| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"" |
| Date: |
07 Aug 2005 05:48:34 AM |
| Object: |
Creation vs. Evolution “A Battle to the Death” |
http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=127
Lee Duigon
August 4, 2005
(EXCLUSIVE TO CHALCEDON)
What happens when a creationist tries to state his case at a
national convention of teachers?
Dr. Jobe Martin had that experience at the last National Education
Association (NEA) convention, presenting his book, The Evolution of a
Creationist, to the nation's biggest teachers' union.
"They came up to our table and cursed us, gave us the finger, took
our books and videos and threw them in the trash. They were as abusive as
they could be," Dr. Martin said. "But as it says in 1 Peter 4:14, 'If ye be
reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory
and of God resteth upon you.' We got plenty of that spirit at that
convention."
Dr. Martin and his wife, Jenna Dee, have been touring the country
promoting his book and its message of "young earth creationism" - the
position that the account of the Creation given in Genesis is literally
true and accurate.
He describes it as "a battle to the death" in the culture war.
High Stakes
Why is the battle so intense?
"The bottom line is this," Martin said. "If evolution is not true,
then there has to be a God."
To advance the cause of Christ, he said, young earth creationists
endure mockery, disrepute, and demonization. The scientific establishment,
the education establishment, and the mainstream media portray them as
ignorant, close-minded, ridiculous, and crazy. Although polls show that the
great majority of Americans profess to be Christians, only a minority of
Christians believe God created the universe in six 24-hour days some 6,000
years ago.
"None of that matters," Dr. Martin said. "Our position helps to
validate the authority of Scripture. If we don't believe in the first few
chapters of Genesis, how can we insist on the truth of the New Testament?
"We stand for submission to the literal, historical truth of the
whole Bible. In Genesis, God is telling us what He did and the order in
which He did it.
"Sure, there is some poetic language in Genesis. But most of it is
straight Hebrew narrative, and the text makes the distinction clear."
Young earth creationism, along with the Intelligent Design
movement, has inspired countless lawsuits by evolutionists trying to keep
these ideas out of the public square - especially to keep them out of the
schools.
"The controversy is about a worldview," Dr. Martin said. "Our
culture stands against the Word of God. It's an anti-Christian culture,
which puts man, not God, at the center of things.
"But if those first chapters of Genesis are true, then their
worldview can't be true. That's why they're fighting to the death over
this.
"We defend what the Bible teaches, whether the culture goes that
way or not, whether the church itself goes that way.
"The stakes are high for us too. If Jesus Christ is not our
creator, if He didn't do it like He says He did, then He has no authority
or right to be our redeemer."
The Evolution of a Creationist
Dr. Martin's book, The Evolution of a Creationist, is available
from Biblical Discipleship Publishers, Rockwell, TX
(www.biblicaldiscipleship.org; 972-771-0568). In great detail, and in an
easy, readable style, it exposes the theory of evolution as a combination
of untestable assumptions, logical fallacies, special pleading, wishful
thinking, and outright fraud. At the same time, it clearly states the
Biblical basis for young earth creationism.
But Martin wasn't always a creationist.
"Like most Americans, I was educated to believe in evolution," he
said. He majored in biology at Bucknell University, earned his doctorate in
dentistry from the University of Pittsburgh Dental School, and worked for
NASA during the era of the lunar landings. In 1971, he joined the faculty
at Baylor Dental School.
"One of my first lectures was on the evolution of the tooth - how
fish scales migrated to the fish's mouth and became teeth," he recalled. "I
can't believe I believed that!"
Challenged by some of his students who were creationists, Dr.
Martin began a five-year process of rethinking his position.
"It took me a long time to change my mind," he said. "First I
examined the assumptions of evolutionary thinking and learned they weren't
valid. Then I studied the irreducible complexity of highly specialized
animals - like the bombardier beetle, which has an intricate mechanism for
defending itself with toxic, blistering chemicals - that couldn't possibly
have 'evolved' in stages. Finally, I examined the Bible and concluded that
God meant just what He said."
His journey took him to Dallas Theological Seminary, where he
earned a master's degree in Systematic Theology in 1986. He is now the
president of Biblical Discipleship Ministries, Inc.
Christians Doubtful of Creationism
"Most people, Christians included, come to Genesis with a set of
preconceived ideas that they think of as 'science,'" Dr. Martin said. "They
adjust Scripture to fit what 'science' says, when it ought to be the other
way around."
They pick up a belief in evolution from the culture, he said, and
America's churches have not been immune from cultural contamination either.
"The church is getting wiped out in this debate," he said, "trying
to fight this battle without relying on the Word of God. They've gone very
soft on Biblical doctrine. They want to be entertainment-oriented and avoid
offending people.
"Meanwhile, the Bible hasn't changed. Science changes constantly.
Almost everything I learned in college has been proved to be untrue. But
that's science. Today's science is tomorrow's baloney."
Indoctrination by the culture holds Christians back from accepting
the literal truth of Genesis, he said - even though the same Christians
overwhelmingly profess belief in "scientific impossibilities" in the New
Testament, including Jesus' virgin birth, Resurrection, and miracles.
"I suppose there are other things that hold people back," Dr.
Martin said. "Fear of what others will think of them, fear of being
ridiculed, fear of being penalized in their careers - it does take some
courage to make the change."
"We Will Prevail"
Is it impious to seek to know the exact age of the earth, the
mechanics of extinction, or the processes by which the earth and living
things have assumed their present forms?
"Not at all," Dr. Martin said. "Romans 1 urges us to study God's
creation so as to give Him the glory and the thanks for it. He wants us to
study it; and what we learn should drive us into the Word. We should say,
'Look what God has done! I want to know Him better!'
"So there's nothing wrong with studying science and trying to
understand God's creation. We just shouldn't try to make Scripture conform
to 'science.' If the Scripture is clear, and our scientific findings seem
to contradict it, then we know there's something wrong with our findings."
Despite lawsuits, intimidation, censorship by the media, angry
public confrontations, and non-supportive churches, creationists will
continue to preach their message, Martin said.
"I am totally confident that the young earth view, the Biblical
view, will prevail," he said. "Can anybody doubt it's what Jesus Himself,
or Paul, would teach, if they were here today?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lee Duigon is a Christian free-lance writer and contributing editor
for the Chalcedon Report. He has been a newspaper editor and reporter and a
published novelist.
***************************************************************
You are invited to check out the following:
The Rise of the Theocratic States of America
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/theocracy.htm
The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
[and to join the discussion group for the above site and/or Separation of
Church and State in general, listed below]
HRSepCnS · Hampton Roads SepChurch&State
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HRSepCnS/
[Its not just Hampton Roads folks who are members]
For people in Hampton Roads you are also invited to join
NORFOLK/VA. B. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE MEETUP GROUP
http://churchandstate.meetup.com/47/
Virginia Chapter Americans United for Separation of Church and State
http://au-va.org/
***************************************************************
.. . . You can't understand a phrase such as "Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion" by syllogistic reasoning. Words
take their meaning from social as well as textual contexts, which is why "a
page of history is worth a volume of logic." New York Trust Co. v. Eisner,
256 U.S. 345, 349, 41 S.Ct. 506, 507, 65 L.Ed. 963 (1921) (Holmes, J.).
Sherman v. Community Consol. Dist. 21, 980 F.2d 437, 445 (7th Cir. 1992)
.. . .
****************************************************************
THE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLE:
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE
http://members.tripod.com/~candst/index.html
"Dedicated to combatting 'history by sound bite'."
Now including a re-publication of Tom Peters
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE HOME PAGE
and
Audio links to Supreme Court oral arguments and
Speech by civil rights/constitutional lawyer and others.
This site is a member of the following web rings:
Freethought Ring--&--Freethought, Religion & Beliefs Ring
The First Amendment Ring--&--The Church-State Ring
American History WebRing--&--The History Ring
Let Freedom Ring--&--Religious Freedom Ring
Law Issues Ring--&--Legal Research Ring
****************************************************************
.
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| User: "Clyde Frog" |
|
| Title: Re: Creation vs. Evolution =?windows-1252?Q?=93A_Battle_to_?==?windows-1252?Q?the_Death=94?= |
07 Oct 2005 04:02:08 PM |
|
|
wrote..., On 08/07/2005 03:48:
http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=127
Lee Duigon
August 4, 2005
(EXCLUSIVE TO CHALCEDON)
What happens when a creationist tries to state his case at a
national convention of teachers?
Dr. Jobe Martin had that experience at the last National Education
Association (NEA) convention, presenting his book, The Evolution of a
Creationist, to the nation's biggest teachers' union.
"They came up to our table and cursed us, gave us the finger, took
our books and videos and threw them in the trash. They were as abusive as
they could be," Dr. Martin said. "But as it says in 1 Peter 4:14, 'If ye be
reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory
and of God resteth upon you.' We got plenty of that spirit at that
convention."
Dr. Martin and his wife, Jenna Dee, have been touring the country
promoting his book and its message of "young earth creationism" - the
position that the account of the Creation given in Genesis is literally
true and accurate.
The teachers could have been more polite, an intellectual trashing of
his idea would have been more appropriate than literally trashing
his book. And I've been arguing Creationism in another thread and am
having a good time tearing the idea to pieces, teachers of all people
should have sufficient intelligence to discredit it in a rational
debate. But I'm wondering how this particular Creationist invokes the
New Testament passage above to apply to his cause, as Genesis
Creationionism has absolutely nothing to do with the teachings of
Jebus. Like homosexuality, I'm pretty sure Jebus never expressed his
personal opinion on whether the Genesis story was true.
.
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
|
| Title: Re: Creation vs. Evolution =?iso-8859-13?b?tEE=?= Battle to the =?iso-8859-13?q?Death=A1?= |
07 Oct 2005 05:13:16 PM |
|
|
In <knB1f.1379$B14.916@newssvr11.news.prodigy.com>, Clyde Frog
<clyde@frog.net> wrote:
buckeyeelo@nospam.net wrote..., On 08/07/2005 03:48:
http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=127
Lee Duigon
August 4, 2005
(EXCLUSIVE TO CHALCEDON)
What happens when a creationist tries to state his case at a
national convention of teachers?
Dr. Jobe Martin had that experience at the last National
Education
Association (NEA) convention, presenting his book, The Evolution of a
Creationist, to the nation's biggest teachers' union.
"They came up to our table and cursed us, gave us the finger,
took
our books and videos and threw them in the trash. They were as abusive
as they could be," Dr. Martin said. "But as it says in 1 Peter 4:14, 'If
ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of
glory and of God resteth upon you.' We got plenty of that spirit at that
convention."
Dr. Martin and his wife, Jenna Dee, have been touring the
country
promoting his book and its message of "young earth creationism" - the
position that the account of the Creation given in Genesis is literally
true and accurate.
The teachers could have been more polite, an intellectual trashing of his
idea would have been more appropriate than literally trashing his book.
<snip>
You forget that the story is being told by some rabid, martyr complex
creationist. Considering the inability of creationists to handle the truth
with any integrity, what reason is there to believe any such thing
happened?
How much you want to bet they were more or less ignored? But a story of
"nobody paid any attention to us" doesn't help the collection plate...
--
Mark K. Bilbo
--------------------------------------------------
"We're angry, Mr. President, and we'll be angry long
after our beloved city and surrounding parishes have
been pumped dry. Our people deserved rescuing.
Many who could have been were not. That's to the
government's shame."
http://makeashorterlink.com/?F2D511CBB
.
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| User: "Curly Surmudgeon" |
|
| Title: Re: Creation vs. Evolution =?iso-8859-13?b?tEE=?= Battle to the =?iso-8859-13?q?Death=A1?= |
08 Oct 2005 02:41:20 AM |
|
|
On Fri, 07 Oct 2005 17:13:16 -0500, Mark K. Bilbo wrote:
In <knB1f.1379$B14.916@newssvr11.news.prodigy.com>, Clyde Frog
<clyde@frog.net> wrote:
buckeyeelo@nospam.net wrote..., On 08/07/2005 03:48:
http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=127
Lee Duigon
August 4, 2005
(EXCLUSIVE TO CHALCEDON)
What happens when a creationist tries to state his case at a
national convention of teachers?
Dr. Jobe Martin had that experience at the last National
Education
Association (NEA) convention, presenting his book, The Evolution of a
Creationist, to the nation's biggest teachers' union.
"They came up to our table and cursed us, gave us the finger,
took
our books and videos and threw them in the trash. They were as abusive
as they could be," Dr. Martin said. "But as it says in 1 Peter 4:14, 'If
ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of
glory and of God resteth upon you.' We got plenty of that spirit at that
convention."
Dr. Martin and his wife, Jenna Dee, have been touring the
country
promoting his book and its message of "young earth creationism" - the
position that the account of the Creation given in Genesis is literally
true and accurate.
The teachers could have been more polite, an intellectual trashing of his
idea would have been more appropriate than literally trashing his book.
<snip>
You forget that the story is being told by some rabid, martyr complex
creationist. Considering the inability of creationists to handle the truth
with any integrity, what reason is there to believe any such thing
happened?
How much you want to bet they were more or less ignored? But a story of
"nobody paid any attention to us" doesn't help the collection plate...
That sounds much more probable. At best Martin would have gotten derision.
-- Regards, Curly
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't pray in my school and I won't think in your church
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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| User: "Cary Kittrell" |
|
| Title: Re: Creation vs. Evolution =?windows-1252?Q?=93A_Battle_to_?= =?windows-1252?Q?the_Death=94?= |
07 Oct 2005 03:54:13 PM |
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|
In article <knB1f.1379$B14.916@newssvr11.news.prodigy.com> Clyde Frog <clyde@frog.net> writes:
buckeyeelo@nospam.net wrote..., On 08/07/2005 03:48:
http://www.chalcedon.edu/articles/article.php?ArticleID=127
Lee Duigon
August 4, 2005
(EXCLUSIVE TO CHALCEDON)
What happens when a creationist tries to state his case at a
national convention of teachers?
Dr. Jobe Martin had that experience at the last National Education
Association (NEA) convention, presenting his book, The Evolution of a
Creationist, to the nation's biggest teachers' union.
"They came up to our table and cursed us, gave us the finger, took
our books and videos and threw them in the trash. They were as abusive as
they could be," Dr. Martin said. "But as it says in 1 Peter 4:14, 'If ye be
reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory
and of God resteth upon you.' We got plenty of that spirit at that
convention."
Dr. Martin and his wife, Jenna Dee, have been touring the country
promoting his book and its message of "young earth creationism" - the
position that the account of the Creation given in Genesis is literally
true and accurate.
The teachers could have been more polite, an intellectual trashing of
his idea would have been more appropriate than literally trashing
his book. And I've been arguing Creationism in another thread and am
having a good time tearing the idea to pieces, teachers of all people
should have sufficient intelligence to discredit it in a rational
debate. But I'm wondering how this particular Creationist invokes the
New Testament passage above to apply to his cause, as Genesis
Creationionism has absolutely nothing to do with the teachings of
Jebus. Like homosexuality, I'm pretty sure Jebus never expressed his
personal opinion on whether the Genesis story was true.
I'd also wonder to what extent Dr. Martin's story has ... improved with
age, as all good stories do.
-- cary
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