From: Jay Willingham (jaywillingham@cfl.rr.com)
Date: Tue Jul 15 2003 - 10:26:10 EDT
A bit of homespun wisdom might apply:
Some folks can't see the forest for the trees.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Howard J. Van Till" <hvantill@chartermi.net>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 8:53 AM
Subject: Re: Clarification -- Re: Dawkins dissembles?
> > Scott Jorgenson <dscottjorgenson@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >> General theistic belief (not necessarily
> >> Christian) among US
> >> scientists as a whole was surveyed to be about 40%,
> >> and among NAS members
> >> particularly it was surveyed to be only about 7%.
>
> >> Personally, I attribute
> >> the disproportionately-high NAS numbers [for non-belief] more to the
> >> hubris that humans too
> >> often acquire when showered with intellectual
> >> affirmation and stardom, than to
> >> any native intelligence.
>
>
> The question: Why might NAS members be less inclined than other categories
> of people (scientists generally, John Q. Public, etc.) toward theistic
> beliefs ? Several possibilities:
>
> 1. Dawkins/Dennett: Higher intelligence among NAS membership.
>
> 2. Scott Jorgenson (with agreement from Blake Nelson): The human hubris
that
> often accompanies praise for intellectual accomplishment.
>
> 3. Yet another possibility: Intelligent persons who are well acquainted
with
> what the sciences have learned about the evolutionary history of the
> universe see that the majority of Christians choose to ignore that
> scientific evidence and cling to some form of episodic creationism
> (entailing the rejection of the RFEP, and asserting that at least some
life
> forms required episodes of form-conferring supernatural intervention to
> actualize). Given their informed judgment regarding the credibility of the
> scientific concept of evolution, and given that the example set by the
> majority of Christian theists entails a rejection of that informed
judgment,
> these intelligent and well-informed persons are less inclined to join with
> the theists.
>
> There was a time when I joined the chorus of persons who were quick to
> demonize those awful atheists as the epitome of stubborn arrogance and
> extreme hubris. Perhaps it is now time to listen more respectfully to
learn
> what they themselves would say. It's just possible that their choices have
> been made thoughtfully, humbly, and on the basis of warranted
> considerations.
>
> Howard Van Till
>
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