From: Josh Bembenek (jbembe@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Jul 21 2003 - 14:05:49 EDT
Bob wrote:
“I think it is important to separate the ASA journal from the listserve,
which is a separate operation with a different end. ASA articles are
peer-reviewed and undergo a scrutiny before being accepted for publication.
Listserve postings are not, and they generally go through unless the
listmaster deems them beyond the pale. Our postings, as is the case on any
listserv, express personal opinions (as well as information) subject to
criticisms, which is just what Josh is doing. Most of us regulars have done
some "backing and forthing" with one another, and that is to be expected.”
-I guess this is my attempt to initiate some type of “regular” status for
myself as I wish to contribute opinions and ideas that expand the
representation of views that are expressed on the listserve. This way the
unsuspecting bystander will get a better impression of the views held by
“Christian scientists.” I have been participating here for approximately a
year now and look forward to becoming more involved in the discussions.
“My criticisms of ID arguments and positions, like those of Howard's, are
aimed at what I see are flaws in their basic assumptions and arguments. I
also include analyses of their rhetoric, which is an essential component of
their argumentation; and I have raised questions about their theological
motivations, which most of the time they seem desirous to conceal. I agree
with Howard that it is appropriate to address the latter.”
-And I have learned from these criticisms. I specifically do not think that
detailed explanations is a criticism that is off the mark. I clearly am
more open to their arguments than many here, but I do not feel that they are
above criticism or improvement.
“As to young earth creationists, I have noted in various postings a level of
exasperation on the part of many of us, including myself. One major reason
is that the YECs continue to put forth claims as scientific evidence that
are simply unsupportable (either for six-day creation or against evolution),
but they keep on making them. In my view they have allowed their ideology
(and that is what it is, in my view) to trump scientific evidence in as
dogmatic a fashion as some of the more vocal scientific materialists. It is
hard not to engage in criticisms that border on harshness when they are for
the most part (not entirely, to be sure) deaf to any legitimate criticism of
their arguments. And, from my own experience, it seems to me that the YEC
message is in fact aimed primarily at Bible literalists who are not well
educated in science and less able to examine their claims either with
impariality or because they have become fearful of mainstream science as a
threat to their faith. That is one reason why I and many others see their
program as harmful both to Christianity and to science. I think the
Dawkinses and Dennetts need to be answered, and forcefully, but I must say
that I am more concerned with some of my brothers and sisters in Christ
whose anti-evolution approaches are wrong-headed and fractious.”
-I personally see no problem in correcting the errors and dispelling the
inaccurate science used to support YEC. However, in an attempt to convince
a group of people with limited science background, committed to a view of
scripture, developed arguments of science are required. Do you see
something wrong with that? Folks untrained in science and committed to YEC
are going to have a difficult time in fully grasping the nuances of
developed scientific evidence which makes their position largely untenable.
Try to convince someone of the evolutionary relationship between monkeys and
man as witnessed by Alu elements and retroviral insertions without them
understanding what a genome is exactly. I think the situation will not
resolve itself overnight, nor do I have 100% confidence that YEC is
completely false. Science isn’t omniscient, and there is some chance (weak
as it may be) that the Earth is young and our powers of understanding is
misled somehow (although I would not defend that position except to say that
it is possible.)
_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Mon Jul 21 2003 - 14:06:54 EDT