> >> I think there will be one more set on notes. I hope to have time to
> >> begin to take on these one by one.
> >
> > I think it's helpful for us to be aware of the claims of this
> > sort that are being propagated, but am not sure that much is really
> > gained by "taking them on" in detail.
> I disagree. I think it's essential to take on these claims so that the
> people making or supporting them can never legitimately say "Scientists
> have no explanation or rebuttal for so-and-so..." While such rebuttals
> will never convince the hard-core believers, they may sway people who
> desire to keep an open mind and examine both sides of the issue.
Yes, a limited amount of time needs to be spent on that. But
devoting too much attention to these things means letting YEC & related
partisans set the agenda for science-religion discussion. It's more
important to present positively theological and scientific arguments
which are qualitatively better than that sort of thing.
George L. Murphy
gmurphy@imperium.net
http://www.imperium.net/~gmurphy