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Does it Matter?

Question:
Is it possible to believe in/be convinced by the theory of evolution and be a Christian?

Answer:
Yes.

Question:
Is it possible to not believe in/be convinced by the theory of evolution and be a Christian?

Answer:
Yes.

Question:
Does it really matter?

Answer:
No.

If you don’t agree with me on the above points let me know why, I’d be interested to here different points of view. If you do agree with the above points read on.

I personally have a few difficulties reconciling evolution with the Biblical view but I don’t think that they are insurmountable I’m just not bothered enough to try. “What then does bother you Mr. Harrison?” you might be asking yourself. Well I believe that what matters are the following:

(NB: when I refer to Man I mean Humanity)

1. Man was created in the image of God (Genesis 1) to live in a relationship with God and care for the earth that God gave him.
2. Man has the ability to sin i.e. break off his relationship with God. We have all done this.

The reason I bring all this up is because of the debate that is going on at the moment about what should or shouldn’t be taught in science lessons at school. Science is about understanding the world through experimenting and observing results and coming up with theories to explain what happens. A theory is then discarded when a fact comes along which upsets that theory, it’s all quite simple.
Faith is founded on facts and this is what I believe ought to be taught in schools both in science and R.E lessons. Kids need to be taught to make up their own minds and we need to lose our fear that they’ll end up believing the ‘wrong’ things. If there is truth out there (I believe that there is) they’ll find it without anyone trying to indoctrinate them in a particular way of thinking.

What actually matters is a lot smaller than most of us think.

The (Current x Voltage) of Prayer

For those of you who've forgotten their GCSE physics I'm talking about the power of prayer.

I've just come back from a 5 day summer camp for Russian students aimed at helping them practice English and talk about spiritual issues. Our first night started badly when we discovered that none of the power sockets in the room we were using worked. We needed to plug in a laptop and projector to do the presention on friendship that I had prepared.
While someone was dispatched to find an electrician I prayed that the sockets would start working again. My prayer was quickly answered and we set up and started the evening session.

The electrician arrived about ten minutes later to find that he no job to do.

You know when you've turned into your Dad when...

According to Peter Kay this sentence finishes with ...you put aside a piece of wood specifically to stir paint with. Although funny this is not true of my dad and I have to finish this sentence with the slightly more serious ...you cry at things on film and tv. This is not to say that it's a bad thing in fact I think it's a good sign but what is surprising and perhaps slightly embarrasing is the things I cry at.

Those of you that know me well know that Doctor Who is my favourite tv programme and since its return to tv I have to employ slightly devious methods to get hold of the latest episodes here in Russia. I've just finished watching 'The Family of Blood' which is the second part of Paul Cornell's story 'Human Nature' and found myself unexpectedly in floods of tears. Not, you may imagine because of the touching scene in which the Doctor has to leave Joan but at the memorial scene right at the end of the episode where Tim has grown old and the Doctor and Martha have just been able to hop forward in time and are unchanged.

Why did I cry? I'm not sure but I think it probably has to do with the reason that I
observe Remembrance Day each year. My great-great-uncle died in the trenches of France shortly after returning from leave where he got married. He was one of many unlike the fictional Tim who didn't grow old but who fell fighting scared out of his wits by the sea of mud and guns and bombs. A man who was probably suffering from shell shock and who had already gone AWOL once. He died so that others could live.

The funny thing in all of this is that my father and I rarely cry at the same things, I've inherited his genes but I'm my own man.

I am the Walrus

My latest podcast is online, download it from the bar on the right.

Snowy Podcast

Just realised I hadn't put a link on my blog for my latest and very belated podcast.

Two Rigan Podcasts

These are the last two podcasts that I did on holiday before my laptop screen failed.
Check out the side bar to download as usual