The main issue I was trying to resolve is what I wrote here, mentioned above:
“I think I realize how I am being unclear. Let me clarify: I am NOT saying, in ANY way, that the full theory of evolution is correct and should be taken at face value. I don’t necessarily think that humans and monkeys share a common ancestor. What I am asking is whether it is possible that evolution has SOME basis in fact – that maybe Hashem caused some evolution through history – in humans, from Adam and on through the times of giants, etc…, as well as animals from THEIR ancestors (e.g. dinosaurs – a snake walking on legs sounds a lot like a dinosaur to me) and that subsequently, based on the evidence of evolution in various animals and plants that scientists have found, they expounded the theory of evolution and erroneously generalized it to humans sharing ancestors with monkeys.”
Basically, I was not wondering if we share a common ancestor with monkeys. I was wondering if it is possible to posit the idea that we evolved from Adam, who possibly looked different from we do in some ways, and other animals evolved from THEIR ancestors, who might have been different in various ways from the way THEY are now.This would open the door to what we have now, which is the possibility of scientists misconstruing some credible evidence of evolution taking place intra-species as evidence that humans share ancestors with monkeys, which would be inter-species. It appears that there may be basis to say this. I was not out to prove anything. Simply curious. Thanks.
Regarding time, I am also aware of Dr. Gerald Schroeder’s work, albeit not intimately. However, the idea is certainly intriguing to me. I guess I am more partial to naturalistic explanations for creation, carried out through Hashem’s word, than to the simplistic, fantastical ideas taught to every grade school child that things just magically appeared in an instant. I’m NOT denying that Hashem is capable if doing that if he so chose. But it would certainly help to reconcile the otherwise irreconcilable, yet seemingly credible scientific evidence regarding things such as evolution and age of the world.