Indeed, and as a paid up theistic evolutionist...
There are two reasons not many of us "show our hand".
One is the response we get from some YECS. Many of them seem to think it's impossible for us to exist. It upsets their simplistic "Evolution=Atheism=Bad" vs "Creationism=Christianity=Good" worldview, and this manifests in hostility. There are some exceptions - some folks here, Optional from OCR (RIP), and the more the merrier.
This simplistic worldview manifests itself in the interchangability of "evolutionist" and "atheist" in many YEC posters' contributions; in the assumption that evolutionists do not believe in God (some do, some don't), and the strong belief that if they convert one to Christianity, that person would also reject evolution. What they blatantly fail to see is that it is this perceived requirement to reject good science that makes a barrier - not the barrier, but a barrier - between the scientist and faith. No rational person is going to adopt a model of faith that is "believing what you know isn't true".
The second reason is that it's the YECs who really care about it. Because of the forementioned simplistic worldview, defending YEC is defending the gospel. But for those of us not tied to literalism, it's a complete non-issue. One can be a Christian regardless of one's position on evolution. The interest in evolution amongst non creationist Christians is about the same as the interest in it in the public at large - passing. Science may be a big thing to me, but it's not to most people.
I was interested to read back (aware that this thread started over a year ago) the following:
quote:
He's full in for evolution, just with God to fill in all the gaps of origins and the problems with evolution by saying 'goddidit' and that it was all 'miracles' which is what creation science (because it is science) avoids.
Wrong. Theistic evolutionists as a rule are firmly opposed to 'God of the Gaps' fallacies. There is
no part of my understanding of the origin of life or biodiversity that I relegate to "Goddidit", except in the general sense that I believe that
all of it is "Goddidit". Science's role is telling me how He did. I do, with all scientists, relegate some questions to "I don't know."
[This message has been edited by Karl, 06-03-2003]
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