Does Islam believe in the Virgin Birth?

[dailogue is the best]

Originally Posted by bob x

No, no, no. I have no Jew in me at all as far as I can trace (and I know my family tree rather far back), and in religion I am Buddhist.
I utterly reject the notion of quoting old books as a method of finding "truth".

salam brother bob x,

welcome to Buddhism....Actually, I like the spirituality that Buddhism is characterized by.....

you said you rejected quoting from old books as a way to find truth....so,if you mind, can you present me a scientific proof that champanzees have developed into men....I will be too happy to recieve it, brother..

peace,
sis, DB

[dailogue is the best]

Originally Posted by bananabrain

yes, db, but what does that quote actually *mean*? i can certainly tell you that the "genesis" account neither precludes nor contradicts evolutionary theory when properly understood.

i'm quite a lot more traditionally-minded in the theology department than bob is and *i* don't have a problem with the chimpanzee thing (except we probably aren't *descended* from chimpanzees, although we'd both have the same ancestors in part) - but what people fail to understand from these texts is the sheer amount of time that it takes for evolution to occur: billions and billions of years, to us, but no more than the blink of an eye (or six days) to G!D, to Whom all time is One. what it is *not* is six days to *us*.

similarly, from the Qur'anic quote, the phrase "best moulds", whatever the original arabic says, (anyone?) could mean almost anything. the "mould" could be the standard Divine template, as it were, for all bipedal primates with higher brain functions and the "best" could merely mean "most successful and advanced", in that we have developed intellect, reason, morality and spirituality. here you are effectively telling me that the Qur'an does not preclude evolution either!

b'shalom

bananabrain

salam bb,

well, brother...I understand what you mean...but, we all believe that Adam was the first man on earth....Adam's shape was as ours....wasnt he? I believe he was....what do you mean by evolution? why only man that has passed by evolution? why haven't other creatures like animals witnessed evolution? this is really unlogic?!

salam, bb

sis, DB

[bananabrain]

firstly, db, there is a lot of debate about precisely what shape adam was and, moreover, precisely what he represented. a cursory familiarity with some of the midrashic sources and mystical descriptions of "adam kadmon", the "primordial man", should confirm this. what i mean by evolution is *everything*, from houmous to spandau ballet. no species is exempt. i wasn't saying it was only man that had evolved.

b'shalom

bananabrain

[dailogue is the best]

well, bananbrain, I see what you mean. can you explain to me how man and everything have evloved because my knowledge in this matter is too limited.

Thank you, bb

salamo alaykom

[17th Angel]

I guess Wednesday the 27th is a busy one?