How do you justify the time you spend at EvC?

My social life is overwhelming at times, living in a community where everyone knows everyone, no one knocks on doors, and my front door hasn't been locked in ten years.But #3 applies, because no one in our village is as knowledgeable about science as the people here except Stephen Fretwell, and we don't want to encourage the kind of religious debate he's been in in the past.So for me, it's often a way to test ideas I have in hostile waters. Other times, it's a way to try to help someone if I can in some small way.In fact, three of the people who live here at our village met us through this forum in particular!

I live in a Christian community with about 220 other people. 80-90% of the adults in the community used to be anti-evolutionist, I'd guess. We put a lot of stock in honesty, though, so when I suggested that the evidence for evolution had backed me into a corner, we discussed it on and off for a couple years. We probably have several holdouts even now, five years later, but for the most part, we've had a great time embracing evolution and seeing how God evolves everything, especially his people.The person who came to our village off this board was already religious and Christian. A couple came with him. So we really only met one of the three on this board, but this board was the contact for the three of them.We're not your typical religious community. Our web site is at Error 404 (Not Found)!!1, and we only recruit those who are so drawn that they can't stay away.On the topic of why be on EVC:Tonight my wife and the couple who live with us are at a meeting to plan for our Harvestfest in September. It's our major festival of the year, and it's public, so we start working on it months in advance. I have six children, and the other couple has five. Three of the teenagers are off running intervals to prepare for a 5K in October (I'm the coach ). A couple are doing homework, and the rest are playing in the living room or their room, since it's getting dark here. It's a pretty relaxing atmosphere, compared to nights when lots of things are going on, and it seemed good to get online and have a pleasant conversation.In a sense, I like talking about us. I think we're unusual, so it doesn't seem wrong to like talking about us. But I also like to talk about us, because I want people to know that Christians can be honest and love what's true, not just what we wish were true. If Jesus is really the Truth, like we say, then we ought to be able to face facts, shouldn't we?We're putting that to the test, and we think the results are outstanding. So there is one sort of recruiting I want to do, which is to recruit other Christians to get past fear and love honesty so they can experience the same success and joy we're having. Also, so they quit offering evidence, by their behavior and speech, that the faith of Christ is just another useless--or worse, dangerous--superstition.

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