Creationist predictions repeatedly fail (part 1)

A literal creation predicts:	But what we find is
No light was reached Earth	Thermoluminescence dating of sediments says light always hit Earth
Weather patterns will show a break/start 6,000 years ago	Uninterrupted hundreds of thousands of years of weather in ice cores
The sea was lifeless 6,000 years ago	Seabed plankton sediments showing 56 million years of continuous life
Tidal records only start with the moon’s creation 6,000 years old	Tidal records (written in rock) go way further back

A neat summary article on the evidence for evolution

What is the evidence for evolution? Well lots, bogins of independent research every single year in a wide variety of fields. Plus plenty of practical applications of that science (hello fossil fuel industries who use the science to find valuable resources!). This link is a short useful summary. We aren’t evolution fans, we just prefer the well attested divinely created reality to human traditions taught as commandments.

J Carter on Adam’s nature

In taking the fruit in Eden Adam yielded to his own nature. If I said this literalist campaigners/heresy hunters would be up in arms. Yet John Carter – the crafter of the creedal additions heresy hunters rely on wrote it. Literalists make claims about Adam for which they have no Scriptural support, this leads to all sorts of contradictory statements. Here is Carter’s comments (made in the context of debate about the serpent be literal or not – can you imagine this discussion getting a free run today!?)

Be of one mind

“We have too long and too often taken the words “be of the same mind” to mean, functionally, “if you agree with me on these points of doctrine, then we can be sisters and brothers, have fellowship and experience God together.” As Paul has structured Philippians 2:1–4, the experience of God is primary: since you have received encouragement from Christ, since you have shared in the one Spirit of God, live in full accord with one another, being of one mind. We are prone to be disputatious and to place victory in theological debates higher than the bond of unity. This is not Paul’s way except in issues that truly cut to the core of being Christian (and most issues, let us be honest, do not). Rather than seek to “have it our way” in terms of every dispute, we again find an opportunity for laying down our lives, or at least our egos, for our sisters and brothers as we put love, peace and unity with one another ahead of being right all the time. Paul makes it clear that no one has all the facts (1 Cor 13:12–13 is strong and necessary medicine for our conceited race), and therefore disagreements are not ultimate. Our agreement—our common experience of God through the Spirit—is of greater importance than our disagreement based on finer points of theology, liturgical practice and interpretation. Our agreement is founded on God’s act on our behalf; our disagreements on our own thoughts, minds and hearts. To place greater importance on the latter than the former is an act of pride, of hybris, an affront to God. To be “like-minded” is not to agree on everything; it is to put foremost in our minds what is central and common to the believing community in every place, what makes for building up the church of God in the bond of love.”

[deSilva, D. A. (2012). Honor, patronage, kinship & purity: unlocking new testament culture (pp. 219–220). Westmont, IL: InterVarsity Press.]

deSilva’s book is well worth a read – its discussion of grace and the patronage culture in particular is excellent. The above section just took our fancy as relevant to this page. To repeat again, we don’t care if you hold to a literal 7 day creation – as a theological position it’s fine and has a long happy tradition.

Neanderthal DNA doubles risk of severe Covid19 despite creationists

50,000 years ago some humans got intimate with Neanderthals. The evidence is in the DNA of some populations (notably in Europe and South Asia) but not others (especially Africa) – broadly consistent with the ‘out of Africa’ model. If you have the traces of Neanderthal DNA you are nearly twice as likely to have a serious case of Covid19. There is a genetic aspect to how the disease impacts people. One which doesn’t work with creationist models. Perhaps literalists refusal to accept facts will give them immunity?

Why won’t creationists defend Rio Tinto?

Rio Tinto’s CEO and two other top executives have resigned over the destruction of the 46,000 year old Aboriginal sites at Juuken Gorge in Western Australia. The cave showed some 40,000 continuous years of use, including changes brought through natural climate cycles. The facts cannot reconcile to the interpretation of scripture preferred by creationists. Strangely creationists don’t raise their voice against such decisions – nor do such executives seek out “creation science” for their defence. No surprise. The facts are too broad to ignore. Humans predate 6,000 years and there is no gap in life.

WHO conspiracies! Vaccines! Bill Gates!

When you hold an anti science, anti scholarship tin foil view you will get letters like this one. The editor both publishes the nonsense and fails to raise the voice of reason. This will end well!

Interpreting Scripture with Scripture part 2

1 Cor 2:13 is used by many to demand a ‘Scripture must interpret Scripture’ approach which pushes any sort of cultural background to (at very least) the background.  This approach is not solely sufficient.  Numerous verses exist which defy explanation with other passages.  That scripture CANNOT interpret all scripture demonstrates the claim is flawed.  Cultural context sometimes helps us understand what cross references cannot.

Comparing Scripture with Scripture (part 1)

It sounds great to quote 1 Cor 2:13 and claim THE method of interpreting the Bible is ‘comparing Scripture with Scripture’.  Often the expression is used to disparage the potential insights from the cultural context – let alone science.  In some ways this is the Christadelphian equivalent of Sola Scriptura.  But the methodology is based on a flawed application of 1 Cor 2:13 and fails in practice.  A more nuanced interpretative framework is required in practice.

Proof texting to prove beer trumps wine

If you ignore enough context and spit out quotes rapid fire you can make your assumptions/extrapolations sound like simple fundamentals.  The German reformer Luther was not the first to observe this – but his complaint is the most colourful…