>And of course the downside of a private list is the rest of the world
>will wonder why it is private and what you are saying and it makes it
>much easier to not deal with stronger arguments against your position >if
>those folks are not on your list. On the other hand, the evolution list
>was originally started by the ID movement and had its focus completely
>changed by non ID folks, which would likely happen if a lot of us were
>on CRSnet.
As one of the people who was involved in the change of focus (I am a TE)
I would say that private lists, like the one the IDers retreated to are
really bad. I did not want to see them go. But in my opinion, they
didn't want to be seen as unable to answer the data and questions
directed at them and they left for a list where they could all agree
with each other. And when any group of people gather to the exclusion
of outside ideas, two things happen. ONe they believe more firmly that
they are right and everyone else is wrong. And they fall behind.
Christians should be able to propose apologetical views that can stand
up to the critisicm of athiests, TEs and anyone else. If we retreat
everytime others question us, one can rightly ask if we are really
dealing with the data or merely our unfounded beliefs which we want to
reinforce by our isolation.
Also isolation is the biggest damper on creativity. Japan as an
isolated society was not very advanced. Isolated societies can be led to
believe anything. David Koresh ran an isolated society, the Heavens
Gate cult had no one in there criticising their ideas. When info from
the outside ceases to flow, problems grow.
CRSnet and the ID list are examples of people who are really afraid to
come out and fight for their views in the rough and tumble world of
ideas. They are afraid of being shown to have only emporer's clothing.
-- glennFoundation, Fall and Flood Adam, Apes and Anthropology http://www.isource.net/~grmorton/dmd.htm