Hi, Greg.
I appreciate your comments, and I think I see what you are referring to.
What I observe is non-YECs considering the *divisive attitude* itself
(which is a typical, but not inherent, feature of the YEC approach) as
being what is suspect. I thought I was being clear about this
distinction in my previous comments. I thought Moorad, for example, was
very explicit in his remarks, that he believed it was the divisive
attitude (which I typically refer to as the "exclusivist" attitude)
itself that deserved condemnation, not the mere adherence to a belief in
young earth creationism.
Thus, you have to distinguish between the condemning of the exclusivist
attitude, on the one hand, from the mere espousal of young earth
creationism, on the other. Why don't you ask each of these people that
you have quoted from, and explicitly ask them if they are (1) willing
to consider a Christian's faith "suspect" for believing the YEC
doctrine, and (2) willing to condemn the divisiveness that many YECs
promote. Again, I wager that what you will find is that non-YECs are
referring to the latter, not the former.
Of course, there is always the question, "Are YECs justified in being
divisive against those Christians who disagree with YEC?" And this you
have not discussed.
Incidentally, yes, I read your entire post.
Regards,
Todd S. Greene
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Thebes/7755/
###### Gregory P. Kerr, 4/3/01 11:29 AM ######
Todd,
You write:
"Young earth creationists (very many, while I will acknowledge that it
is not all of them) have clearly made this an issue which divides the
good Christians from the bad Christians. Since this is the true
situation, there is something clearly wrong with turning around and
saying, as you are apparently doing, that people should not express
criticism of this "exclusivist" (divisive) approach that so many YECs
have taken. Let's be forthrightly honest about the situation."
and
"...But non-YECs have not and do not
claim that a person's belief in young earth creationism puts their
salvation in danger, or makes their faith "suspect" or
"compromising." Of course, if you think my assessment is incorrect,
please show me the discussion I haven't been following which shows
otherwise."
Not only have you not been following this discussion, you must not have
finished reading my posting. I have shown that non-YEC's claim that the YEC
view makes their faith suspect! I gave numerous examples. How can the
comments I cited from this very list be interpreted any other way? They
have clearly portrayed YEC's as being agents of the devil and on the road
to hell.
My point was not that YEC's are innocent of the attitudes you point out,
but that many non-YEC's are guilty as well.
Greg
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