> Pim wrote...
>
> > To a large extent, creationists are to blame
> > for this perception. The highly visible ones
> > like Morris and Gish for example have given
> > scientific creationism a 'bad rap'.
>
> Most assuredly this is correct. There was a knee-jerk backlash to
> Darwin during the 19th century that was altogether unwarranted. There
> is nothing that Darwin said that really posed much of a problem for
> basic Christian faith.
That's not true. Darwin attributed the creation of all living forms to
unguided natural forces, despite the biblical teaching that God can be known
without doubt by his works. Thus if Darwin was right nobody could see God
in the creation of the living world.
The doctrines that were cooked up to "defend
> against Darwinian heresy" have done more harm than good since then.
Which doctrines do you think of ? And what harm have they done ? I cannot
think of any.
> Examples of bizarre "scientific" ideas persist interminably.
Here in part you are right. Bible believing people have too often
supported untenable 'theories' to attack Darwinism. But these have to be
distinguished from their doctrines.
> I resently saw a children's video that was made by a famous American
> minister, who I will not name, that was endeavoring to "teach" children
> about the "errors" of evolution. He leaned very heavily on the bogus
> "dust on the moon" argument as if it was the creationist ace-trump. As
> a Christian, I can say very forthrightly that this kind of tactic is
> wholly repugnant to me. This is not the kind of thing to teach a child
> and pass if off as science.
I agree. But it would be false that therefore the doctrinal position of
this minister concerning creation must be false.
> There is, however, a mistake that Naturalistic Materialists make that is
> equally repugnant: the tendency to paint all creationist views into the
> one held by the minister on the video I mentioned--that shared by Morris
> and Gish. It is becoming increasingly clear that the YEC view has begun
> to die, albeit slowly, and will probably eventually be scrapped by most
> Christians. Non-creationists should recognize this shift and its
> implications.
(young earth) creationists though weak become rather stronger than weaker.
But I accept that we must first put our own house in order and stop using
obsolete arguments.
Oliver
student of physics