” – John 14:9-11

“The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.” – Genesis 12:7

“In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you." - 1 Kings 3:5

“My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one.” – John 10:29-30

“I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!" they cried one to the other. "All the earth is filled with his glory!" Then I said, "Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"– Isaiah 6:1-5

“He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11

“Am I a God near at hand only, says the LORD, and not a God far off?” – Jeremiah 23:23

“Then he led me to the gate which faces the east, and there I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. I heard a sound like the roaring of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory. And I saw that the temple was filled with the glory of the LORD.” – Ezekial 43:1-5

“As I watched, thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was snow bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire.” – Daniel 7:9

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Okay, let me try to put it to you this way. You're driving in a car, heading out into the country to visit with the family of a friend of yours. Now you aren't quite sure where you're going, but it doesn't matter because your friend who's house you are going to is in the car with you. As long as your friend is with you are ever going to need to ask someone else for directions? For those who might be thinking about this... the answer is no! It’s the same for those of us who believe in Jesus... He IS the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. Why in the world would Jesus want us to rely on anything else to guide us to His Father?

So, I guess the easiest way to sum the Church's position on the matter of zodiac signs and astrology is this. Rely on God and not fortunetellers, or the stars. Here's something you can try next time someone comes up to you and asks you what sign you are... just look at them and say, "I am born under the sign of the Cross."

In case you would like to read more about the Catholic Church's stance on horoscope, zodiac signs, astrology, or fortune telling, try reading one of these:

A. The Catholic Youth Bible (or any other Bible you can get your hands on), the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 18 and the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah, chapter 29.

B. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in particular paragraphs 2110-2117 (I really like 2116 for the whole horoscope issue).

C. A Catholic Guide to the Bible, by Fr. Oscar Lukefahr, C.M. (chapter 8 has a great section on the difference between what God does with the men and women He called to be prophets and what people try to do on their own when they claim to be able to read palms, tea leaves, or the stars).

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