I fail to understand the behavior of creationists. On the one hand, they seem genuinely worried about the supposed moral consequences of teaching evolution. They sincerely think that denying divine creation is depraved and will lead to human suffering. They think their purpose is moral. And yet many of their public spokesmen lie, shamelessly, again and again. Even if we omit all the cases that we can attribute to delusion or error, we are left with many cases like this one, in which a creationist leader says X to one audience and not-X to another. How can he do that? Is he a pure cynic who does not actually believe in creationism? Is he a believer who thinks it is acceptable to lie to unbelievers in defense of the faith? What is going on?
Just completed leading a 4 week series that focused on the Christian / Hebrew Creation stories in Genesis 1-2:3, 2:4-3, John 1, and several Psalms. Also brought in quotes and insights from Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions as well as some stories written about the Big Bang and other scientific explanations. It was a great class.
As one who takes the Bible very seriously - I am both puzzled and saddened by folks like Abrams. Why thy insist on liking their theological and scientific worldview into literal reading of a 1st or 2nd century writer's worldview really puzzles me. It's so simple - and liberating - to view the stories AS story - with a point to make - but not insist we ignore what both scientist and philosophers and theologians have discovered and developed since the texts were written.
I tried very hard to be "fair" to the views of folks like Abrams in my presentation - address why my approach to the scriptures makes folks like him so nervous - but the mental gymnatics and selective blindness you have to engage in to make the stories fit is mindnumbing.
And as Pat points out - it's all to revealing how they will lie and double-talk to mask their true positions.
Has somebody got a tape of that speech, Pat? Get one -- it will be useful at trial later. And having the tape will prevent the courts' going after the newspaper and its reporters.
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