Bible numbers on the ASA list

Hi everyone,

I continue to see little to be gained by any discussion of Vernon's
views. It seems to only produce strife on the list. I once again
suggest that we keep it off the list.

Vernon, if someone new comes on board and you feel a need to point
them to your material, please do it with a private post, so as not to
raise the ire of everyone else. If after a private discussion with
such an individual, you and they believe that some new productive
insights have been gained, please share them with the list. Of
course, you are also welcome to post links to your site on occasion,
if there is something new. Otherwise, rest assured that we can find
your site if we need to again.

Everyone here should keep in mind that the ASA is a fairly
broad-based organization and that we as an organization tolerate and
respect views ranging from young earth creationism (YEC) to
intelligent design to evolutionary creation. Of course, this doesn't
mean that we all agree or that we can't debate the issues, but in the
ASA and on this list one can have any of a broad range of views on
origins questions and still be considered to be an orthodox
Christian. While typically it's YEC's who are intolerant of those
with less literal readings of Genesis, the less literal crowd
especially when they are in the majority, as they are in the ASA,
often gang up on YEC's with pejorative language such as
"fundamentalist," "literalist," "inerrantist," "bibliolator," etc.
This kind of useless name-calling is not appropriate here and we
should, in general, assume that others on the list have "tolerance
and respect within a diversity of opinions" view so we don't have
respond defensively every time we feel like someone seems to
challenge our Christian confession.

If you are not familiar with the ASA's creation commission report
from a few years ago, you may want to look at it. It demonstrates
points of agreement and disagreement between different views that are
found in and welcome in the ASA. Here's the link:

http://www.asa3.org/ASA/topics/Evolution/commission_on_creation.html

As list manager,

TG

-- 
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Terry M. Gray, Ph.D., Computer Support Scientist
Chemistry Department, Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado  80523
grayt@lamar.colostate.edu  http://www.chm.colostate.edu/~grayt/
phone: 970-491-7003 fax: 970-491-1801