From:    Dave Mullenix                          
To:      All                                    Msg #111, 93-01-05 00:31:34
Subject: BSN update

The latest issue of the "Bible-Science News" arrived today, Volume 30:9.  A
few highlights:

In an editorial on page 4, editor Paul A. Bartz informs us that "we cannot
expect science to arrive at an accurate explanation of human consciousness."
Apparently, science's commitment to materialistic methods and descriptions
leave it "unequipped to describe the spiritual aspects of man."

Paul closes out his two page editorial by quoting St. Paul and his old
seminary professor to the effect that "those who claim that foolishness is
wisdom that we should all value have usually 'been educated beyond their
intelligence.'" I couldn't think of a better description of creationists!

Two entries are especially interesting.  The "Pulse" section, which is
composed of commentaries on reader submitted news clippings, begins with a
remarkable column entitled, "Will Theistic Evolution Play Well in Peoria?"
It seems that creationist objections to the teaching of evolution have
caused the school board and some teachers to start teaching that science and
religion don't necessarily conflict.  You'd think they would be celebrating,
but apparently this sort of thing smacks of theistic evolution.  Then we get
this remarkable statement: "...presenting evolution with God in the starring
role presents the religious viewpoint taught in many seminaries and
churches.  In other words, theistic evolution is a religious viewpoint.  As
such, teaching theistic evolution in public schools is just as unacceptable
as teaching the religious viewpoint of atheistic evolution."

Hmmm.... I guess there isn't a seminary in the world that teaches the young
earth / six day creation by an omnipotent being theory that the creationists
want taught in public schools.

For me, the highlight of this issue is in the last article, "From My Point of
View: Have Christians Given Up on the Church?" by Gregory A. Hull, Executive
director of the BSA.  He tells how last September they mailed over 25,000
letters trying to talk people into purchasing a $30.00 one year subscription
to BSN for their pastors.  "The response was stunning - but for the wrong
reasons!  Fewer than 200 people responded, a tiny fraction of what we had
anticipated." Even more interesting details were in the letters and
responses that came back and in some phone calls that Hull made to people
who had received the letters: "Many people said that $30 spent on their
pastor would just be a useless or wasted gesture.  Their pastor did not
believe in creation, and was beyond reaching. ... Few expressed any sort of
commitment or loyalty to their pastor.  The impression was clear and
distinct that many Creationists saw themselves as an entrenched minority
within their church or denomination."

Greg reports that this leaves him "with an unsettling view of the Church",
but it leaves me feeling oddly refreshed.  Let us hope that the BSN is more
accurate in this bit of reporting than in the rest of their work!

My thanks to the B-SA crew for getting 1993 off to such an excellent start.
--- via Silver Xpress V3.01 [NR]