>Brian Harper said:
>
>> Secondly, how does the creationist or
>> theistic explanation for the existence
>> of different races differ from the
>> evolutionary one? All races are
>> descended from Adam. Yet the races are
>> different, why?
>
>I think the answer lies in the distribution of peoples following the
>flood (Genesis 10) and the subsequent dispersion of peoples (Genesis
>11:1-9). Of all ancient writings, none is more accurate in discribing
>the breakdown and breakup of the human family than these scriptures.
>
Russell went on to give several other thoughtful answers to my
questions.
Well, I find myself in a rather awkward and embarrassing situation.
I guess I need to learn to be a little more direct in presenting
my points. I raised the questions I did not because I was really
looking for answers to them. I am well aware that very good answers
can be given to those questions, which Russell has been kind
enough to demonstrate. My point was to illustrate that it is
just as easy to twist creationism into racism as it is to twist
evolution.
While I'm at it, I would like to say that I greatly appreciate the
contributions that Russell has made to this group over the last
few weeks. Russell and I disagree over some relatively inconsequential
issues about how God chose to create, but I find that we agree on
practically everything else. This I find to be greatly encouraging.
Let me close by giving something I heard Ravi Zacharias say a few
years ago when he spoke at Ohio State,
"One should not judge a philosophy by its abuse"
which can be readily generalized by replacing philosophy by
religion, science etc.
I try as best I can to practice these words of wisdom by not judging
Young Earth Creationism and YE Creationists based on the abuses of
certain individuals. This is very tough because the abuses are great
and have disastrous consequences, but I'm trying.
Brian Harper
Associate Professor
Applied Mechanics
The Ohio State University
"God forbid that we should give out a dream of
our own imagination for a pattern of the world"
-- Francis Bacon