Who's Afraid of the Truth?
This morning I read an article in World magazine entitled “Dover Disruption.” Evidently the citizens of Dover, Pa. didn’t want to wait for Judge John E. Jones III to rule in their present lawsuit regarding the statement mentioning Intelligent Design in their ninth-grade curriculum; they went ahead and took action for themselves. This past Nov.8th, the good citizens of the Dover Area School District narrowly voted to replace members of the board with a pro-evolution panel committed to keeping ID out of science classrooms.
A similar situation in another state also made headlines on Nov. 8th when the Kansas State Board of Education adopted a science curriculum that includes well-established challenges to the theory of evolution. These new standards will not propose alternate theories, such as ID, but will refrain from teaching Darwinism as an unchallenged fact.
What we see here are two very different approaches to the same issue. One is willing to teach true science, honestly telling students what we know and what we don’t know, unafraid of controversy, while the other would rather hide the truth, teach something as fact when it is not, and would rather brainwash young minds rather than educate them. So, my question is: who is really afraid of the truth in this on-going situation?
Born again Christians, who believe the Bible, are continuously portrayed by non-believers, as simple, ignorant, uneducated, and completely not up to par with the rest of our well-developed, well-informed society. We have obstinately refused to be enlightened, choosing rather to glory in our “ignorance” and our simplistic belief in God’s word. This is how we are portrayed.
So, naturally I find it very amusing and even satisfying when a blatant example as mentioned above illustrates in broad day-light just who are the ones who are really afraid of an honest look at all the evidence. Anyone who has studied this debate, and who was willing to take an honest, objective look at all the evidence has to admit that it takes a WHOLE lot more faith to believe that all of what we see around us could have just happened by chance, rather than even entertaining the idea that a master Craftsman and Creator intelligently designed it all.
If you want to blindly believe that all the wondrous variety and complexity of this universe happened from an explosion of space trash millions of years ago, then go right ahead. Just remember that the likelihood of that happening is the same as Webster’s dictionary resulting from an explosion in a print shop. People who have the truth are never afraid of it.
16 comments :
Hear, hear.
Well Said.
MsAmber
P.S. My authentication word is:
shzzzmm (like Shazam!)
Thank you. :)
Boy, you're fast!!
my word is: ldgkviox...
I'm not sure what's that like (lol)
If you wonder why Christians are looked at as simple and ignorant, perhaps you should consider the comments of Pat Robertson, shortly after this decision. Yet, I though that intelligent design wasn't supposed to be teaching about God as the creator... the truth comes out.
And "intelligent design" seemed to forget a few people, such as your infallible president.
No, I censor only to keep people who do not respect my request regarding profanity from doing it anyway. I don't mind disagreement or discussion.
I'm aware of Robertson's comments, and not everyone agrees with him, though I really can't say that I totally disagree with him either. Peole in this culture do it all the time (even some Christians). They won't give God a second thought until something bad happens then they want his help. And though is often gracious and merciful, I'm human and I would be tempted not to help at all, if I were HE. But I'm glad I'm not, b/c I wouldn't have ever shown as much as grace to me either, as I have been shown.
And yes, though ID doesn't directly teach about God, I would think the connection is obvious... in order for their to be a design, there would have to be a designer.
I don't know what to say without some rude person getting on here making fun of me for commenting on my husbands blog :-)
But any way BABY ;-)
Well said as usual.
Then, wouldn't you agree that in a PUBLIC school, perhaps both sides can be presented, while neither is presented as fact?
Most important, we need to keep church and state seperate, for the protection of both.
Sure, I can agree that both can be presented. An interesting fact, When I was in college, I was the only Christian in my biology class, and evolution was presented as a rock-solid fact, in fact the professor just rejoiced in it. And yet only like 2 other people believed it be true, out of a class size of 35-40. I was so surprized, I asked a couple of people why they didn't believe in it, they said.. its just reasonable; it doesn't make sense.
About the whole church and state issue, we probably don't agree. This issue is so misunderstood, that most people believe the phrase "separation of church and state" is in the constitution or some gov't document. When in fact, it was in a personal letter by T.Jefferson to a group of Danbury Baptists who were afraid that Congress would establish a state church as in England. And Jefferson was assuring them it would not happen. Continuing to teach the Judeo-Christian values which our country was founded on, and even the Biblical basis for which it was founded, and even thanking our Sovereign who by His grace allowed it to be, is not establishing a state church. Just like saying a kid can't pray "in Jesus' name" at his h.s.graduation because of "separation of church and state" is a lot of bologna.
I doubt we disagree, honestly.
I think kids should be allowed to pray in school- to ANY god they choose. Just as kids should not have to say the pledge of allegiance, or pledge of blind loyalty as I call it.
Keeping church and state seperate is more important than some realize. Sure, if a Baptist or strict Methodist were to think that THEIR church would rule society, they might be all for it. However, what if the Catholic church became the ruling party? Or Islam? I wouldn't be happy and neither would you.
We have to keep in mind other people who may not share our views. We have freedom of religion, which means freedom FROM religion. Once you criss-cross govt. w/ church, you've opened a can of worms that will not be healthy for anyone, except those who are in power, representing their church.
Those who will come to Christ will do so when He calls them to. Forcing or scaring people into salvation makes way for an empty relationship with God, based on fear of Hellfire. A theocracy would be a disaster.
Well, I guess we agree some...
I'm a firm and staunch believer in the freedom of religion, and I'm not sure if you know this or not but Baptists have always been strong proponents of Religious Freedom... I don't want any state church... where it be Baptist, Methodist, Catholic or Islam. So on that we agree.
However I disagree that freedom of religion is freedom FROM religion; the two are not the same in my opinion. To completely and totally secularize the public life could be argued at the establishment of the "religion of humanism."
Our country was founded on certain values, certain standards, and a very specific worldview, that I believe should be upheld. If certain people don't like it, they are free to pick up and move at any time. No one is keeping a gun to their head to stay. Our founding fathers had a certain vision; a dream about a good, fair, and just nation, one that would always acknowledge our Creator and be blessed b/c of it. And the attempt today by certain groups of people secularize the American culture is not freedom from religion; it is simply the establishment of the "religion of humanism."
"Our country was founded on certain values, certain standards, and a very specific worldview, that I believe should be upheld."
Yeah, we escaped the puritans in Europe. We needed to get away from their stuffy, and deeply hypocritical methods.
We were founded on slavery, which is one of those values I hope you don't wish to see upheld.
Are you implying that ppl who don't want to follow religious tradition of the Christian faith should leave? Sorry, if that's the case. We are free from having to adopt any theological beliefs (or not) as part of freedom of religion. That also means we can worship Satan if we choose.
Humanism is a religious tradition for some, and it's not the govt's place to say whether that's right or wrong. IF people's actions today are "simply the establishment of the "religion of humanism," that is allowed, my friend. Nobody is holding a gun to your head saying "Be a humanist, NOW!" Liberty and justice for all. That's true freedom and not all have to share ANY belief.
PErsecution comes when something is forced down one's throat. If you are forceful with your religious beliefs, it will turn people off.
Of course I don't want slavery back; it was a moral evil and slavery wasn't a foundational belief or principle on which the country was built; it simply was a part of the enconomic culture of the day, of which I'm glad is gone.
And the Separatists (Pilgrims and others) that left England were deeply religious and strong Christians who simply did not see any hope of ever changing the Church of England, unlike the Puritans. So, they wanted religious freedom, but they still recognized God.
And personally, I don't care if you want to worship Satan, the trees, or little green men... I mean its saddens me b/c I know you're wrong, and you will answer for it, but you're free to worship whoever or whatever you like. True and genuine religion can't be coerced; its an condition of the heart. Just like I can't force my wife to love me; but she chose to. So, too, each man has to decide for himself whether or not he will honor and acknowledge His Creator.
The problem with the secularization of the culture and the removal of God is the fact that once you do that, you remove the objective nature of truth and you remove the standard on which everything is built, including law and order. The Bible and the Judeo-Christian worldview is the foundation and bedrock of our society; to remove it would be utter chaos. For example, How could you outlaw murder? With no standard, no morality, you can't say murder is right or wrong. Truth, values, and all morality become subjective and at the whim of every differnt opinion. That's one scary place to be!
While I haven't read you post; you are not exactly at the top of the priority list, I have read it's title: "Who's Afraid Of The Truth?" I don't believe there is a more perfect question for you.
I've got the answer: You Are.
Dude, I am not wrong... I don't worship Satan or little green men. If I did, that's still not your call to make.
If God were removed from the public eye, it's not like murder would become OK. Are you implying that every non-Christian has zero morals or respect for human life, and it's only the Christians who acknowledge the 10 commandments in their lives?
If this is true, why do an overwhelming amount of Conservative Christians support a murderous war based on lies?
Crall... I'm not making the call, God is. And what I was trying to convey by that comment was that truth and morality are objective b/c they have their basis in God as revealed in His word. What I was trying to say was that sincere faith is not ok... someone can be sincere and be sincerely wrong. Its the object of our faith that makes all the difference. And I can say confidently that anyone who is not placing their faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and only Savior are sincerely wrong.
And no I was not implying that non-Christians have zero morals. What I was saying was that when you remove God, you remove the standard by which morality is judged right or wrong. If truth is subjective, and not objective, I can beat up little old ladies (which I'd never do) and no one could tell me I was wrong for doing it. So, I'm not saying that the average person has no morals,... what I'm saying is that if God is removed then there is no standard by which to judge something to be right or wrong.
And as far as the war goes... war is not the same concept spoken of in the 10 Commandments. God has ordained gov'ts and given them to the authority and power to try to uphold justice. (Try reading the rest of the Bible) And no, I know not even ours is perfect, but I still support our president. I think his intentions at the beginning were good and still are. Saddam needed to be removed, and you know it. And just as a man with character, he's more of a man than Bill Clinton will ever be.
Let me leave you with a quote:
"We are fighting on the side of 27 million."
-Democ.Sen.Joe Lieberman writing in the Wall Street Journal after a trip to Iraq. Progress is "visible and practical" he wrote, with the vast majority of Iraqis not wanting U.S. forces to abandon them against 10,000 insurgents.
great debate crall and travis! and Travis, thank you for not being afraid of science!
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