In fact there are stories of many scientists who have studied creation and come to Christ through it. I wouldnt be so quick to state that no such person exists. That is a generalisation that you cannot ever backup and is most likely to be untrue. All you need is one person who came to Christ through them scientifically studying life and you would be wrong. Obviously if someone studied life and found the theory of evolution didnt add up, they would have to look at other theories, which many do. If the Holy Spirit leads them to looking at the creation theory then they may be brought to the Bible.pthalomarie said:
QUOTE=pthalomarie] For the most part, creationist "experts" are neither scientists nor biologists. In my experience, if creationists have any schooling, it's in fields like engineering, mathematics, or computer science. [/QUOTE]You say for the most part because there are in fact many Christian biologists and scientists who do believe in creation. How about the creationists who have their schooling in Biblical studies or history or linguistics? I would think that would be a better field to be in.
QUOTE=pthalomarie] Out of curiosity, do you apply the same degree if scrutiny to doctors? Few experts are more notorious for "taking credit" for their expertise, yet I'm willing to bet that when your doctor tells you that you have an infection and you need a perscription, you don't hesitate to take those pills and schedule a follow up exam.
But based on your theory above, you should not ever listen to any expert who does not immediately credit God for their abilities or as the source of their knowledge. Which would mean that you'd have to refuse the services of just about anyone and everyone, be they your dry cleaner, your car mechanic, your dentist or doctor, or your boss.
In short, your suggestion for everyday living is impossible. [/QUOTE]This is a statement without any weight at all. Why would I question the doctor over his religious beliefs? His medical advice doesnt in any way challenge my beliefs in how the Bible is to be read. If my doctor started to advise me to do something such as take up yoga, then I would be questioning him and in fact advising him that it is something a Christian should not be taking part in as it is another religion and cannot be separated from that other religion.
A scientist however is challenging the Bible and creation so it is something a Christian MUST ask serious questions about and not just accept blindly. Also, my dry cleaners method of cleaning my clothes to my knowledge doesnt affect my beliefs at all, nor does the car mechanic..other than the possibility of leading me to believe even more that car mechanics are generally not honest haha (joke) and I am to respect my boss because the Bible is clear on doing things as unto God ad not man and serving our master. If my boss asked me to do something that was illegal such as steal money then I would decline because it goes against my beliefs as a Christian.
QUOTE=pthalomarie] If you have to ask this question, then you don't understand how science works. Science is not about relying on faith or assumptions. It's about evidence. In order to verify a hypothesis, a scientist must be willing to consider the possibility that the result they expect will not be the result they get. [/QUOTE]I understand your point but it does in fact take as much faith for a Christian to believe in evolution as it does to believe in creation. They both have their arguments and people will always follow some belief in something. By believing in Evolution, you are believing what man has told you just as much as a creationist believes what a Christian pastor or teacher teaches them .although I would be checking out what we are taught as we, as ambassadors for Christ have that resource available to be able to research the Scriptures whereas most do not have the resources to check out the scientific evidence and we all know the media is bias .who knows how bias some scientists may be?
QUOTE=pthalomarie] What if creationism is satan's tool? After all, plenty of people have been led away from God because they've been told that believing creationism is a requirement for accepting Christ. [/QUOTE]And plenty have probably been led away from Christ because of evolution as well. I am not responsible for the people who add things to salvation in any denomination.
QUOTE=pthalomarie] What you need to understand is that the concept of literalism is fairly new. For many generations, Jews and Christians read Genesis allegorically. They did not assume that the text was meant literally, for theirs was an eastern culture. And eastern cultures traditionally do not focus on linear thought the way european cultures do. So all of our grappling over each and every line of scripture and its connection to the other passages misses the point. The original scribes did not write it that way. That's why scripture includes two creation stories; they did not look at it as though only one must be true. They looked at it as though both were equally spiritual, and therefore both deserved inclusion.
You see, creationism is by and large an American anxiety. There's a significant creationist population in Australia, too, but our country is the really only one that wrestles with it so. Christians in other nations tend not treat evolution as a threat to their faith. And, more importantly, it's worth your while to consider the fact that it's almost impossible to find a Jewish creationist. This should tell you a lot about how Genesis is supposed to be read; if the Jews don't insist upon literalism, where does our insistence upon it come from? [/QUOTE]I dont believe it being nearly impossible to find a Jewish creationist is a valid argument. There are many Jews who do believe in creation but I wont use that as an argument here. God doesnt say, oh, it appears most people are believing in evolution now, so I better change Genesis to fit. This debate is over evolution V creationism and hopefully between Christians.
QUOTE=pthalomarie] The answer is that it came from us. Man invented creationism. For centuries, Christians believed in creationism only because there was no better theory (that, and the cultural confusion over scriptural intent that occurred when Christianity took over Europe). And, in fact, in many Christian nations, Darwin's theory did not cause much of a theological backlash. But in America, it did. That's because American Protestants have a long history of rejecting that which is new, whatever it may be.
Anyhow, about a hundred years ago or so, Christians in America began to insist on creationism as a requirement for belief. And they began to invent proofs for it.[/QUOTE]And man creating creationism is your argument? You know man created Evolution theory .Darwin it is good to reject what is new I believe, if that which is new is going to contradict that which is truth. I dont believe any Christian should just accept new theories or new interpretations of the Bible without first asking where it came from and researching the Biblical implications of it. Christians in America DIDNT invent proofs for creationism, more like scientists invented proofs for evolution.
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