Re: [asa] YEC--What can we offer them?

I am not comfortable with the practice of labeling YECs as people who take
the Bible literally. No one takes the entire Bible literally. It is full
of statements that everyone agrees were meant to be taken figuratively.
The disciples and Nicodemus and the crowds puzzled over much that Jesus
said that did not make sense if taken literally. The poetic passages
abound in such statements. Furthermore, when the YECs' theories encounter
problems with passages that others would take literally, they come up with
nonliteral interpretations. If the word literal can be redefined to
include YEC interpretations, couldn't it also include non-YEC
interpretations?

Another problem with pinning the literalist label on the YECs is that to
some people this may sound like conceding them the high ground.

Gordon Brown

On Fri, 29 Jun 2007, Christine Smith wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> All the critiquing of the YEC folks got me
> thinking...while our criticisms are very important to
> maintain the integrity of the science and the faith,
> what positive alternatives/perspectives can we offer
> them? More specifically, one of the questions I think
> they often ask, and I think is a geniunely valid one,
> is, if you don't take the Bible literally, HOW in
> general (thinking mental framework, not specific
> passages) do we discern what is to be taken literally
> and what isn't? Particularly from the vantage point of
> a lay person who isn't a scientist or a Biblical
> historian?
>
> I know we all have our viewpoints on this, which have
> been expressed in variety of different places, but
> thinking of those readers who happen upon our website
> and maybe aren't familiar with us or our perspectives,
> it might be nice to consolidate such views, resources,
> etc. into a single thread?
>
> Have at it! :D
>
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Received on Fri Jun 29 22:33:20 2007