On Tue, 2 Jan 1996 10:31:20 -0500 you wrote:
SJ>This is typical of evolutionary "pop theology", what Johnson calls
>the "God wouldn't have done it this way" argument. I am amazed at
>the confidence, that atheists/agnostics assert about what God would
>or would not do. Their self-assurance in the things of God is truly
>breath-taking, doubly so because they believe that God does not
>exist or cannot be known!
>
>Human beings have trouble working out what other human beings
>(including themselves) would do in any given circumstances, let alone
>what an omniscient Creator would do in designing a world!
BH>While I agree with what you say from a theological point of view,
>I hope you realize that you severely undermine your own position in
>giving this argument. To use Burgie's metaphor, playing this card
>results in an automatic forfeiture ;-). It is just too convenient,
>no matter what difficulty is raised, you can always counter "well,
>you just don't know what an omnipotent, omniscient God would do".
No. I do not (like Gould and Dawkins) assert in advance any way that
God could or could not design a world, except that God cannot
contradict
Himself (2Tim 2:13).
BH>Also, I think you are guilty of doing just what Jim has done.
>Several times you have said that PC allows for horizontal evolution
>but no vertical. Now, Jim can respond to this just as you have
>responded to him. "My what confidence you have in asserting what God
>would or wouldn't do"
I do not assert that God "would not" create by "horizontal evolution".
I am asserting that he *did not*.
God bless.
Stephen
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