True science, true relgion do not contradict

EVOLUTION

        It is historically inaccurate to maintain that modern science forced
the Church to come up with ideas about Genesis 1-3 that differ from the
allegedly "literal" views of Protestant Fundamentalists.  In his "De Genesi
ad Litteram Libri Duodecim" [Twelve Books on the Literal Interpretation of
Genesis] and "De Genesi contra Manichaeos Libri Duo" [Two Books on Genesis
against the Manichees], St. Augustine (354-430), Prince of the Fathers and
Doctors of the Church, gave many interpretations of Genesis that are plainly
at variance with such "literal" views.  Given that a theological thinker of
St. Augustine's genius arrived at the views that he did after years of
careful study of the text, it is incumbent upon us to approach the early
chapters of Genesis with far less dogmatism and far more humility and caution
than we often do.

        St. Augustine's interpretations should help us guard against facile
claims about the "literal" meaning of these texts.  We should recognize what
Augustine recognized: namely, the early chapters of Genesis are in fact
complex and do not tender easy, pat answers.  For example, St. Augustine
repeatedly stresses that the six days described in Genesis are not six
successive ordinary days.  They have nothing to do with time.  The days are
repeatedly claimed to be arranged according to causes, order, and logic.
  
        Pope Pius XII's Encyclical "Humani Generis" exhibits a very prudent
approach to the question of the theory of evolution, as well as all
scientific theories.  Both religion and science are founded in truth;
therefore, true religion and true science can never be in contradiction.  He
reprimands those who "imprudently and indiscreetly hold that Evolution, WHICH
HAS NOT BEEN FULLY PROVEN EVEN IN THE DOMAIN OF NATURAL SCIENCES, explains
the origin of all this, and audaciously support the monistic and pantheistic
opinion that the world is in continual evolution."

        The salient point here is that the Theory of Evolution is just that,
a theory.  There may be aspects of it that are correct, and other aspects
that are not.  Even scientists do not agree on all points of the theory, and,
like all scientific theories, more and more flaws in it will be discovered as
further data are discovered.

        Science can be looked at more as a process rather than a set of
facts.  For example, the Ptolemaic system was replaced by the Newtonian, the
Newtonian by the Einsteinian.  The 19th-century "Theory of Evolution" has
already been found wanting by the scientific community and is constantly
being revised as biological understanding increases.

        In history, we find that some in religion try to impose rigorously
non-dogmatic aspects of the Faith into science, as in the great debate on
heliocentrism in the 17th century.  Conversely, some scientists try to make
their "theories" contradict religious dogma.  Both approaches are incorrect.

        Here are the pertinent passages from the encyclical.

        "Thus, the teaching of the Church leaves the doctrine of evolution an
open question, as long as it confines its speculations to the development,
from other living matter already in existence [not Darwin's theory of
spontaneous generation, that living matter has come from non-living matter],
of the human body.  In the present state of scientific and theological
opinion, this question may be legitimately canvassed by research, and by
discussion between experts on both sides." (Sec. 1, para. 5-7)

        "It remains for Us now to speak about those questions which, although
they pertain to the positive sciences, are nevertheless more or less
connected with the truths of the Christian faith. In fact, not a few
insistently demand that the Catholic religion take these sciences into
account as much as possible.  This certainly would be praiseworthy in the
case of clearly proved facts; but caution must be used when there is rather
question of hypotheses, having some sort of scientific foundation, in which
the doctrine contained in Sacred Scripture or in Tradition is involved.  If
such conjectural opinions are directly or indirectly opposed to the doctrine
revealed by God, then the demand that they be recognized can in no way be
admitted....

        "For these reasons the Teaching Authority of the Church does not
forbid that, in conformity with the present state of human sciences and
sacred theology, research and discussions, on the part of men experienced in
both fields, take place with regard to the doctrine of evolution, in as far
as it inquires into the origin of the human body as coming from pre-existent
and living matter -- for the Catholic faith obliges us to hold that souls are
immediately created by God.  However this must be done in such a way that the
reasons for both opinions, that is, those favorable and those unfavorable to
evolution, be weighed and judged with the necessary seriousness, moderation
and measure, and provided that all are prepared to submit to the judgment of
the Church, to whom Christ has given the mission of interpreting
authentically the Sacred Scriptures and of defending the dogmas of faithful. 
Some however rashly transgress this liberty of discussion, when they act as
if the origin of the human body from preexisting and living matter were
already completely certain and proved by the facts which have been discovered
up to now and by reasoning on those facts, and as if there were nothing in
the sources of divine revelation which demands the greatest moderation and
caution in this question."  (Section 36)

        "There are other conjectures, about polygenism (as it is called)
[Darwin's theory that there were many Adams and Eves in the very beginning of
mankind, not just one set of First Parents], which leave the faithful no such
freedom of choice.  Christians cannot lend their support to a theory which
involves the existence, after Adam's time, of some earthly race of men, truly
so called, who were not descended ultimately from him....  It does not appear
how such views can be reconciled with the doctrine of original sin."  (Sec.
3, para. 64-68)

Does God exist to me, YES. Does God exist in your mind? Well, if you are reading this, then the word 'God' now exists in your vernacular. What are you going to do about that possibility that lies within your awareness? Are you going to feign ignorance until you forget it or are you going to investigate it until you discover your own personal relative truths about it? The choice is always up to you; the illusion that it is not is always the remnants of the ignorant. If choice doesn't exist as a belief in their mind, then they will leave choice or the assumption of choice up to others as their authority instead of their own minds. This usually always ends in depression or violence. So I ask you, if you don't believe in God, if he truly does not exist; show me the proof of your findings. Otherwise, I will continue to believe in the possibility. I am aware of the possibility because the word 'God' came into my perception and is a continual discussion throughout the world. It means my visualization of what God is and how God works is always changing and mutating into something new and different, sometimes perverted, but interesting and provocative to say the least. It's awesome to believe in something that we have no proof of, but the journey to find out is well worth the belief of possibilities. That is my faith. Should you follow it as though it is the only one or the right one? No, of course not, I would never expect anyone to do something so foolish. All I am doing is expressing myself and how I feel; I'm sure some of you would like to do the same, that's why you're here, amirite? So take it as you would a new dish at dinner. You don't just shove it into your mouth, right? You stir it first, smell it to see if it is enticing, you feel it with your lips as it is about to enter your mouth for heat or cold and whether it is to your liking, and finally a little touches your tongue and you begin to collect more feelings on whether it is to your liking or not. Little steps will take you to your destination. Remember, the tortoise and the hare. Slow it down to speed it up. Even though the rabbit was faster, he had took long breaks because he was cocky and arrogant and thought he could do it. The tortoise took his time and gradually finished first because he paced himself. He only took the steps he was capable of taking and never exceeded himself except in his accomplishment. Does that make sense? You don't have to change who you are? But the possibility exists should you choose to do so. That's why there are so many people on this planet. If one person has a myriad of possibilities floating within their mind at any given time and expressing only one of them every moment, multiply that times the number of people on the planet, how many things could you learn in your near 100 years of learning if you continued to learn throughout that time period? What would be the ultimate goal? Not that you obtained what you were looking for, but that you took the journey in stride. You performed as you would have throughout and didn't set yourself up to fail by setting the bar too high. I set mine pretty low; just waking up in the morning on time. Start out as simple as you can and you will succeed in no time at all. You will be amazed at this accomplishment YOU YOURSELF have made. And what was it due to? My words alone? No. Your actions played a part, the greatest part I would say. Without action, no reaction would have occurred. It is what we find throughout life that allows us to take advantage of the opportunities that are granted to us daily. If you perceived everything as an opportunity, you would turn everything towards your advantage without fail; it would be instinctual, it would be your habit.
So how do we do this without the resistance of emotional and physical drawl? Everything within your body is a tool to turn to your advantage. You are capable of fear, use it. Find something you want, fear not having it (this keeps it in your mind), pursue the possibility of obtaining it diligently and it will be yours in seemingly no time at all. In pursuing the possibilities of what we want, we not only obtain our desire, but we obtain the courage to do so. Now what happens if we do this with everything? Humans are a creature of habit, amirite? Since we are capable of habits, how can we use those to our advantage? Do you see where I'm going with this? The downside to this is things that bring you down. If something brings you down, it is in your best interest to bring yourself back up. Laughter is one of the greatest tools we have to bring our spirits up. Even if we laugh at our own ridiculousness of existence. We have a hole that excretes fecal matter on a near-daily basis and a hole that squirts urine for Christ's sake! It's ridiculous! It's funny. Find what makes you laugh about your situation and you will turn your life around if you then pursue the cause of your depression. This is just a little bit of wisdom from '48 ways to wisdom' by Rabbi Noah Weinberg as well as some personal research I've discovered on my own through other's due diligence and reports. Wikipedia is a great source of possibilities to pursue, dictionary.com helps with definition, although defining a word using the word is sort of moot, amirite? srsly. Even these forums that we read and type within, what do we all accomplish by texting and reading these posts? Does it make us angry? Does it make us laugh? What? It might be the change in mood you are looking for. The change in atmosphere. Now this is just a possibility, mind you, of what your purpose for this is, mine is simply to waste time and accomplish nothing. Seeings that my belief states that I am a fool, it is within my nature to act foolish. It is my duty to overcome my nature because it is what I have chosen. If I do not, then the choice has changed to not overcome my nature, does that make sense? A choice is always made, what was it? Think on very simplistic terms. If you look for a job some days and don't some days; there were two-different choices made then. That goes against the flow of human habits and therefore you are fighting your biology and resisting something that is greater than yourself. "That which you resist persists" means if you resist it, it will overwhelm you. If you resist sleep, sleep will overwhelm you. It's that simple. Remember, it's up to you what you want to do in your life, to be or not to be; that's the most important question you'll ever come across.