Evolution

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Evolution and related issues

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Topics

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Age of the Earth

Summary: The Bible dictionary says the Earth is 7,000 years old. Doctrine & Covenants say the 7 seals of the Earth represent 1,000 years. Yet scientific dating places the appearance of modern humans well before 4,000 BC. Can you explain the contradiction, if there is one?

• • Brigham Young as Young Earth Creationist?—
    Brief Summary: Critics try to portray Brigham Young as a "young earth creationist" (YEC). This is someone who believes the earth was created in the recent past, usually 6-7,000 years ago, based upon a literal and fundamentalist reading of Genesis. They hope that by making Brigham appear uninformed about scientific matters, they can challenge his status as a prophet. (Click here for full article)
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Creatio ex nihilo / Creation out of nothing

Summary: Mainstream Christianity teaches that God created the universe from nothing (ex nihilo), while Mormons teach that God organized the universe from pre-existing matter. The LDS God is therefore claimed to be "less powerful" than the God of mainstream Christianity, or "unbiblical."

• • Creation in Colossians 1:16—
    Brief Summary: Does Colossians 1:16 teach that Jesus created all things out of nothing and that He was responsible for the existence of all beings? (Click here for full article)
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Death before the fall of Adam

Summary: The Church teaches that there was no death prior to the fall of Adam, and that after the Fall that Adam and Eve became mortal and subject to death. Does LDS doctrine hold that there was no death on the entire earth before the Fall of Adam?

Dinosaurs

Summary: My seminary class has questions regarding the dinosaurs. They seem to be stuck on "where" and "when." How do they fit into the creation story presented by the scriptures?

Evolution (official statements)

Summary: What is the Church's stance on the theory of organic evolution?

Noah's flood

Summary: Modern scientific knowledge regarding the diversity of species, language and evidence of continuous human habitation does not support the Biblical story that a global flood wiped out most life as recently as 4,400 years ago. Critics claim that LDS scriptures require Mormons to believe in a global flood, and that if LDS doctrine or leaders are fallible in their statements concerning the flood, then they must be wrong about other Church doctrines as well. If Noah's Flood was not global, how do we account for Joseph Smith's claim that the Garden of Eden was located in Missouri?

Peleg

Summary: Isn't it true that before the flood all the continents were all one land mass, since the Bible says that the earth was "divided in the days of Peleg."

Pre-Adamites

Summary: I am preparing to teach a Sunday School lesson on the creation, and surely the students will bring up the evidence of creatures that looked a lot like man, who lived and made tools, painted paintings, etc., all before what could be the existence of Adam. How do we answer who they were? Are they like animals? We clearly have evidence that they have lived here on this planet.

Procreation before the Fall

Summary: Did procreation exist before the Fall of Adam?

Unofficial primary sources on evolution

Summary: This page collects the text of various statements about evolution made by a variety of Church leaders and members. These are unofficial statements, but serve to show the variety of opinions that have been expressed on the topic.

Further reading and additional sources responding to these claims