Does God have a sucess rate of 0.1%??

[Old Mike]

"Of all species that have ever lived, 99.9 percent are extinct."

From Teresa MacDonald, Director of Education, KU Natural History Museum& Biodiversity Research Center.

Webpage: http://www.nhm.ku.edu/woodpecker/dodo.shtml

If, as creationists believe, all living things on earth were created in 3 days, why did 99.9% of them become extinct?
Is God such a poor workman?

[Joseph27]

It would seem that if God does exists, then it has done a pretty lousy job of things... evolution is a given (unless you are some nut job clutching your religious book with fingers in your ears, eyes closed and humming so you cant possibly accidentally hear or see a reasoned argument).   That said - if God was behind the origins of evolution at what point did he decide along the evolution trail to stick a soul in one species? 

My only big question still is that - the universe is so large and I only need listen to the galaxy song by monty python to say I dont know 1/1000000000000 of what exists out there so arguing dogmatically that there is no god seems a tad strange.  Nor however will i argue that there is one or hold onto a set of rosary beeds or blow myself up to get into paradise

[so what]

OM,

I think many evolutionists believe that extinction was one of the results of the fall from paradise, and not because of poor workmanship.

But I guess you knew the answer to your question all along.

[Old Mike]

No. I did not.

[Old Mike]

Dear So,

Considering your point more deeply, I find that there were dinosaurs on Noah's Ark. http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2000/04/03/dinosaurs-on-noahs-ark. This was after the Fall.
So that is not the explanation.
Indeed, the source above states:
Creationist researcher John Woodmorappe has calculated that Noah had on board with him representatives from about 8,000 animal genera (including some now-extinct animals), or around 16,000 individual animals.

Now, if even 1 animal goes extinct that shows that God did not make it properly.

[so what]

OM,

Firstly, I want to elaborate that "my point" is actually "the point many creationists have", as I stated in my earlier reply. It does not necessarily reflect my personal opinion.

That said, I do not follow your reasoning and I do not understand your question.
What exactly does Noah get involved?

[Old Mike]

If all the animals existed in the Garden of Eden, and all the ones now extinct died as a result of the Fall, then there would have been no dinosaurs left by the time of Noah.
Therefore there would be none on Noah's ark. But Creationist "science" holds that there were dinosaurs on the ark.
This means that they were not all killed as a result of Eve's indiscretion. It follows that they died as a result of some imperfection in their design.

[so what]

Ah, I see, you dont understand the answer.

See, a creationist would say to you that extinction is an ongoing result of the Fall.
Similar to death being an ongoing result of the Fall.

Extinction did not stop after the Fall, or stopped during Noah's time. What makes you think it should have?

I dont know if there were dinosaurs on the ark. Just because a few websites claim they were, doesn't make it true.

The question that you might want to ask yourself is why do species go extinct.
If you drive your car over a family of frogs, and with that effectively wipe the species from the face of the earth, is that poor workmanship from God? Or perhaps good workmanship from Toyota?

[scarbowl]

X-tians refer to it as "the fall" because they interpret man as needing G*d (in the form of Jesus) to save us.  And, it hardly matters what happens on earth because those who believe are going to end up elsewhere.

Jews, on the other hand, understand that it was the tree of knowledge and that man came to understand good and evil.  And it is man's place to make the world a better place because it's the only place we have.  No form of G*d is going to save us from this world.

Muslims believe that G*d is punishing man (for his misdeeds) by making him live on earth.  But G*d will forgave Adam and Eve and in return for this, man must be submissive.  And that eventually we will be freed from this existence.

[working_mom]

If, as creationists believe, all living things on earth were created in 3 days, why did 99.9% of them become extinct?
Is God such a poor workman?

Firstly, Creation in 3 days is Christian concept. In Hinduism, no timeline was given on creation. But, anyway to answer your question,

Who are we to define what success is and what is failure for god? Who are we to judge him? Destruction and evolution are facts of life and is determined by god. If dinosaurs are destined for extinction then it is because god has deemed it that way. Our bodies come with an expiry date but not our soul and a person is enlightened only when he realizes that body and soul are different.  

 This may grate humans but we have to accept the fact that God is beyond the grasp of human brain. You can analyze and measure his success rates all you want but he will not and need not come and validate your “findings”.

[TheWrathOfGrapes]

This may grate humans but we have to accept the fact that God is beyond the grasp of human brain. You can analyze and measure his success rates all you want but he will not and need not come and validate your “findings”.

You can rationalize and defend god, but we have to accept the fact that certain manifestations of nature are beyond the grasp of human brain, which is why god was created by human's imagination to try and explain (or rationalize) away those which we human do not quite understand, yet.......

[working_mom]

You can rationalize and defend god, but we have to accept the fact that certain manifestations of nature are beyond the grasp of human brain, which is why god was created by human's imagination to try and explain (or rationalize) away those which we human do not quite understand, yet.......

Rationalize god? Defend him? I would not even attempt. Rationalization occurs when you think with your brain. God is an experience. You need to feel it.

Let me ask atheists one question. Do you believe in charity, in helping those in need of help? Do you believe in always standing for truth? Do you do your duty towards your family and your community without expecting something back from them? Do you refrain from harming other living creatures? If you do so, no matter what you say, you are following Hindu philosophy. 

[$Pripps]

You can rationalize and defend god, but we have to accept the fact that certain manifestations of nature are beyond the grasp of human brain, which is why god was created by human's imagination to try and explain (or rationalize) away those which we human do not quite understand, yet.......

Rationalize god? Defend him? I would not even attempt. Rationalization occurs when you think with your brain. God is an experience. You need to feel it.

Let me ask atheists one question. Do you believe in charity, in helping those in need of help? Do you believe in always standing for truth? Do you do your duty towards your family and your community without expecting something back from them? Do you refrain from harming other living creatures? If you do so, no matter what you say, you are following Hindu philosophy. 

It seems more like we are just following common sense and biology, if you want to credit Hindu philosophy for that then that is very convenient.

[working_mom]

You call it common sense and I call it hinduism. To each their own

[TheWrathOfGrapes]

You call it common sense and I call it hinduism. To each their own

Make up your mind - those qualities you alluded to - are they a philosophy or religion? These are also part of the Chinese culture - do good, do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto.  The Christians centuries later turned it around - do unto others what you would them do unto you (I am paraphrasing here.)