Uncle Davey wrote:
> news:3fdcf30f$1_4@corp.newsgroups.com...
>
>>Uncle Davey wrote:
>>
>>
>
>
>>>news:3FDCB02E.4080104@durham.ac.uk...
>>>
>>>
>>>>Dr. Jason Gastrich wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Hi talk.origins,
>>>>>
>>>>>I hope you are doing well, tonight.
>>>>>
>>>>>Would you care to talk about creation and evolution? I'm representing
>>>
>>>the
>>>
>>>
>>>>>free.christians newsgroup. You can see our charter and FAQ here:
>>>>>http://freechristians.org. We have been up for a couple of months and
>>>>>already have thousands of messages and numerous subscribers. As you
>>>>>cross-post, the main things we humbly ask are that you attack issues
>>>
>>>(not
>>>
>>>
>>>>>people) and avoid profanity.
>>>>>
>>>>>Lastly, I'm happy to write T.O. and seek some stimulating conversations
>>>>>because I had some with you guys a few months ago. Yes, there were a
>>>
>>>couple
>>>
>>>
>>>>>of people that weren't interested in meaningful conversations, but
>
> there
>
>>>>>were several that were very intelligent and respectful. Overall, I had
>>>
>>>a
>>>
>>>
>>>>>good time posting and felt that I was treated well. So, here I am
>>>
>>>again,
>>>
>>>
>>>>>seeking some friendly discussions regarding creation, evolution, and
>
> the
>
>>>>>scriptures.
>>>>>
>>>>>Have a good night.
>>>>>
>>>>>Sincerely,
>>>>>Jason Gastrich
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Just one question.
>>>>
>>>>If you had never been exposed to any form of religion or scripture, and
>>>>you only had the evidence to go on (geological evidence, fossil record
>>>>etc), would this evidence have compelled you to the conclusion that our
>>>>planet and the life on its surface were specially created by a
>>>>super-powerful deity in a similar way to what the bible describes?
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>I think so. The religion that most people are exposed to every day is
>>>evolutionism. I started taking an interest in creationism because the
>
> theory
>
>>>of evolution didn't square with what I saw of nature. It left too many
>>>questions unanswered. I was not brought up in a Christian family, and my
>>>mother is a former biology teacher and taught me evolution at the
>
> breakfast
>
>>>table.
>>>
>>>In the UK there are far fewer Creationists than in America, and I had no
>>>such influence, before I doubted Evolution.
>>
>>
>>
>>That's nice.
>
>
> Thank you.
>
>
>>What exactly is the source of your religious authority. What exactly
>>makes your (or ANY person's) religious opinions more (or less) valid
>>than anyone else's.
>
>
> Nothing.
Glad to hear it. Since nothing makes your religious opinions any more
valid than anyone else's, there's really no reason for anybody to pay
the slightest attention to your religious opinions, is there . . . . ?
Just deal with the arguments. If they are not good arguments, that
> shouldn't be a problem for you.
>
>
>>Why should anyone pay any more attention to my
>>religious opinions, or yours, than we pay to the religious opinions of
>>my next door neighbor or my gardener or the guy who delivered my pizza
>>last night.
>
>
> Let's pay attention to all of them, and see which one's can stand up to
> questioning.
>
Fine with me. <shrug>
How do we tell which one stands up to questioning and which one doesn't.
After all, there's no way to tell whose answers to those questions are
correct, huh.
>
>>It seems to me that no one alive would or could know any
>>more about God than anyone else alive does, since there doesn't seem
>>to be any potential source of such knowledge that isn't equally
>>available to everyone else.
>
>
> Why do you make that assumption?
>
Would you mind pointing out some source of knowledge about God that you
have, which we mere mortals don't?
>
>
>> You pray; I pray. You read the Bible; I
>>read the Bible. You go to church and listen to the pastor; I go to
>>church and listen to the pastor. So what is it, exactly, that makes
>>your religious opinion any more (or less) valid than anyone else's.
>>
>
>
> Did I say my religious opinion was more valid?
Are you saying it's NOT?
If your religious opinion is NOT any more valid than anyone else's, then
would you kind explaining to me (1) why you bother to post it, and (2)
why anyone else should pay the slightest attention to it?
I was just answering the
> question that was set.
>
> This seems to have offended you in some way.
>
Yes, it did. I am greatly offended by self-righteous, arrogant,
holier-than-thou (literally) people who claim to speak on behalf of God.
I also am greatly offended by creationsits who drive educated people
away from Christianity by making all "Christians" look silly, stupid,
uneducated, medieval, backwards, simple-minded and pig-ignorant, and who
reinforce the stereotype that many people have of "Christians" as dumb
redneck hillbillies who live in trailer parks in small southern towns
and married a close relative ina ceremony led by Preacher Billy Joe Bob.
> So what is it, exactly, about your listening to the pastor that makes you
> more touchy than my listening to the pastor?
>
It's not listening to my pastor OR your pastor that makes me touchy --
it's listening to YOU.
>
>>(I should perhaps note that I am not referring to "you" as in any
>>particular individual; I mean "anybody, anybody at all". I should
>>also perhaps point out that I am NOT, repeat NOT, N-O-T, an atheist,
>>nor am I "attacking religion" in any way shape or form.)
>>
>>I am very interested in getting answers to these questions,
>>particularly from you as our resident "True Christian <tm> (c)".
>
>
> If you are a Christian, then why the touchy reaction?
>
> What have I done to upset you?
Just that little matter of claiming to speak to us on behalf of God . .
. . .
Oh, and that whole thingie about making "Christians" look like
uneducated dolts who only ever read one Book in their entire lives.
===============================================
Lenny Flank
"There are no loose threads in the web of life"
Creation "Science" Debunked:
http://www.geocities.com/lflank
DebunkCreation Email list:
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/DebunkCreation
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