Re: The Genesis Factor

Brian D Harper (bharper@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu)
Mon, 10 May 1999 18:59:58 -0700

At 05:39 PM 5/10/99 -0500, you wrote:
>My comments are below:
>
>Vernon wrote:
>
>>1) The Lord himself warns us to test the fruits of every doctrine before
>>we accept it as being true (Mt.7:15-20). On this basis - as I'm sure
>>you'll agree - evolution has a poor track record. This alone, in my
>>view, should be a major deterrent to all who accept Christ as the way,
>>the truth, and the life. [To those who will point to the many bad things
>>perpetrated by the Church, past and present, let me say this: wherever
>>and whenever the Lord's teachings have been properly applied, great
>>goodness and blessing have followed].
>

[...]

>I think that the fruit of philosophical naturalism has been tested
>- as Phil Johnson pointed out - and it is not too good. On the other
>hand, the fruits of methodological naturalism have been both wonderful
>(cures for diseases, better food) and terrible (more efficient weapons).
>This wonderful / terrible mix is - as Old Seashells points out - due
>to the non-moral nature of science.

I appreciate and agree with what you are saying, but before we
get too caught up in testing the fruits doctrines or philosophies
it may be a good idea to read Matthew 7:15-20. Here we find that
the Lord is not actually telling us to test the fruits of
of doctrines but to test the fruits of "false prophets".

"Thus you will know them by their fruits." Mtt 7:20

There is, I believe, an enormous difference between looking at the
fruit of some abstract idea and looking at the fruit of a persons life,
especially in the context of Vernon's claims.

[...]
Brian Harper
Associate Professor
Applied Mechanics
The Ohio State University

"All kinds of private metaphysics and theology have
grown like weeds in the garden of thermodynamics"
-- E. H. Hiebert