Luddites

SMason8@aol.com
Mon, 29 May 1995 14:17:55 -0400

In response to the exchange between Stephen and Glenn:

>GM>But we not only debunk evolution, we have christians who >>debunk
>>everything that geology and astronomy say. I would respectfully
>>submit that debunking is doing nothing but turning Christians into
>>Luddites! Where the luddites were against modern technology, >>20th
century evangelicals are against most of observational >>science! We are
always debunking the latest scientific discovery.

>Stephen replied:

>>This is a generalisation and an extreme stereotype."

>Not in this country. And I am not saying that everybody who >disbelieves
evolution is a Luddite, but look around this country at >how science is
treated by various church groups and ministers. >Look at how scientists are
described.

I think the church groups are disturbed by an image of scientists as a group
who either arrogantly deny the existence of God altogether, or at best
"having a form of godliness but denying its power."

The scientists in the pews need to witness (in love) to their fellows that an
intellectually honest study of the world is capable of bringing honor to God.
The Christians in the universities and labs need to witness (in love) to
their co-workers that faith in Jesus Christ can enrich their appreciation for
the order and complexity they uncover. C.S. Lewis once said something to the
effect that he believed Christianity, in part, because it was complex and
paradoxical--exactly the sort of thing you would expect in a description of
reality. (I think I have just done great violence to that paraphrase). ISTM
that the great danger will come from those who will not think at all, who
turn their back on the intellectual traditions that have birthed both
Biblical Christianity and science. We're going to need people who can
think--not just (as Loren Eiseley called
them) techno-barbarians with in-depth knowledge of a very narrow field.