Re: Ken Miller talk at Case Western

Michael Roberts:

>
> *> Also you should know by now that no amount of evidence will persuade a
> YEC or ID to change their mind.*
>
>

David:

This is neither fair nor true. I recall reading something written by a
> prominent ASA member who abandoned YEC years ago. I've had the experience
> of migrating away from YEC myself, and though I was pretty convinced by ID
> in the past, my view of it continues to evolve.
>
> Mervin:

> I recall a statement from among the ASA ranks on this forum not too
> long ago that referred to at least some ASA members as having 'emerged' from
> a YEC background. I add myself to that number.

Me:

You can add me to that number. Though I didn't grow up in a YEC background,
I was tempted towards that direction during a difficult and stressful time
in my life, which I've written about elsewhere. I was persuaded back by the
more caring and intelligent discussions on this list, but when I saw
sweeping generalisations that ridiculed peoples' sincerely held beliefs,
such as the one written by Michael above, then I was bloody-minded enough to
want to stick where I was, and say "I don't care what they say, I'll still
believe it".

Perhaps, Michael, you ought to try a softer approach, then you might find
that you make some progress instead of hitting your head against a brick
wall. If you insult people by making out they don't think, then by and
large they will become more deeply entrenched in their wrong beliefs, and
you'll have a self-fulfilling prophecy. I know and understand that you are
deeply frustrated by YEC's ID'ers etc and see them as bringing Christianity
a bad name. But by letting that frustration show by indulging in strident
rhetoric, you are not helping matters, indeed you are being just as bad as
the YEC websites that also indulge in such rhetoric.

In Christ,
Iain
Received on Tue Jan 10 22:46:40 2006