Though in re-reading that, I noticed this: "So our aim was to help Christians to avoid arguments that are likely to backfire ... " Uh, what about seeking the truth? What about defending the truth? Apparently to them, the truth takes a back seat to effective proselytizing, or is given absolutely no consideration.
The irony of all this is not lost on me. Sarfati's book "Refuting Evolution" was the final straw for me in my break from YEC. His book is chocked full of misrepresentations, falsehoods, half-truths, etc. Obviously the truth is not the primary motivation. What they mean by "avoid arguments that are likely to backfire" is that the arguments need to be ambiguous enough and have enough truth in them that they can't be
easily refuted.
Your quote above misses the critical portion of his statement. "... and return their focus to the Word of God not ‘evidence’." No matter what they do, they cannot submit to evidence for its own sake, but must make it conform to preconceived ideas. That is the essence of dishonesty.
HBD
Whoever calls me ignorant shares my own opinion. Sorrowfully and tacitly I recognize my ignorance, when I consider how much I lack of what my mind in its craving for knowledge is sighing for... I console myself with the consideration that this belongs to our common nature. - Francesco Petrarca
"Nothing is easier than to persuade people who want to be persuaded and already believe." - another Petrarca gem.
Ignorance is a most formidable opponent rivaled only by arrogance; but when the two join forces, one is all but invincible.
™ Version 4.2
