Re: [asa] What is the Christian reaction to Ray Comfort's use of "The Originof Species"

I have to agree with John Walley when he says that silence in this case
makes us complicit in spreading misinformation, though I'm more worried
about letting anti-creationists believe Comfort represents a responsible
Christian view on the /Origin/. As I type, the evolutionary biologists
on this campus are putting together a response based on the new NCSE web
page at http://www.dontdissdarwin.com/. I would have liked to send them
a link to a response from ASA, but found none.

Ted, please do consider making some statement of principle from the ASA
that we might point to as we witness to the possibility of being both
good scientists and good Christians. When /Expelled/ comes up, I can
point people to your helpful page of resources. I'd love to be able to
do something similar with this version of /Origins/. The ability of NCSE
to throw up a website 1). in a timely fashion that 2). looks respectable
& professional by modern web design standards and 3). provides their
people with useful resources with which to further their mission is
something to be admired -- and imitated!

All: are there posted responses to this that you have found particularly
insightful or helpful, particularly with regard to theological questions
that NCSE doesn't address?

Grace & Peace,

Andrew Wetzel
http://hi.im/CircleReader

On 11/16/2009 8:06 AM, Ted Davis wrote:
>>>> "Dehler, Bernie"<bernie.dehler@intel.com> 11/15/2009 6:05 PM>>> writes:
>>>>
> Christian evangelist Ray Comfort is going to publish a version of "The Origin of Species" with an introduction against evolution. I wonder how the intellectuals in the Christian community will respond... with rebuke, silence, or acceptance? The intellectuals in the secular community apparently will have a unified rebuke in store for them.
>
> ***
>
> Ted comments:
>
> Well, Bernie, I imagine that various Christians will respond differently to this, just as various secular people will respond differently to views on (say) sociobiology and human nature or whether insurance policies should automatically pay for mammograms for all women over 40 (in America, this is common, but in Europe it is not regarded as medically warranted).
>
> Since you are asking this question on the ASA list, Bernie, let me point out that the ASA has a very long tradition of expressing critical opinions about opinions concerning science that are held by Christians. Had you been a member longer than a year or two, you would know that. For example, Bernie, it was two very negative reviews in the ASA journal, shortly after the publication of "The Genesis Flood" by Morris and Whitcomb, that led Morris and several of his friends to exit the ASA and form the CRS in the early 1960s. ASA members have likewise been appropriately critical of many other ideas that don't hold up to scientific examination.
>
> As for Mr. Comfort's plans, it would be premature for me to express any opinion about a book I haven't seen.
>
> Ted
>
>
>
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Received on Mon Nov 16 17:52:53 2009