A wise person will not rest upon his laurels or let his dogma dictate what he learns, but will instead be in earnest, untethered pursuit of knowledge until his final days. I've never stated that my mind is settled. Of course I have much to learn; I'm a teenager in my first year at college, and I'd be a fool to declare that my education is complete or to shutter my brain to new information that challenges me. What I admire so much about those in my life who do have very advanced education, exceptional credentials, and an abundance of accolades is that they crave knowledge as much as I do, they remain curious and engaged, and they are receptive. They are confident for substantial reasons, but they are not dogmatic. I believe that God created the world and all life within it, but do not have an immutable stance on the complex specifics of how, and will remain open to compelling scientific evidence. The incident I described earlier at the summer camp I attended when I was fifteen is what prompted me to join this forum seeking viewpoints that contrasted with my own to expand my horizons. I wanted to learn about a diversity of personal perspectives on Christianity in tandem with organized, robust academic learning.
How responsive are you to evidence that conflicts with your beliefs? How humble are you about continuous and expansive learning?
You've made me think of this:
You frequently boast about your educational pedigree and your supposed credentials, and yet I see you make minimal effort to actually put this advanced knowledge to use on this forum. If you are privileged with an exalted education and experience, why squander time here pontificating when you could actually be teaching us? It feels like you are wearing virtual tap shoes to dance in circles around the questions and the points presented to you, making a lot of noise and flair but not actually going anywhere. People like Loudmouth and SFS never have to brag about their education or their careers because it's evident they're knowledgeable from what they actually write on the subjects at hand. They put in consistent effort. They provide evidence and explanations to substantiate their statements. It seems like those who subscribe to YEC or OEC notions dedicate far more energy to tilting at the windmills about evolution than constructively presenting scientific evidence to give credence to their own views.
Btw - I think it's discourteous to address someone you are not on a first-name basis with as if you are.