That would be great if you could provide the name to verify that this letter
is not a hoax, made in an attempt to validate YECism. This is a little
reminiscent of Harold Hill and the longest day hoax letter.
Stephen J. Krogh, P.G.
The PanTerra Group
http://panterragroup.home.mindspring.com/
================================
-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu]On
Behalf Of Allen Roy
Sent: Sunday, August 19, 2001 6:34 PM
To: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: Why YEC?
I got this from a YEC email list. I thought It might spark an interesting
discussion. The person's name has be removed to protect his identity. If
you (singular) absolutely must know who this is, I'll talk to the author and
see if his is willing to be identified to you.
Allen
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, August 17, 2001 9:02 PM
Subject: Why YEC?
Hi everyone,
Several people have answered the basic question "Why did you
become
YEC?" These are interesting, and I'll add my answer.
When I was in school in the 30's and early 40's, I had never heard
of
anyone with an interest in science who actually believed early Genesis.
I
was raised in church, and believed the Bible (except for early Genesis).
But
my church was liberal and I hadn't become a born-again Christian. Since
I
had an active interest in science, I believed in evolution and ancient
Earth-age. That belief was reinforced when the Army put me in the
Manhattan
Project (first atomic bomb) and I met a number of scientists whose names
you've all heard of.
Later, while I was Chief Engineer of Isotopes Inc., several of our
top
staff were Ph.D.'s, including one who was also Professor of Geochemistry
at
Columbia University. He and a few others were Wheaton graduates, and
Christians who believed in Progressive Creation. We often had lunch
together, and the subject of origins was one of our favorite "arguing
points." By that time I had become a born again Christian, and studied
the
Bible. But I still never heard of any scientist who accepted the YEC
viewpoint, so I didn't either.
But I asked many questions, about radioactivity, dating methods,
etc.
This Professor was generally recognized as one of the world's experts on
geochronology, gave testimony before Congress on that subject, and was
also a
true gentleman who tried to answer my queries honestly. He and another
Ph.D.
believed fervently in OEC and progressive creation over extreme times.
My
questions kept getting back to "Well how do you really know?" on
various
aspects of the foundations of radio-dating. Our lunchtime group wasn't
just
a bunch of dummies -- we were all quite knowledgeable about dating
procedures
etc -- that was one of our company's products. But I kept feeling
subtle
doubts about the foundational accuracy of radio-dating. (BTW, this was
in
the years around 1960.)
I kept studying technical journals and books, and finally became
convinced that circular logic and faith in prior beliefs played a strong
part
in radio-dating -- in other words, it wasn't a "scientific fact,
provable by
scientific methods." There was too much unprovable belief involved. By
this
time I was a dedicated Christian, who kept being bothered by this
dichotomy
of my own beliefs. I became open to a YEC attitude, but still had never
known there was such a thing as a "scientific creationist" who believed
in
YEC. When I finally met one, and he gave me one of the early copies of
a
Bible-Science Newsletter, I found there was actually such a thing as a
scientist who really believed in early Genesis. I subscribed, and
quickly
became an active scientific creationist -- (that was the common term in
those
days, and I still don't like that term).
When someone asks me why I'm YEC now, one facet of my answer
always
includes the closer relationship to God the Creator, and the comfort
that
gives. No, you don't have to believe in YEC to be a Christian, but it
certainly does help one's relationship with God.
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