Re: Why I am not an Atheist
Edward Allen (allene@cse.fau.edu)
Mon, 08 Apr 1996 09:41:52 -0400Fred Phelps wrote:
>
> I want to be honest. When I became an old earther I did not have any
> answers for how to relate science and the Bible.
[snip]
> But another reason . . . is, in all
> honesty, keeping me alive and even flourishing in the faith. That is
> the pentacostal/charismatic/third wave movement. In addition to
> growing up in the YEC generation, I grew up in the generation which saw
> the Charismatic movement invade almost all branches of evangelicalism.
> If even one miracle (which I define for today, despite your objections
> to be "violations of the laws of nature or amazing answers to prayer")
> can be established to have happened, then athiesm,
> scientism crumbles.
[snip]
> As for what I've seen with my own eyes . . .
[snip Fred gave a recent personal example]
> Knowing the power of God in your life is a good bulwark against the doubts
> caused by western scientism. I Cor 14:1.
[snip]
My experience is quite similar to Fred's. I've been in pentecostal/charismatic
circles for over 20 years and seen plenty of amazing things. Sometimes
the timing of natural events is amazing, and sometimes the events themselves
are amazing. For my wife and I, the last 18 months have seen an increased
level and frequency of the power of God at work to change people's lives.
Ed
-----------------------------------------------------------
Edward B. Allen, Ph.D.
Research Associate
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
Office: (407)367-3916 Home: (407)487-2445
Fax: (407)367-2800 Fax: (407)477-8300
Internet: allene@cse.fau.edu