Re: Stereotypes and reputations

James wrote:

>>I wonder why YEC or ID brings such an automatic negative response from this group. Actually ID’s fight to allow more than the one secular story of creation [secular neo-Darwinism] into the public High School is a battle more of us should be in or respecting. I would like the public High School teacher be able to use the word Creation instead of Nature and even explain Creation from a TE position. I know the current idea that science has nothing to do with Creation keeps other stories that I do not like out, but in its place the student is being taught that God and religion have had nothing to do with Creation.<<

James, in my case, with many of the YECs, and many of the IDs, I simply don't trust them to be telling the truth on anything. In the 12 years since I left YEC I have watched the utter intransigence, utter unwillingness to listen to anything other then those with whom they agree. Try correcting them on ANY factual error and you will find that they don't want any correction and will repeat the same load of bull over and over again.  I have watched the ID folks, who initially were more outgoing, withdraw to their own insular network of friends, devoid of any one who really will challenge their views from a Christian perspective.  These groups are exclusive of divergent viewpoints.  To me, that smacks of an unwillingness to learn.

And, when I then see Nancy do the Stalin thing, I am reminded about how many times I have heard that Hitler was an evolutionist (when these self same YECs have never bothered to read Hitler).  INdeed, in some passages he sounds downright young-earthish.  The rhetorical thing to do, the political thing to do is to tie your opponent with the worst emotional example you can and then make him defend that example rather than defend whatever it is that he is defending. Not only is this fun, it is downright useful. Frankly, I don't believe that this was entirely innocent. As I said, she could have chosen so many other examples. Why Stalin? I also don't think that anyone in the ID group would tell Nancy that that was a bad example to use.

Could I just be calloused after 11 years of fighting YEC and being called everything under the sun by these people who won't change one iota if you show them a picture?  Yeah, I just could be.  For the record, I have met Nancy once and had a pleasant chat with her. I doubt she would remember me.