Re: RATE Vol. II

Agreed!

----- Original Message -----
From: "George Murphy" <gmurphy@raex.com>
To: "Randy Isaac" <randyisaac@adelphia.net>; <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2006 4:17 PM
Subject: Re: RATE Vol. II

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Randy Isaac" <randyisaac@adelphia.net>
> To: <asa@calvin.edu>
> Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2006 3:28 PM
> Subject: Re: RATE Vol. II
>
>
>> George Murphy wrote:
>>> IMO we've reached a point with the age of the earth at which ASA's
>>> position of not taking an official stance on disputed matters no longer
>>> applies.
>>> There is no scientific dispute about the order of magnitude of the age
>>> of the earth. The ASA should take the stance - & take it forcefully -
>>> that the earth is billions of years old, and that supposedly scientific
>>> claims to the contrary are without merit. Of course this does not mean
>>> that a position would be taken on biological evolution.
>>
>>
>> I'm not convinced that we need to take any stand on a scientific result.
>> Once we start, where does it end? Do we also need to endorse quantum
>> mechanics? Newton's laws? plate tectonics? anything else that isn't
>> disputed in science but is disputed by some religious organization?
>>
>> Rather, I think it is incumbent upon us to aggressively insist on a
>> "commitment to integrity in science." That means we need to take a stand
>> against the dishonesty of representing that science has shown the
>> validity of a young earth when, in fact, the opposite is true. We'll
>> look for an appropriate way to do that. And then, where will this lead
>> us? We must also stand against the dishonesty of representing that
>> evolution has shown the validity of atheism.
>
> Where it ends is with clear-cut scientific results which are denied &/or
> distorted by some people in the name of Christianity with the result that
> Christian laypeople are misled, the gospel is conflated with falsehood,
> the dialogue between science and Christian faith is muddied and
> non-Christians are given reason to think that Christians are stupid &/or
> dishonest.
>
> If we're gong to "take a stand against the dishonesty of representing that
> science has shown the validity of a young earth when, in fact, the
> opposite is true" then we have to be able to say that the opposite IS
> true. ASA is the only organization that has the potential to counter
> young-earth claims among the people who believe them &/or are likely to be
> convinced by them. If we say "We insist on integrity in science" the RATE
> people will fall all over themselves to agree & we will have accomplished
> nothing. There are times to be subtle & pussyfoot & times to be utterly
> blunt & this is one of the latter cases.
>
> Shalom
> George
> http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
>
>
>
>
>
Received on Sun May 21 16:50:43 2006