Re: [asa] Re: [ACG] Back to the topic of making a statement...

One characteristic of ASA that I consider valuable is that it provides a forum
where Christians can debate issues like creation/evolution. Certainly the
churches generally don't. But I agree that the evidence for an ancient earth is
solid. We'd probably lose a few members if we did it, but I can see the need
for a statement from ASA that the evidence for an old earth is overwhelming.
That statement should not be something a member has to affirm -- let those who
want to debate continue. But the official position of ASA should be old earth.

--- Michael Roberts <michael.andrea.r@ukonline.co.uk> wrote:

> Paul
> You are as bolshy as I am! I also agree we should not pander to the YEC
> mindset and cease to be so accommodating.
> We should simply say that there is evidence ONLY for an ancient earth and
> that there is none for a young earth.
>
> Meanwhile YECs continue to blind people with their "science" as does
> Woodmorappe in his latest AIG offering
>
> Michael
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Paul Hoskin
> To: acg ; asa@calvin.edu
> Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2006 8:13 PM
> Subject: [ACG] Back to the topic of making a statement...
>
>
> Hi again,
>
>
> Let's return to the topic of making an Association-level ACG statement on
> the age of Earth. Perhaps this can be discussed at a meeting at the
> Geological Society of America meeting this October. Here's an equivalent
> statement from the ASA on creation-evolution:
>
>
>
>
http://www.asa3.org/ASA/topics/Evolution/commission_on_creation.html#Commission%20on%20Creation
>
>
> I apologize, but I find this rambling statement to be rather impotent. Why
> not just say at the top of the page: "Our members believe just about anything
> whether or not there is evidence to support their positions or not. We don't
> let scientific evidence get in the way of our unfounded beliefs."
>
>
> Look, while the scientific community is vigorously debating how the early
> Earth looked over 4 billion years ago, when life first appeared on Earth,
> when modern-style plate tectonics was first initiated, where to best locate a
> landing site on Mars and why, etc., we Christian geologists are completely
> sidelined as a sub-set of the community because we refuse to even publicly
> acknowledge that we accept the evidence that Earth is ~4.5 billion years old.
> It bothers me that we as a group can't even enter into the scientific,
> sometimes metaphysical, discussions on early Earth and the emergence of life
> because we tip-tie around the age of Earth issue afraid to offend anyone's
> sensibilities.
>
>
> In good conscience I'm afraid that I cannot remain a member of an
> association that holds to be equally valid the scientific evidence on the
> timing of Earth formation and Earth history and an unsupportable
> interpretation of Genesis 1-11 that holds that Earth is only 6,000 to 10,000
> years old and that it was created with the appearance of antiquity or that a
> single global flood did the work 4,000 years ago.
>
>
> I'm sorry if this offends some of you reading this, but perhaps you need to
> take a few more geologic field trips to help you get things sorted out. And
> perhaps you ought to re-think your trust in our understanding of physics the
> next time you get in an aeroplane or turn on your computer (chances are that
> your power is nuclear -- the same physics that demands an old age for Earth).
>
>
> The longer we humor the unsupported superstition that Earth is young, the
> longer the ACG tacitly acknowledges that science and the Bible are in
> conflict. I personally don't acknowledge that to be the case.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Regards,
> Paul
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ___________________________________
>
>
> On a mission to restore wonder and mystery in Christendom by reminding
> people that Earth is really really old (4.5 Ga), that God is really really
> grand, and that He never changes. He has been at work and watching over His
> creation for a really really long time. That's awesome.
> ___________________________________
>
>
> Posted views are held personally and
> do not necessarily represent those of
> any other individual or institution.
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
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>

Bill Hamilton
William E. Hamilton, Jr., Ph.D.
248.652.4148 (home) 248.821.8156 (mobile)
"...If God is for us, who is against us?" Rom 8:31

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Received on Sat Aug 12 22:37:31 2006