[asa] Tom Willis, ex IBMer, speaks

I found the following in the internet today, authored by an ex-IBMer, Tom
WIllis.

Note in particular how he characterizes most ASA members (the large bold
type face is mine).

"I'm a Christian Too"
The Greatest "Proof" of Evolution
by Tom Willis
A few years ago while in the opening minutes of my address to the Mensa*
Convention, I was interrupted by a fellow who came to the front of the
room, stood before the audience of several hundred and announced
(paraphrase) "I'm a Christian too, but I believe in evolution, so you can
be a Christian and believe in evolution. You don't have to believe what
he is saying to be a Christian." Satisfied he had accomplished his
important mission, he then sat down.
I have the typical "absent-minded professor" memory, but I typically
remember what I say in this type of encounter. However, in this case, I
always draw a blank. I probably said something like, "You can sit in a
garage and call yourself a car, but that doesn't make either what you
call yourself or what you believe about cars true."
At the first public hearing on the Kansas Science Standards, a key member
of the State Committee who had drafted the proposed science standards,
privately, but in the hearing of others, informed a School Board member
that he was offended by the testimony against evolution, because "I'm a
Christian too."
An engineering professor informed the State School Board members that she
was "an Evangelical Christian" who accepted evolution.
I've heard this assertion so often, I call it the "I'm a Christian Too
Proof" of evolution. Let's examine it briefly:
The fact that someone claims to be a Christian does not prove his/her
ideas are sound. In short, even if a Christian does believe in evolution,
that is not an argument for the truth of evolution. It proves only that
the person claims to be a Christian, and claims to believe in evolution.
Evolution must stand or fall in science on the basis of evidence. Their
Christianity must stand or fall on the basis of the criteria Jesus
established. The claim is irrelevant.
Nor does such a claim tell you anything about the true compatibility of
Christianity and evolution. First, the claim that the person is, in fact,
a Christian must be weighed. You can sit in a garage all day and claim
you are a car, but regardless of how fervently you claim it, your status
as a non-car will not change. Furthermore, only Jesus can define what a
Christian is and he said, "Ye must be born again." Only those who are
born again by the Spirit of God are Christians in any meaningful sense.
There are many other evidences that not all who claim to be Christians
are. Jesus said that: "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? - MAT 7:16 Wherefore by their
fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord,
shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord,
have we not prophesied in thy name? ... and in thy name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me ... - Matt 7:20-23 He also said: "By this shall ye know
them, that they love one another." But the most extensive passage is in
the prayer of Jesus for unity among believers. Central to this prayer is
the passage: "Holy Father ... Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word
is truth." Jesus makes it clear that his prayer applies to all followers
through all time, and that Jesus wants all his followers to be sanctified
(set apart) by God's Word. But, virtually no "Christian evolutionist"
defends his position from God's word, simply because it cannot be done.
Therefore, you can be certain that anyone claiming to be a Christian
evolutionist is either immature in his walk, or a liar.
Mutations are clearly consistent with the "curse" the Bible says God
placed on the entire creation. Paul calls it "the bondage to decay,"
which he says applies to the entire universe. Regarding adaptation, even
man routinely builds automatic adaptation devices like the thermostat in
your house and the Electronic Fuel Injection in your car. Thus, God who
says His ways are much higher than ours can design automatic adaptation
devices. Thus, mutations and adaptation are not only acceptable to
Christianity, but are predicted by it. However, nowhere in God's Word can
you find a hint of what some call Macro Evolution. There isn't one
"Christian" evolutionist that can defend his stance for evolution on the
basis of God's Word. They all do so on the basis of what they claim is
science. It is my position that a "Christian" who believes in
"progressive creation" or "macro evolution" does so in spite of the
evidence of the Bible, and the evidence of science.
An even more powerful passage is Revelation 17 in which the behavior,
nature and destruction of the "harlot, Mystery Babylon" are discussed in
detail. There are some differences of opinion about who this refers to,
but nearly every commentator agrees that it refers to the false church
and that this group will attack (throughout modern history) the true
church. A more accurate description of "Christian evolutionists" is hard
to find. They love to call Christians names like "fundamentalists,"
"extreme Biblical literalists," etc. And, wherever evolutionists have
taken over "evolutionist Christians" have joined Hitler, Stalin, etc., in
killing Christians. "Drunk with the blood of the saints," and rich from
compromising ("fornicating") with governments, exactly as the Bible
describes "Mystery Babylon." Finally, it clearly states that Christ's
real enemies cooperate with this false church, but truly hate it, and
eventually destroy it. I have ministered to atheist evolutionists for
years. They are quite comfortable inviting a "Christian Theologian" to
debate against creation, but they go to coffee with me. It is clear they
fear me, but they respect me, and despise my opponent, because they know
he is a traitor to his professed belief. This is clearly prophesied in
Revelation 17 to anyone who has eyes to see.
Conclusion:
People who announce "I'm a Christian too" in Creation/Evolution
discussions may be telling you something about their religion, but are
telling you nothing about Christianity or the issue of whether evolution
is good science.

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Received on Tue Jul 31 15:47:39 2007