Posted on 03/18/2007 11:10:07 AM PDT by wagglebee
"I really hope you don’t think my non-adherence to your system of beliefs causes you any harm."
It is, but God says we just have to put up with that.
"The problem of course is that both sides in this endless debate have very different and irreconcilable worldviews and very different assumptions about the other side."
However, the assumptions of the sciencists about believers are largely false.
"You don’t think you’re actually changing anyone’s opinion, do you?"
It happens. It's rare, but not unknown.
It is, but God says we just have to put up with that.
When you get a chance, could you maybe post a link to a website that explains this fact in detail? I’m interested in understanding why religious folks have so many problems with non-religious folks. Book recommendations would also be great.
However, the assumptions of the sciencists about believers are largely false.
Do you think that the assumptions the creationists have about evolutionists might also be imperfect?
"When you get a chance, could you maybe post a link to a website that explains this fact in detail?"
It might be difficult at first to see how these books bear directly on that subject, but a thorough reading of "Mere Christianity" by C. S. Lewis, and "Heretics" and "Orthodoxy" by G. K. Chesterton would go a long way to explaining it.
http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~mward/gkc/books/heret12.txt
http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~mward/gkc/books/ortho14.txt
http://www.lib.ru/LEWISCL/mere_engl.txt
"I’m interested in understanding why religious folks have so many problems with non-religious folks."
There's one of those assumptions I was talking about. Whether we call them atheists, agnostics, or whatever label they prefer, non-believers seem to assume that believers sit around and badmouth them in the same way that they take every opportunity to mock and berate believers. 'Tain't so. We don't burn with the same need to attack atheists as atheists have to attack us.
"Book recommendations would also be great."
Actually, they're the best place to start.
"Do you think that the assumptions the creationists have about evolutionists might also be imperfect?"
Possibly, though not being a seven-day, young-earth creationist myself, I don't know what they would be.
On the other hand, I spent decades as an "agnostic" in the company of other non-believers, so I don't have to rely on assumptions about them. I know them, inside out.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.