Re: [asa] Question for all the theistic evolutionists

My good friend, Glenn, asks some good questions: I will try to answer.

"1. Why is it that I so rarely see theistic evolutionists directly
confronting atheists on the internet when they dis our religion?"

I think you have seen me once or twice, Glenn. I'd do it more often but
I'm not convinced it makes any real difference to challenge a person
whose mind is made up. I used to do it more often. I suspect those
reasons apply to many of us.

"2. Has anyone engaged in a direct internet debate on a forum against
atheism or against an atheist? (if so, where is it?)"

My own debates of this sort took place on Compuserve many years ago when
I was a sysop there. I got to "know" a few of them and had respect for
them (and they for me, as they expressed) w/o ever changing anyone's mind
(except, perhaps, for lurkers).

"3. are we really, as my friend Wil Provine suggests, merely practical
atheists? (a people whose religion makes no real difference to the
intellectual climate of society?)"

I would definitely challenge that assertion. But we generally influence
people one at a time -- and only those people we get to know well.

As you know, I write for the Rico Bugle, a paper which serves a community
of about 250 persons with a circulation probably not much more than that
in the county. But the people there, although mostly not practicing
Christians, "know" me and to some extent, I think, I have had some
influence on them. It is what I do.

If, at the end of my life, I have been instrumental in introducing just
one soul to our Lord, I will consider my life a success. I have reason to
believe the record is some better than just one. But on this side of the
great divide, I will not know.

"3a alternatively, are we merely the lapdogs of the atheists, who use us,
as Phil Johnson suggests, but who don't respect us (I guess are we a one
night stand for the atheists pleasure?)"

For some, this is probably true. So what?

Burgy

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Received on Sat Feb 24 10:53:36 2007