Re: creationists

[Zach Wolff <zachary_wolff@YAHOO.COM>]

I have always used the term creationist to refer to
one who rejects the theory or evolution in favor of
the idea that humanity was _created_ directly by God.
I believe this is similar to the definition used by
the people who call themselves creationists, and who
advocate the teaching of _creation science_ in public
schools.  I am a strong deist, but in my home state of
Kansas I have seen the terrible damage that
creationists can wreak on science education.

Zach

--- David Ward <dward@BUSTER.UU.EDU> wrote:
> Dear Colleagues:
>
> I have been troubled by folks on the List seemingly
> having
> a problem with some nebulous category of people
> referred to
> as "creationists." On the surface, the term simply
> reflects
> the belief that what we see was created- the term
> implies
> a Creator, period.
>
> For purposes of discussion on this List,
> is a creationist someone who
>
>         a) is a Deist only
>         b) believes in a 6 day (144hr) creation
> event
>         c) believes the Bible is inerrant
>         d) attends church regularly
>         e) rejects scientific naturalism
>         f) is a professing Christian
>         g) some of the above
>         h) all of the above?
>
> I've read the term "creationist" several times on
> the List-
> always in a negative light.     There seems to be an
> inbuilt
> assumption that whoever these people are they are of
> low
> IQ advancing some sort of evil anti-science agenda.
>
> Does everyone on the list subscribe to scientific
> naturalism
> only- are there not even a few Deists out there? Is
> there any
> empirical evidence that there was NO creator before
> the first,
> say, femtosecond? Is physics the only reasonable
> religion and
> are scientists the only viable priesthood?
>
> I do know people of faith who believe in a Creator
> who have
> advanced degrees- some in physics even!- and
> posperous scientific
> careers. One is even a very prosperous biophysicist
> doing important
> cancer research at one of the top 5 research
> institutions in the
> country. However, this biophysicist has a very
> fundamental
> faith in the Scriptures. Let's not demean folks of
> faith in a
> Creator anymore than we would demean the atheist or
> the agnostic.
>
> David
>
>
> Dr. David Ward
> Dept. of Chemistry & Physics
> UNU#3160
> Union University
> 1050 Union University Dr.
> Jackson, TN 38305
> ph. 901-661-5241
> email- dward@uu.edu
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