Glenn R. Morton wrote:
> Working in the geoscience industry I can tell you that a large percentage
> of my colleagues are not christian because they can't believe Genesis tells
> the truth. You can't believe how many times the Flood comes up on geologic
> field trips (always in a ridiculing manner), and how often Christians are
> sneered at for what they teach. But then if you ask these same people,
> "Would you believe Genesis and the Bible if I told you that Genesis 1-11 is
> merely an allegory?" They will tell you that that is what they already
> believe and see no reason to believe fairy tales. Every Christian who is a
> geologist KNOWS what I am talking about. Those moments of relaxation on a
> field trip where someone says, "You know the Bible says that all this was
> dumped in in a single year!" Which starts the laughter and criticism coming.
>
I too work in the geoscience industry and know exactly how often the subject
comes up! I have discussed the issues in class, at the office, during morning
coffee, over dinner, in the pub, round the camp fire, on the road. Maybe it is
a cultural difference, but my experience with my Australian colleagues is that
they generally don't sneer at the Bible, but at idiot Christians who think that
the geological record is the result of a year-long event. I therefore find
myself in a position to more fully explain the Scriptures. I try and gently
point out that just because what some Christians believe is incorrect, it does
not mean that everything they believe is wrong. People seem to me more
receptive when they understand that the theological teaching of Genesis 1-11 is
encapsulated in a pre-scientific world picture.
I often find that people are happy to acknowledge that Genesis teaches
theological and metaphysical truth in non-scientific terms. Whether they
respond to that truth positively is another story. In the end it is through
faith in Christ, so I try and get the conversation to that point.
In Christ
Jonathan
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Glenn R. Morton wrote:
Working in the geoscience industry I can tell you that a large percentageI too work in the geoscience industry and know exactly how often the subject comes up! I have discussed the issues in class, at the office, during morning coffee, over dinner, in the pub, round the camp fire, on the road. Maybe it is a cultural difference, but my experience with my Australian colleagues is that they generally don't sneer at the Bible, but at idiot Christians who think that the geological record is the result of a year-long event. I therefore find myself in a position to more fully explain the Scriptures. I try and gently point out that just because what some Christians believe is incorrect, it does not mean that everything they believe is wrong. People seem to me more receptive when they understand that the theological teaching of Genesis 1-11 is encapsulated in a pre-scientific world picture.
of my colleagues are not christian because they can't believe Genesis tells
the truth. You can't believe how many times the Flood comes up on geologic
field trips (always in a ridiculing manner), and how often Christians are
sneered at for what they teach. But then if you ask these same people,
"Would you believe Genesis and the Bible if I told you that Genesis 1-11 is
merely an allegory?" They will tell you that that is what they already
believe and see no reason to believe fairy tales. Every Christian who is a
geologist KNOWS what I am talking about. Those moments of relaxation on a
field trip where someone says, "You know the Bible says that all this was
dumped in in a single year!" Which starts the laughter and criticism coming.
I often find that people are happy to acknowledge that Genesis teaches
theological and metaphysical truth in non-scientific terms. Whether
they respond to that truth positively is another story. In
the end it is through faith in Christ, so I try and get the conversation
to that point.
In Christ
Jonathan --------------5B11B79BC3586B9733A0E99D--