The essay by Tom Willis

On Theologyweb, I posted the essay by Tom Willis. One YECer, more
courteous than most there, did say she did not much agree with the
Revelation argument, but otherwise thought Tom had made some valid
points.

I will be challenging that later with the paraphrase of Tom's essay
below:
------------------------------------
This is a paraphrase of an essay by Tom Willis published in the
newsletter of the Creation
Science Association of Mid-America, and posted on their website.

This essay explicitly reveals the disdain in which Christians who accept
YEC (a young earth)are held by (I hope) nobody. It is meant as a
comparison to Tom's original,
which some YECs appear to think makes some valid points. Tom's original
essay is, IMHO, a long ad hominem, as is this one, which is NOT meant
seriously.

The overriding message of this essay is to be found in two quotes from
it:
 
"Therefore, you can be certain that anyone claiming to be a Christian
believer in a young earth is either immature in his walk, or a liar."

Again: "An even more powerful passage is Revelation 17 in which the
behavior,
nature and destruction of the "harlot, Mystery Babylon" are discussed in
detail. ... nearly every commentator agrees that it refers to the false
church ... . A
more accurate description of "Christian YECers" is hard to find."
________________________________________________________________________
"I'm a Christian Too"

The Greatest "Proof" of the YEC Position

paraphrased from an essay by YECer Tom Willis

A few years ago while in the opening minutes of my address to the Mensa*
(are you not impressed by my casual tossing off of this reference?)
Convention, I was interrupted by a fellow who came to the front of the
room, stood before the audience of several hundred and announced
(paraphrase) "I'm a Christian too, but I believe in a young earth, so you
can
be a Christian and believe in the young earth. You don't have to believe
what he
is saying to be a Christian." Satisfied he had accomplished his important
mission, he then sat down.

I have the typical "absent-minded professor" memory, but I typically
remember what I say in this type of encounter. However, in this case, I
always draw a blank. I probably said something like, "You can sit in a
garage and call yourself a car, but that doesn't make either what you
call
yourself or what you believe about cars true."

At the first public hearing on the Kansas Science Standards, a key member
of the State Committee who had drafted the proposed science standards,
privately, but in the hearing of others, informed a School Board member
that he was offended by the testimony against YECers, because "I'm a
Christian too."

An engineering professor informed the State School Board members that she
was "an Evangelical Christian" who accepted the young earth position.

I've heard this assertion so often, I call it the "I'm a Christian Too
Proof" of YEC. Let's examine it briefly:

The fact that someone claims to be a Christian does not prove his/her
ideas are sound. In short, even if a Christian does believe in a young
earth,
that is not an argument for the truth of a young earth. It proves only
that
the person claims to be a Christian, and claims to believe in a young
earth.
The young earth position must stand or fall in science on the basis of
evidence. Their
Christianity must stand or fall on the basis of the criteria Jesus
established. The claim is irrelevant.

Nor does such a claim tell you anything about the true compatibility of
Christianity and a young earth position. First, the claim that the person
is, in fact,
a Christian must be weighed. You can sit in a garage all day and claim
you
are a car, but regardless of how fervently you claim it, your status as a
non-car will not change. Furthermore, only Jesus can define what a
Christian is and he said, "Ye must be born again." Only those who are
born
again by the Spirit of God are Christians in any meaningful sense.

There are many other evidences that not all who claim to be Christians
are. Jesus said that: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? - MAT 7:16 Wherefore by their
fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name? ... and in thy name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me ... - Matt 7:20-23 He also said: "By this shall ye know
them, that they love one another." But the most extensive passage is in
the prayer of Jesus for unity among believers. Central to this prayer is
the passage: "Holy Father ... Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word
is
truth." Jesus makes it clear that his prayer applies to all followers
through all time, and that Jesus wants all his followers to be sanctified
(set apart) by God's Word. But, virtually no "Christian YECer"
defends his position from God's word, simply because it cannot be done.
Therefore, you can be certain that anyone claiming to be a Christian
YECer is either immature in his walk, or a liar.

Mutations are clearly consistent with the "curse" the Bible says God
placed on the entire creation. Paul calls it "the bondage to decay,"
which
he says applies to the entire universe. Regarding adaptation, even man
routinely builds automatic adaptation devices like the thermostat in your
house and the Electronic Fuel Injection in your car. Thus, God who says
His ways are much higher than ours can design automatic adaptation
devices. Thus, mutations and adaptation are not only acceptable to
Christianity, but are predicted by it. However, nowhere in God's Word can
you find a hint of what some call "a 6000 year old earth." There isn't
one
"Christian" YECer that can defend his stance for a 6000 year old earth on
the
basis of God's Word. They all do so on the basis of what they claim is
science. It is my position that a "Christian" who believes in "a 6000
year old earth"
does so in spite of the evidence of the Bible, and the evidence of
science.

An even more powerful passage is Revelation 17 in which the behavior,
nature and destruction of the "harlot, Mystery Babylon" are discussed in
detail. There are some differences of opinion about who this refers to,
but nearly every commentator agrees that it refers to the false church
and
that this group will attack (throughout modern history) the true church.
A
more accurate description of "Young Earth Creationist" is hard to find.
They love to call Christians names like "heretic," "science-worshipper,"
"atheist," etc. And, wherever YECers have taken over,
"YEC Christians" have joined Hitler, Stalin, etc., in killing
Christians. "Drunk with the blood of the saints," and rich from
compromising ("fornicating") with governments, exactly as the Bible
describes "Mystery Babylon." Finally, it clearly states that Christ's
real
enemies cooperate with this false church, but truly hate it, and
eventually destroy it. I have ministered to YEC advocates for
years. They are quite comfortable inviting a "Christian Theologian" to
debate against evolution, but they go to coffee with me. It is clear they
fear me, but they respect me, and despise my opponent, because they know
he is a traitor to his professed belief. This is clearly prophesied in
Revelation 17 to anyone who has eyes to see.

Conclusion:

People who announce "I'm a Christian too" in Creation/Evolution
discussions may be telling you something about their religion, but are
telling you nothing about Christianity or the issue of whether the YEC
position
is good science.

* Mensa - a fraternity of supposedly the top 2% of the World's most
intelligent people. I mention this because I want you to recognize my
intellectual
achievements. I capitalize "World" in the above because I disdain a
foolish
consistency in capitalization.
------------

Burgy

www.burgy.50megs.com/shadows.htm (Into the Shadows)

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Received on Sat Dec 20 17:37:04 2003