From: Dawsonzhu@aol.com
Date: Mon Aug 19 2002 - 08:37:00 EDT
One of the things I really regret is that I didn't stumble on ASA
until long after I had graduated from the university and was
doing my postdoc work. It would have allowed me to see
that there are a wide diversity of views within the Christian faith
and that I was not simply some strange twisted creature who
neither fit the YEC slot nor the atheist slot.
I came to the faith when I was in the university. Before that
time, even as a music major, I could not agree with a YEC view.
I simply avoided Christians and Christianity and mostly criticized
them. However, I am a searcher and a thinker, and that drew me
into a lot of philosophy courses. Most of the professors were
probably atheists or extreme agnostics. As a result I was
essentially pushed to make a decision, and somehow I just
found I could not agree with the no-God camp. As I reflected
on how whole societies can become so warped in their thinking,
I somehow realized that the message of the gospel held what
I sought. It is only by faith and faith alone that we can walk the road
of righteousness in the face of a society that has become utterly
perverse.
Nevertheless, although I went to church, I spent my years in college
mostly alone and isolated for the most part in regard to fellowship.
The only Christians I knew in the chemistry and physics departments
where the YEC slant and even they were scant few. Once again, to be
part of fellowship, I was pushed to chose, and again I could not accept
the YEC view. I think it is important to discuss the scripture and how
to interpret parts of it. Trying to understand these things on ones own
is difficult and rife with potential pitfalls. I don't think one always has
to
agree with other people (even experts), but at least by hearing different
points of view, one can realize there are different views out there.
After reading many of the biographies of people on the ASA list, I
realized that probably the majority of the members have found their
way to ASA long after the university. I stumbled on ASA indirectly
through a rather radical skeptic list.
So, for the lost souls wandering the great halls of learning who are
still searching for an alternative to the answer-given fundamentalist
extremes (on both sides), I wonder if there are some ways that they
might stumble on ASA a little earlier. Any suggestions?
by Grace alone we proceed,
Wayne
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