From: George Murphy (gmurphy@raex.com)
Date: Tue Jul 15 2003 - 15:09:54 EDT
Howard J. Van Till wrote:
>
> > 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.
One would think however that intelligent people might be well enough educated to
realize that there are more sophisticated forms of theistic belief, and would take the
trouble to fined out something about them before rejecting them. Barring that, they
ought to at least maintain an agnostic position. A scientist who rejects Christianity
because he thinks that all Christians agree with Henry Morris is as ignorant as a
theologian who rejects evolution because he thinks that all evolutionists agree with
Richard Dawkins. Thus your last sentence is open to serious question.
Shalom,
George
George L. Murphy
gmurphy@raex.com
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
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