RE: The Future of Evolution

From: Vandergraaf, Chuck (vandergraaft@aecl.ca)
Date: Sat Apr 14 2001 - 17:14:05 EDT

  • Next message: psiigii: "Re: Easter"

    Howard,
     
    Yes, one could list other human qualities, qualities that would fall in the
    category of "common grace." I would agree that life in the past may have
    been "short, brutish and nasty," to quote somebody whose name escapes me.
    And I don't deny that we can learn from other religions. However, what I
    see happening now is a general casting adrift from religious tenets without
    replacement by a new set of religious views.
     
    Maybe we should ask ourselves what currently drives political decisions and
    what drives personal decisions, to get some inkling of what we may be in
    for. What set of values drove the participants in the recent Gulf War? How
    far are we willing to go to get our oil? We full well know that continued
    consumption of fossil fuels leads to elevated [CO2] in the atmosphere. Yet,
    your president has decided that ratifying the Kyoto Protocol is not in the
    US interest.
     
    I'm not saying that increased [CO2] will necessarily lead to global warming,
    but it may lead to more severe weather before a new equilibrium is
    established. Neither am I suggesting that the Kyoto Protocol will solve all
    problems. I'm simply citing it as one example where a well-educated
    individual, George W. Bush, leader of a well-developed nation, and a
    Christian to boot, makes a decision in light of what we know. Not to pick
    on either the US or Dubya, Canada is not doing much better in that respect.
     
    I fully agree with your caution about "leaving this all to the Lord." He
    works through us. My point was that, if humankind refuses to do His
    bidding, He may intervene.
     
    Shalom,
     
    Chuck
     
     
     
     

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Howard J. Van Till [mailto:hvantill@novagate.com]
    Sent: Saturday April 14, 2001 3:11 PM
    To: Vandergraaf, Chuck; asa@calvin.edu
    Subject: Re: The Future of Evolution

    Chuck,

    OK, perhaps it will take more than merely "sound moral principles and
    appropriate science/technology" to avoid a "short but violent ride" into the
    future. We could list other human qualities that would be helpful, and we
    could add something regarding the human response to our awareness of divine
    expectations. We could also, of course, say something about the benefits of
    divine guidance and grace, although we had better be prepared to be
    authentically respectful of the way in which that guidance and grace is
    experienced by religions other than Christianity.

    But I submit that relying on the expectation that "the Lord will intervene
    in time, before we descend too far into the abyss" could easily serve as an
    excuse for human sloth and failure to act responsibly.

    Howard

    Howard,
     
    If that's the way evolution is to proceed, we can expect a short, but
    violent ride, I'm afraid. Relying on "sound moral principle and appropriate
    science/technology" is, IMHO, wishful thinking. With increased competition
    for diminishing resources, moral principles will be flying out of the
    window, if they have not already done so. I agree that the human race will
    be able to evaluate the effects of its behaviour, but the time delays of
    natural systems is such that there may not be enough time to respond. I'm
    not as pessimistic as Richard Duncan, and don't expect that humankind will
    regress into an Olduvai-type society, but it won't be pretty. Hopefully, the
    Lord will intervene in time, before we descend too far into the abyss.
     
    Chuck Vandergraaf



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Apr 14 2001 - 17:14:13 EDT