Section A

Creation

1.     Creationists / Christians — Genesis story

·       God’s words in the Bible = must be true

·       Created humans in his own image

·       God planned & designed the universe

2.     Big Bang

·       Universe began 13.7 billion years ago

·       Explosion created time, space, matter & energy

·       PROOF: remnant of heat & universe still expanding

3.     Evolution

·       Living things evolved over many generations

·       Survival of the fittest

·       PROOF: birds in Galapagos

4.     Atheists

·       Universe self contained, don’t need outside force

Humans & the environment

1.     Christians

·       Stewardship:humans are responsible for the world and should take care of it

§ “Then the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it”

·       God’s creation à belongs to God à have to return it in good state

§  “The world is the Lord’s, and everything in it”

·       ORGANISATION: A Rocha

2.     Atheists

·       Keep it in good condition for future generations à better lives

·       Humans weren’t on the world since the start à not ours & shouldn’t exploit it

Animal VS Humans

1.     Christians

·       God put humans in charge of animals à people can use animals however they want

§  “Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground”

·       Stewardship: God’s creations à treat with love & respect

• Humans are superior
• Humans were made in God’s image
• God gave humans a soul, can have a personal relationship with God
• Bible values human life over animal life

·       ORGANISATION: PETA

§  Petitions / protest campaigns

2.     Atheists

·       Humans have superior intelligence

·       Dominance: humans have power over animals

·       Humans can rationalise & have greater capacity for emotions

·       Humans have inherited knowledge à develop faster

Animal Rights:animals have the same rights as humans, not property

·       Commonality: all living creatures are part of the same development process and share similar characteristics

·       Shouldn’t be used for food / medical research / entertainment / clothing

û  Animals can’t make moral choices

Animal Welfare:animals can be used but avoid unnecessary suffering & cruelty

û  Only considers animals around human needs

û  Specieism: preference to “cute” animals

Humans Beings & Conditions

1.     Christians

·       God gave us a soul: spiritual / non-material part of a person, that’s immortal: lives on after the body dies

§  Used for relationship with God

§  “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being”

2.     Scientists

·       Physicalism: person is entirely physical

§  No…