[CS-FSLUG] Discussing Philosophy with Humanists Using Science as a Foundation

[Ritchie, Josiah S.]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Christiansource-bounces at ofb.biz [mailto:Christiansource-
> bounces at ofb.biz] On Behalf Of Schalk Engelbrecht
> Sent: Monday, December 05, 2005 1:54 AM
> To: A Christian virtual Free Software and Linux Users Group.
> Subject: Re: [CS-FSLUG] [OT] Re: Interesting picture, creation vs.
> evolution
> 
> Guys - it comes down to what you believe!  Evolution is very simply
put,
> a religion, packaged as science.  There can be no mixes and matches.
> When Adam sinned, death came to the earth - believing in Evolution,
you
> put death before sin, thereby cancelling out the purpose of our God
with
> mankind and what Jesus did for us at the cross.  There is thus no need
> for us to depend on salvation and sin becomes relative.  See where
they
> are (mis)leading us....
> 
> I would agree with the previous posts that there is no reason to doubt
> God's word.  How does the song go?  Our God is a great big God!
> Evolution creates doubt in Christian minds and that's about all that
can
> be verified as truth!
> 
> Schalk Engelbrecht

Exactly! (and well put) This isn't a science battle, but a philosophical
war on the battle ground of science. To see it otherwise is to lose a
battle (but not the war) for Christ. The ramifications are much higher
than science. Intellectuals build their philosophy on humanistic
doctrines and support them using empirical evidence. Christian's rarely
support their doctrine with evidence outside the Bible. One of the
greatest of the humanistic doctrines is what our brother Schalk
mentions, relative truth, leading to relative morality or in our terms,
"Every man does as he sees fit".

In my experience, taking this discussion out of the science realm and
into the philosophical realm often closes it. Most people who have
listened to our society don't make the connection so directly and to
cause discussion gives them pause. Usually, they won't talk further on
the issue. The use the "Let's agree to disagree" card. :-) It is my
prayer that this causes them to stop and think about it. I think I need
to stop throwing philosophical words around though. I may just be
scaring them off with big words like humanism, relativism and connecting
them with evolution. I have yet to try this more effectively.

I'd like to hear how others have engaged in such conversations and what
they have found to be useful approaches to making people think about the
sandy foundation that their humanistic beliefs lie upon. Would you
share?

JSR/