From: allenroy (allenroy@peoplepc.com)
Date: Thu Sep 11 2003 - 01:36:08 EDT
We've been hearing how unethical it is for YEC to cast doubt on the
christian spirituality of OECs and TEs. How about the other way around?
Does Hugh Ross imply in the following that YECs might be in spiritual
jeopardy?
>From http://www.reasons.org/resources/apologetics/trap.shtml?main
Humphreys' and other 24-hour-day creationists' interpretation of Genesis
inadvertently leads to the suggestion that God is the one who deceives.
It leads to the conclusion that all the distant galaxies astronomers
observe, nearly one trillion of them, are part of an elaborate mirage or
a misunderstood "mural'' painted on a nearby black background. Stellar
explosions such as the 1987 supernova eruption in our companion galaxy,
the Large Magellanic Cloud, did not really occur, it just appears to
have occurred. What astronomers observe in the heavens must be,
according to their view, a detailed history of events that never
happened.
A Biblical basis for "appearance of age" does not exist. Adam's adult
body at the time of his creation would testify of age only if we made
the incorrect assumption that he entered the world through the womb of a
woman. We may also ask: What memories of his childhood and youth would
he have had? Would God have created Adam with memories of events that
had never taken place? It is difficult to see how such a creation would
not make God a deceiver of Adam, building into his body inescapable
impressions of the reality of events which in fact never occurred. The
universe also has a kind of "memory" of the past; it is the light
emitted long ago by distant objects that shows us what was happening at
those objects at the time this light was emitted. "Appearance of age"
has God filling virtually the entire universe with the physical
equivalent of false memories.12
>From a logic standpoint, appearance of age represents what is called a
non-falsifiable proposition. It cannot be proved or disproved. Taken to
its logical conclusion, the hypothesis would imply that we cannot be
sure of our own or anyone else's past existence. We could have been
created just a few hours ago with implanted scars, memories, progeny,
photographs, material possessions, liver spots, and hardening of the
arteries to make us appear and feel older than we really are. In this
case, even biblical history would be an illusion.
On the assumption that they truly desire to be defenders of the truth of
God's word and evangelists for Jesus Christ, young earth/young-universe
creationists probably do not realize the theological implications of
their position. I think they would repudiate the cultic notion that,
"there is no life, truth, or substance in matter,"13 though
unfortunately, that's the direction in which their view leans. According
to the Apostle Paul, it's a dangerous direction (see Colossians 1 and 2
especially).
12. Hugh Ross, Creation and Time (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 1994),
p. 54
13. This quote from Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science,
is declared during every worship service in every Church of Christ
(Scientist).
Or consider the following from Ross's Creation and Time (Colorado
Springs,
CO: NavPress 1994), 160. Is what AIG says any rougher than this?
"In response to my message and others' encouragement, [a young biology
student] let go of the burden of a double life, of believing yet trying
not to believe the reality his studies revealed. He saw that believing
the Bible did not require the sacrifice of his rational mind. Sharing
his faith with friends would now be possible for him, even enjoyable.
He expressed profound relief, and he said he found new meaning in the
motto of Caltech, 'The truth shall make you free' (John 8:32, KJV).
I have met many other believers who do not yet know this young man's
freedom and joy. Having paid the price they were taught they must pay,
they insist that no one should be left off any easier. Every
respectable Christian must deny the facts of science. The result? A
burdensome walk with God (hardly the exhortations of Matthew 11:25 and
Ephesians 2:8-10), or an unhealthy disconnection from reality. What a
terrible choice! And what awful advertising, if I may use that term, for
Christianity."
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