Evolution, Creation, or Both? Review: Questioning Darwin (A Documentary)

Air date: Monday, February 10, 2014, 9PM E/P on HBO

Rating: ★★★★★

“I have never been an atheist in the sense of denying the existence of God. I feel most deeply that the whole subject is too profound for the human intellect.” – Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin

How old is earth and were there really such things as dinosaurs roaming it? If you are an evolutionist, you believe the earth is billions of years old and dinosaurs had free reign. If you are a creationist, you believe the earth is less than 10,000 years old and dinosaurs aren’t really as old as their fossils claim. Even more hotly debated is whether evolution should be taught in our schools. There is a reason behind the separation of church and state. While I believe in it, the question remains – what do we teach our kids about the earth and its many mysteries? Herein lies the dilemma that has been an ever present entity in our society.

I was, however, very intrigued to hear the arguments of the creationists in Questioning Darwin. I’m open to hearing both sides. Growing up in the south—the proverbial Bible belt—I had great opposition from some of the religious communities almost immediately upon our moving there because my mother wasn’t Christian, she was Buddhist. I attended Sunday school at our local Baptist church, and also went to temple with my mother to learn more about Buddhism. I’m not sure what I believe, and that has mostly stemmed from seeing people manipulate faith to their own ends. I’m still studying various religions but for now, I remain agnostic.

Adam and Eve display at a creation museum

Whatever your faith or belief, Questioning Darwin, a vivid and intriguing 60-minute documentary, chronicles how Charles Darwin, a once devout Christian who wanted to be a clergyman, had his faith challenged when he traveled the world in 1831. Darwin devoted his life to learning more about the world and its correlation to religion through scientific studies, which is documented in his book The Origin of Species published in 1859. It also highlights both sides of the argument and you can see many pastors and clergy talk about the Book of Genesis and how God created the earth in six days. CEO Ken Ham of the Creation Museum said, “It’s not God’s fault there’s death and suffering in the world. It’s our fault because we sinned in Adam.”

17 year old Abby Marsh with her family by her bedside

In watching Questioning Darwin, I was surprised to learn there are creation museums. I’ve never heard of these and find the idea quite fascinating. I’m always intrigued by the belief and faith of others. As much as the creationists believe in God and in Jesus Christ, my belief is just as strong in the theory of evolution and the idea of various deities. I also felt connected to those who had faith even though we believe in different things. There is a story about a young teenage girl who loses the use of her legs after a car accident. When her parents have daily vigils by her bedside, they mention they couldn’t get through this ordeal without God’s presence. Knowing He has a plan for their daughter is how they get through. Their devotion is amazing.

There are other stories with the religious aspect from those who use drugs or are prostitutes. They found their salvation when they asked God to guide them. I think the same can be said for Darwin who found solace in finding evidence in his scientific discoveries, which challenged his faith and religious upbringing. I think it may have strengthened his resolve but it was a personal tragedy later in life involving his young daughter that made him question his belief in God.

Questioning Darwin doesn’t tell you what’s right or wrong because there simply isn’t a right or wrong answer. It presents two sides of an argument. Faith, whether in God or science, is just that—faith. You believe strongly in something outside of yourself. I think we all have a right to believe what we want about the origins of earth and life on this planet. I think we should all be open-minded. We all live on this planet. We all have our own minds and opinions. We should respect one another. Period.

Let me know what you thought of Questioning Darwin. Leave a comment below and/or tweet me @judybopp.

Tune in to encore presentations of Questioning Darwin on HBO, February 13, 16, 19, and 22.

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Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.