Re: ASA: Children's resources?

Fred Phelps (Fred.Phelps@f7012.n2001.z12.telcom.lfa.com)
22 Mar 96 18:21:00 -0700

Ken Smith wrote:

Hi,
I see a theme here. Several others have already pointed it out
and
apparently there is some work in ASA to address the following problem.

We want good scientific Christian books for our kids.
My local radio manager wants a good short popular radio spot on
science.
Only the ICR materials are available.

So, our views are losing in the local churches because we are
not
writing the *popular* stuff. While many of us focus on our research
and
grants and other *legitimate* scientific work we are surrendering a
generation of church-goers to the ICR.

I know it is not quite that bad -- but we scientists need to
spend
some time popularizing our views. Particularly those of us who are
Christians.
I'd say more but I'm beginning to feel guilty...

My comments:

I believe we need to write popular material, but this is unlikely to
happen unless we collective finance the bill to support someone full
time to do it for ASA. In addition to writing, this full time person
should get on Christian radio and TV and in Christian magazines -
everywhere. To give us an audience with the YEC people he/she will
need to unceasingly attack scientism and as well as YEC science and
promote evangelism among the educated. Basically what Hugh Ross is
doing, but I think his anti-evolution position is a bit too narrow and
there is a market for something at least more open minded on this
subject. Also, Hugh seems to very strongly affirm his view on lots of
details (many of which I disagree with) whereas ASA may do something
like put forth pamphlets with short statements of several possible
views. But everything I've learned in going from Academia to Missions
implies that this will not happen unless we have a charismatic (not
necessarily theologically, but I wouldn't mind too much!!) full time
popularizer.

By the way, if we do this, the membership of ASA will grow (by 10 or
100 times, thus solving other problems as a by product!)

Fred

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