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Author Topic:   Question on arbitrary lines
Asgara
Member (Idle past 2331 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 1 of 24 (40283)
05-15-2003 4:39 PM


First I would like to introduce myself as a newbie on these forums and as the very definition of "layman" when it comes to an indepth knowledge of any of the branches of science. I also am not a creationist, especially as espoused by biblical literalists. I do believe in the "possibility" of a god since this concept can be neither proven nor disproven. That said I'll get on with my question.
In a thread entitled "Do you love your mother?" on this forum,
http://EvC Forum: Do you love your mother?
NosyNed posted this link to an article by a Christian creationist.
http://www.geocities.com/vr_junkie/thebibleandscience.htm
My question concerns what seems to me to be an arbitrary line drawn by this author between using scientific evidence to describe one portion of the biblical creation story and assuming literalism in another portion.
Could God only create stars in the beginning... With none forming later on... He is prohibited from doing that? Does He form every rain cloud? Are the individual rain drops created? Can nothing be allowed to operate on its own? Can he not set cosmological events and laws into motion and let them run their course? Where do comets come from? Was each one created? Nothing formed or broke up? Did God create that comet (with it's many trailing pieces) and send it on a journey long ago to merely crash into Jupiter recently? Why are there craters on the moon? I don't think it was God's war with Satan as Henry Morris wrote in a book in 1978!
This quote is part of the author's argument for OEC and a non-literal view of biblical accounts. He basically states a belief in the extreme old age of the universe and the big bang theory. He allows god to set things in motion and to let nature take its course according to the physical laws that he has created. In this article he seems to make it very clear that he draws, what seems to me to be, an arbitrary line at evolution in any form.
One quote from early in the article:
I think since many Christians (and non-Christians for that matter) do not understand scientific matters, and since they (rightly) do not believe in evolution, and science is what came up with this theory, all science must therefore be wrong. I think the temptation to get on a "higher" plane by dismissing all scientific theories is great. They get to save all that time and money that scientists have spent studying their profession, and end up smarter than they are... for free! All with just a simple statement like "man is wrong" - and you allegedly have God as your authority to boot! I personally have witnessed this attitude a LOT.
I can see no logical reason to draw a line where he does and would appreciate a discussion on this.
________________________________________________
Asgara
"An unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates via Plato

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by NosyNed, posted 05-15-2003 7:01 PM Asgara has not replied
 Message 3 by NosyNed, posted 05-15-2003 8:18 PM Asgara has replied

  
Asgara
Member (Idle past 2331 days)
Posts: 1783
From: Wisconsin, USA
Joined: 05-10-2003


Message 4 of 24 (40355)
05-16-2003 1:47 AM
Reply to: Message 3 by NosyNed
05-15-2003 8:18 PM


Re: Interesting
Ned, thank you for replying.
I think this author made very good points for a biblically based belief system that can incorporate scientific theory. He referenced various scripture discussing "special" and "natural" revelation, and god's supposed view on knowledge. I took this to mean "seeing what's right in front of you" and not denying what he supposedly put there as evidence.
Do you know the author's name? It doesn't seem to say on that site. I am tempted to email him and discuss what I see as an irrational line, given his viewpoint on the creation of the universe.
________________________________
Asgara
"An unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates via Plato

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by NosyNed, posted 05-15-2003 8:18 PM NosyNed has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 5 by NosyNed, posted 05-16-2003 2:04 AM Asgara has not replied

  
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