On 4/26/07, Ted Davis <TDavis@messiah.edu> wrote:
>
> I've long felt that the list ought to be restricted to members of ASA or
> CiS, that other parties could be allowed to receive posts but not post
> themselves. Even then, it wouldn't be correct to say that a specific
> individual speaks "for the ASA," since on most issues there is a wide
> array
> of opinion; but at least there might be a clearer picture about what
> opinions within the ASA actually are.
>
> Thus far, however, my opinion (on this) has not been persuasive, and is
> definitely not "official." There are some good reasons to reject my
> opinion, it's hardly a knock down argument.
>
> Ted
I think we are wringing our hands too much here. Take the latest ASA
newsletter. Randy reported that AAAS leadership met with eight evangelical
scientists that included five ASA members. They desired to have a good
working relationship with evangelicals and gave assurances that Richard
Dawkins does not speak for all of mainstream science. In essence, they have
the same problem we do with their bomb throwers.
The bottom line is organizations like the ASA are gaining traction in
removing the very real hostility that many in the scientific establishment
have for Christians. The TDIs and Dawkinses of the world are making so much
noise because they are both losing. That we are falsely attacked not by ID
(since irenic ID proponents are part of the same solution above) but by ID
ideologues may actually redound to our benefit. The secular scientists who
see us being berated by UcD will actually see greater legitimacy for us just
like those secular scientists that are berated by Dawkins are increased in
our estimation. Let me try to be as clear as possible. *It's not our
solution to the origins problem that gives us legitimacy, It's the Christian
character we show when we espouse our respective positions that does.
*
There is still the very real issue of the coarsening of the discourse on
this list. Both of us were victims of heavy-handed moderation on UcD and
this is not the solution. One suggestion that makes the most sense with what
to do with the unruly is to "send them to Coventry". For those of us on this
side of the Pond, see here: http://www.the-old-sea-dog.net/d5.html
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Received on Thu Apr 26 12:24:15 2007
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