Posted by Jonathana Tegire on 18:48 5/15/02
In reply to: (none)
Airana, Mark Rosenfelder (I wouldn't dare try to translate your name ::shudders::)!
I was reading up on Verduria, etc., and I learned that san nemarunasin Veradurinai "already elaborated the theory of evolution (ulechea)."
I have one important question. You assume that these people must have developed their form of the highly illogical and impossible process of evolution. I also therefore assume that they have hypothesized that their world and the life upon it, as well as its universe, were created by chance also. Well then, they are sadly mistaken. Very sadly. I know and you know the one who is responsible for every detail of their existence.
Duh, I mean you.
You never thought that maybe they would look at everything around them with all its complexities (although nothing compared to those of the real world), as well as the complex functions of life itself, which we on earth have not even accomplished to emulate yet, and think, "Somebody created this. This is too complex for chance."
Sure, it's your world, and your rules go, but I just think it's something interesting to ponder.
Hemoneava an hamuneava hiniranafir,
Jonathana Tegire.
OK, let's try to pass quickly over evolution in general. If you think it's a matter of "chance" you are, I'm afraid, just showing that you don't understand what it's all about. If you have religious beliefs that forbid you from believing it, OK. But I don't think it honors God to dismiss ideas without understanding them. Either just be happy in your beliefs, or find out what evolution really is.
A more interesting topic is the metaphysical bit-- the idea that the Verdurians could or should recognize me as their creator. There's some interesting things that people have done with this sort of idea, notably Dave Sim in Cerebus.
But that whole angle doesn't attract me. I generally try to write like a scholar who has some inexplicable and limited access to another planet, and tries to explain what he finds there. So, I work out their religions and their beliefs just as I work out their history and their geography. Having their beliefs be all about me would strike me as just odd, like having islands on the map in the shape of my head.
I do like what Tolkien says about "subcreation"... I even incorporated much of it into Cuzeian theology... but when Tolkien's elves talk about Ilúvatar they're talking about God, not Tolkien.