The Church of England will concede in a statement that it was over-defensive and over-emotional in dismissing Darwin’s ideas. It will call “anti-evolutionary fervour” an “indictment” on the Church”.
The apology, which has been written by the Rev Dr Malcolm Brown, the Church’s director of mission and public affairs, says that Christians, in their response to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, repeated the mistakes they made in doubting Galileo’s astronomy in the 17th century. Part of the statement will read “England owes you an apology for misunderstanding you and, by getting our first reaction wrong, encouraging others to misunderstand you still.”
Too little too late perhaps?
I think it’s good. Every time a “CHRISTIAN” church makes the news saying something sensible, maybe just one person will read it and have their eyes opened by reason.
If this keeps up, those fringe fundamentalist cults that people like ABO and Skep belong to will lose the right to call themselves Christian, although in my personal opinion, they lost that right a long time ago.
I think the Church of England is desperately trying to look as if it respects science and rationality because of their failing membership.
Accepting evolution is a “modern viewpoint” but how are they going to explain all the other 2000 year old myths that they still gling to?
I’m with S.S., this is a good thing. Recently, there was a strong endorsement of the Clergy Letter Project by the United Methodist Church in the U.S., and the CLP just started a Jewish letter for rabbis – they already have 192 signatures. We need to firm up the support of mainline/moderate faiths and encourage pro-science evangelicals.
Countdown to spin from the fringe extremist powerbrokers. There was a rather public spat between the main Anglican body and the dark-agers in July. Here’s some rather interesting background.
Neocons and Theocons at GAFCON?
“Ahmanson subscribes to a theology which advocates bringing back Old-Testament law as the law of the land and hence he advocated stoning of homosexuals, whipping recalcitrant children etc.”
http://signposts02.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/neocons-and-theocons-at-gafcon/
Also check out the link on the bottom (click on “show transcript”)
“If this keeps up, those fringe fundamentalist cults that people like ABO and Skep belong to will lose the right to call themselves Christian, although in my personal opinion, they lost that right a long time ago.â€
Once again Karl babbles.
Help me out here Karl, what qualifications are required to have the right to be considered a Christian.
I’m speaking on the matter of popular opinions, but since you asked, I’m sure you know that among some of the more militant protestant sects out there, there are groups which don’t consider Catholics, Mormons, and JW’s to be Christian. And I’m sure even you would agree that those obscure child-abusing polygamous cults who make the news whenever they stage a mass suicide or get raided by the ATF/FBI, or even those racist white supremacy groups (Church of Jesus Christ Christian) who try to justify their hatred and sense of racial superiority through literal interpretations of the bible similar to your own aren’t really Christian as well. Maybe “right” isn’t a good word. How about “credibility”?
It’s about high time that literal creationism be relegated to cult status and marginalized from mainstream society. Based on current trends, it’s well on its way, but I’m sure even you are sweating to the fact that your own church leaders would sooner make the same apology to Darwin than let THAT happen.
Karl
I don’t happen to be a member of any of the groups you mentioned. Popular opinions from your cronies don’t necessarily count. And yes there are a lot of wackoes who call themselves Christian but by the same token there is just as many wackoes who call themselves humanistic scientist.
Sure, a lot of people call themselves Christians for different reasons, but I don’t think you’ll find many who think they need to apologize to Darwin. hehe
The Florida Citizens for Science web site is a great barometer for actually seeing biblical predictions coming to pass. It’s really neat to read all the foolishness you guys dream up trying to convince each other you have no value. The level of wisdom which has been displayed here has increased my faith in the Bible as the word of God greatly. Thanks!
You might be right about biblical creationism and Christianity itself becoming relegated to cult status. It’s already is marginalized by much of mainstream society. That is suppose to happen you know. 2Peter 3:3-6 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lust, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant…. Scoffers, that’s pretty accurate. Here’s another, 1Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. ‘Foolishness’, now isn’t that right on.
So sweating being called a cult by a cult isn’t such a big deal. I’m not worried.
Never underestimate the human will to survive. You may feel that your own faith is strong enough to let you stand alone against the forces of reality, but when you look at the bigger picture behind the Creationism cause, you will see what I’m talking about. Already have your church leaders and religious lobbyists begun sacrificing their own Christian principles like honestly and integrity to protect that one aspect of faith you just can’t let go. You may feel comfortable with becoming a cult of one, but I assure you, your leaders will do whatever it takes to remain a legitimate religious organization (and all the political and social powers it carries.)
On a different note, I have a real personal dislike for end-of-days doomsayers. In addition to being full of Creationist types such as yourself, they also actively hinder any efforts to make peace with our enemies, reduce pollution-induced climate change, and most other efforts to stop the world from going to hell, but gets inevitably labeled as hippy crap by you people. They sit there giggling with glee on how their doomsday prophecy is finally coming to pass and how they will no doubt be judged worthy to meet God for their piety while ignoring the fact that their actions had hindered efforts to prevent hundreds of thousands from dying painful deaths. Screw your prophecy.
We’re not talking about the forces of reality here, were talking about a theoretical process. Aside from generating cash from governmental systems, the molecule to man gumbo has no purpose except help sooth the conscience of those who choose to believe there is no God. Indoctrinating the masses to except the monkey theory has never been a catalyst for peace, but to the contrary.
Abraham Lincoln said, “Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?â€
So on the other side should our enemies be allowed to kill us off until none of us are left. Or is this peace your referring to which comes after we are whipped into submission and pretend to be friends? Is this the peace your talking about? What would believing that the earth didn’t create itself have to do with anything? There’s more going on here than just bad science.
By the way, there not my prophecies, there the prophecies you confirm as accurate. I only read the stuff, you make it true.
For the nth time, this “theoretical process” does not deny God’s existence. People who go out of their way to link evolution to denial of God’s existence are either intentionally being edgy assholes or have been frenzied by the hysteria of the resulting backlash.
By your logic (and the reality of current global politics and history), indoctrinating people to the superiority of your Christian god also causes nothing but wars. I’m sure you can counter with the finer points of turning the other cheek, but when we make it a point of boasting to our enemies of how our god is greater than theirs, and go out of the way to desecrate their religious symbols in addition to the usual gunning them down and blowing them up, it only ensures that the only peace to be had is complete annihilation of the opposing side. Funny how in this situation, the Lincoln quote applies, but only when reversed, and it further begs the question, who will be left to be your friends if they are all dead? Evolution does not and was never intended to promote wars or unrest. In fact, it removes one of the major causes of war: the notion of racial superiority, which current anti-evolution Christian denominations such as the PCA violently fought against before finally accepting.