From: Dawsonzhu@aol.com
Date: Sun Oct 05 2003 - 09:19:48 EDT
Michael Roberts wrote:
> > I understand that in England, YEC is growing. If so, then thanks are
> probably
> > owed to Dawkins.
>
> And above all to the high pressure propaganda of AIG and ICR, whose lies are
> accepted at face value because evangelicals don't tell porkies.
>
I think Walt has a point here. I don't think this creation/evolution issue
has
much to do with science at all. It seems to be more like a reactionary
response to a perceived threat to the Christian faith. I don't know if it
comes down to personality, interests, or what, but I encounter people
who are very uncomfortable with even the very idea of questioning that
"book of facts" interpretation of the religious texts. They naturally want
an "excuse" for why their mind is made up like that, but even if they don't
have one, I don't think it would make any difference.
I think I might be able to offer a bit of an analogy. Here in Japan, the
number
of Christians is less than 1%. If you come to Japan, you would see a modern
country with technology and materialism that can rival any western country,
(although strangely, they only recently discovered broadband). It is a
country
with laws and a professional legal system that is basically as reliable as
the law
in any western country. It seems about as probable that a judge would accept
a bribe here as it would in the UK or the US. In short, not so highly
likely.
Basically, the system is fair, and is certainly fair for Japanese citizens.
It does
have some major hangups for foreigners, but compared to the kind of mess you
could get entangled in here in some countries in Asia, I would say it is
basically
fair.
Yet, everywhere you go in Japan, there are all sorts of Shinto shrines and
various small places where offerings can be made. Shinto is basically only a
few steps above the idol worship of the Caananites. There are countless gods
to whom these offerings can be made for all sorts of things people want.
It is as incongruous admixture of impressions where technology has rapidly
advanced, yet religion has remained in at little higher than a primitive
tribal
level.
But why are Japanese so accepting of western technology, yet so stubbornly
resistant to even the very thought of western religion penetrating their
lives? Well, obviously some of it is rooted in reaction to Western
imperialism, but I perceive a deeper reason, because they would also have
rejected western technology if it was mere reaction to the West. It is more
like
the influence of Western values (conflated as western religion) is perceived
as
polluting their "traditional values". (Actually, by accepting any old
so-and-so
that comes with the technology, they are probably permitting far more
unfiltered
"pollution" than any traditional religion could possible do, but that is the
perception.)
At any rate, it seems to be an ingrained stubborn and almost unreasoning
resistance in some cases --- very similar to what I see of many creationist.
It really wouldn't matter what you say, what example you set, how you live
your
life, or anything else you could do. This is simply the way things are done
here
in Japan and that is that. The people most likely to come to Christianity in
Japan
are the people for whom "tradition" as caused serious harm in their lives.
That,
or Japanese who have gone to the Western world and somehow found out that
Christians are not the "evil ogres" they were told in bedtime stories. This
is
the "good old fashioned family values"drivel told with an Eastern twist.
So I think there are parallels with what is happening amongst some
Christians.
They perceive the schools as controlled by atheists looking for converts.
They hear of this "evolution" is being taught in the schools, and they hear
of
this Dawkins guy who says that evolution gives him an excuse to be an
atheist.
At some level, this is sort of like finding out that your son's friends are
taking
drugs. You'd want to do something about it. Now, in the case of drugs, it
probably is better to be unreasoning and go after the problem, but for
matters
of real thinking and choices, it has a lot of potential to backfire. That is
basically
what you see with people who leave Christianity because they can eventually
find out that science and scientist are not the "evil ogres" that they were
told
in their bedtime stories.
Moreover, before I was saved (in college) and long before I took any interest
in science, I did perceive that we were being taught that evolution showed
the Bible was false. In retrospect, it was probably my own misconceptions
and surprise that led me to these conclusions, but adolescence is a
difficult time, where awareness of freedom is perceived, but wisdom takes
much longer develop. At any rate, parents who chose to respond that God
can create through evolution too, would probably be much wiser (in my
opinion) than the parents who say "absolutely not and that's that". They
almost guarantee that their children will avoid science to keep their
"values"
and that is unlikely to be good for some of them.
What I don't quite understand about YEC folk is that even at that time,
with all the raging hormonal processes and rebel-without-a-cause matters
of adolescence, I knew deep in my heart-of-hearts that God actually
could have equally created through evolution. I sometimes used it to
shut Christians out with "the buzzword", but I could not run away from
that thought in the back of my mind.
Is it that some people just simply don't even want to consider
examining any other possibilities than a 6000 year old earth? Is it that
they
just want to be left alone and don't want to be challenged to think? Is it
fear
of facing oneself and doubt? I can understand doubt, but this level of
denial is hard for me to understand.
I can accept this "simulation" example that Walt puts forward, although I
also find it a bit mischievous of God. I could accept it as humor, but
considering the acrimonious exchanges I sometimes see, I don't quite
understand the point of this "humor", if this is supposed to be God.
By Grace alone we proceed,
Wayne
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