Minnemooseus writes:
Bottom line: This is not intended as a "presenting the case" type topic, but rather a "how do we present the case" type topic.
My reasoning in stretching rule 3 beyond the breaking point through listing 100 categories of evidence is to show the magnitude of YEC claims when it comes to a global flood or a young earth. As you and most others here know, these claims require that virtually the entire physical science of geology be rejected, along with the greater part of biology, large and central aspects of chemistry, physics, and anthropology, and even parts of history, linguistics, and even theology. I'm not sure that some people fully realize just how much interrelated and mutually supportive human knowledge they demand we reject in favor of a very narrow and overly simplistic interpretation of the texts of the three primary Abrahamic religions. An interpretation, I might add, which is so narrow and over simplistic that most adherents of those religions can't support its claims and which is not agreed on even amongst its most fanatical proponents.
As I have posted, the list is a compilation of categories of massive amounts of contrary evidence culled and reworded from talk origins, Glen Morton, postings in this forum, and knowledge gathered from formal and informal study. It was inspired by RAZD's work on correlations, which I admire as the best thread(s) in this forum.
The case of Glen Morton, as a onetime YEC who, under the impact of evidence to the contrary, grew to become one of the greatest modern defenders of science provides the purpose and hoped for result of posting the list. His former beliefs were simply overwhelmed by the sheer amount of evidence and being an honest person, could no longer lie either to himself or others. I was hoping that others upon realizing just how much knowledge, derived from God's creation, they were rejecting in favor of the various "cults of ignorance" to borrow Jar's phrasing, would also see the light and also reject such false prophets as Morton and his coworkers did.
I do realize that the list has proved a burden to this forum in terms of keeping topics focused but also believe, as you do, that the message inherent to the list, namely that a substantial amount of knowledge gathered through the centuries must be rejected to sustain such absurd YEC dogma, is too important to be ignored or banned. If I can save one person from the clutches of the false prophets and their demand for willful ignorance, then I believe my efforts and even the conflict it has caused will have proved worthwhile.
Originally, I had hoped that the list would be it's own topic and would evolve as there was more input as to its content. I had also planned to add links to talk origins, Glen Morton's work, other open threads here in this forum, and to other available sources to each point. The responsibility for the lack of progress is mine but work and family concerns, along with an occasionally uncooperative desktop, have unfortunately delayed my plans. Hopefully I will be able to devote more time to the unfinished business I have here in the near future.
As to the problem of how to present the fact that YECism opposes not just virtually all of geology but also much of human knowledge, I don't have an answer other than the one I provided above. I am certainly open to suggestions and perhaps this thread will provide some answers.
At any rate, thanks for your patience and understanding.
Read not to contradict and confute, not to believe and take for granted, not to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider - Francis Bacon
The more we understand particular things, the more we understand God - Spinoza
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