Why do we have to pick between creationism and evolution?

I completely agree with you, I never understand why people can't consider the idea of God planning evolution, a combination of the two just like you said.

The people who disagree are the ones who consider the Bible to be the absolute truth when it comes to God and creation, even the Atheists are doing it. The Bible is not a history book, even Christian Fundamentalists have interpreted creation in the Bible differently. If you remember that it's not 100% facts and keep an open mind, then people would understand.

People seem to have the opinion that it is either one or the other. Instead, the answer is both. Creation is a possible answer to the original "Big Bang theory" and the complexities of life on earth. Evolution is undeniable, but evidence has only shown it's presence within the each species. The missing link between man and ape has not and, more than likely, will not be found, making them two distinctly different creatures.

To contrast, standing by the notion that man has only existed for only ten thousand, is ludicrous and ignores science all together.

Live well and everyone lighten up.............

Science is not about having 100% of the answers. It's about having the best answer to fit the evidence, and it's about continuing to look for answers.

There are, however, more alternatives than those two. Aliens, for example... or those who are on acid and think we are all just an elaborate dream in the mind of some other being... there are as many alternatives as an imagination will allow. Likelihood is an important consideration, though.

They don't split 50-50 either hun. Regardless of what people with a political or religious agenda will tell you there is enough evidence in support of evolution itself to call it a fact... The theory remains in the mechanics behind it. What's more is that evolution is indeed considered a theory, however creation and intelligent design are merely hypothesis.

You don't have to. There is a simple doctrine of Creationism: "God created the universe." This is compatible with the big bang (which would be a manifestation of Creation) and evolution.

"Scientific" Creationism is a political, not a religious doctrine. It was constructed solely to try to sneak religion into US public schools.

there is no reason why they can't both be true, they do not necessarily contradict each other, creationism says god created man, evolution says man evolved from lower forms of life, but how do we now that god (assuming there is a god) did not create the physical laws etc to make evolution and the evolution of man possible? how do we know that god did not use evolution to create man?

The "evidence" of evolution is so scant with no clear evidence of a specie evolving to a different and higher life form yet just because some scientists say so many take their work instead of Gods. Why? Because one states a Sovereign creator to whom we must reckon and the other lets us off the hook.

Because evolution has a clear, undeniable advantage over creationism in that it actually has evidence to back it up -- so the people who support evolution have no reason to concede the argument.

***

Edit: What I mean is that evolution is the only theory that actually has proof. You can make other claims like "God guided the evolution process" but when you start talking like that, you're getting into speculation. There's no evidence that a deity had anything to do with evolution. That doesn't mean that a deity DIDN'T have anything to do with it, but the only thing you can know for sure is that species evolved.

You have a third alternative? Maybe aliens got lost and were stranded here. Or maybe we're some alien Botny Bay! Wouldn't that a hoot if we ever learned that some outer space civilization decided to outsource their criminals and they picked Earth and then one day in a referendum the deserted the whole concept and never came back.

Because, you can't Believe that God Created Man and Believe that man evolved from apes at the same time. The two theories just don't work together.