Re: [asa] YEC social dynamics

gregoryarago@yahoo.ca wrote:

> This suggestion follows from the idea of media ecologist Neil Postman
> (Amer), who, following the work of Marshall McLuhan (Cdn) and Eric Havelock (Cdn),
> claims that the United States in the most literal country (nation-state) in
> the world. That is, the USA is based on the written word (e.g. Declarations,
> Proclamations, legal documentation) more than any other country. The written
> word is a visual phenomena, whereas the spoken word is an aural phenomena.
> Thus, in America the expression 'seeing is believing,' turns into reading is
> supreme.
>
> Following this logic, it is no wonder that so many American Christians are
> believers in a literal Genesis and YEC. They confuse their theology and their
> science because they read Genesis literally instead of properly balancing
> what should be read literally and what should not be read literally.
>
> Does anyone agree this could be a factor?
>

I think probably what David said about an anti-institutional
populist sentiment may make the most sense. Much as the
constitution is held in high esteem, it can be amended.

For myself, YEC was a large additional reason why I flatly
rejected the gospel. Before I was saved, I recall that it felt "good"
to go out and hurl taunts and insults at the bible bangers (many
of whom were predictably YEC). The stigma of YEC made Christians
seem so dumb to me, that I felt only a fool would be lame enough to
be a Christian. My actions and opposition seemed that of an individual,
yet as I reflect, I sense that, even there, a kind of a group
dynamics was involved. So in a way, I also wonder if that "feeling good"
aspect was just another side of that same anti-institutional sentiment.

There are times I wonder how we ever do anything right in our lives.
YECism still deeply embarrasses me, maybe more now that I have had many
years of scientific training, and even went through a good deal of
undergraduate geology and chemistry and am now working in the
biosciences. How I ever found myself letting Christ in, seems close
to a miracle.

"Stubbornness" is another word for "steadfastness" run amok.
Ditto for lawlessness and individuality.

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Received on Tue Sep 5 16:18:49 2006