bivalve wrote:
>
> >Now when I read some of the ASA statements, there is nothing to rule
> >out YEC as something acceptable to ASA. Yet the posts I see indicate
> >a totally different story.<
>
> For me, the distinction is in the general practice of YEC versus an
> absolute statement ruling it out. The scientific evidence supports
> an old earth and extensive biological evolution. Most popular YEC
> deals with this problem through denial, false claims, and similarly
> unacceptable ways. However, if someone recognizes this, yet holds a
> YEC view in spite of this (e.g., by considering scientific evidence
> unimportant or by hoping that new discoveries will overturn the work
> of the past few centuries), they are not making false claims about
> science. For example, someone on the list a few years ago suggested
> that the universe was created a few thousand years ago, but with the
> full appearance of a 15 billion year history of natural processes in
> order to better enable us to understand natural processes. This view
> is internally consistent and compatible with all available scientific
> evidence. To me, it seems unnecessarily complex; presumably he found
> an old-earth interpretation !
> of Genesis 1 unnecessarily complex.
We might be thinking of the same person if it was on another list. The
claim that I heard, and it actually has some merit is as follows:
The universe was created, via Jesus, for man -- if we accept a simple
interpretation of the Gospel of John. That being given, there really is
no necessity for God to force all of the 15 Billion years to pass by in
order to arrive at the point of introducing mankind into the universe.
In short, He starts the clock ticking several thousands of years ago
with all the history in place. Somewhat like a programmer might do it
setting up the background for a simulation or a theatre in setting the
scenery for a play.
It seemed to me to be a theory that would hold water for even Glenn --
at least prior to Adam. I could never find any scientific or
philosophical reason to discount it. I'm certain others can!
Walt
-- =================================== Walt Hicks <wallyshoes@mindspring.com>In any consistent theory, there must exist true but not provable statements. (Godel's Theorem)
You can only find the truth with logic If you have already found the truth without it. (G.K. Chesterton) ===================================
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