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On September 21 I’ll be going out of the country for 10 days. Unable to post (and excited to have a break), I’m gonna need your help.
Our FC author Helen has given me an awesome idea for FriendlyChristian.com during my sabbatical.
You could have a ‘contest’ - invite people to send in the question they’d most like to ask on your blog, then you could schedule your favorite questions to post while you’re gone.
Guess what we’re gonna do? Ohhh, you’re so smart!!! Yep! We’re gonna take advantage of this blog to ask questions you guys might want to have a discussion about while I’m gone.
I’ve seen you guys post over 100 comments here and here and over 50 here, here, here, and here. It’s time to hook it up again.
In the future, I’m also gonna steal my friend Jason’s idea of opening up the floor for you guys to ask me questions. Any and all - should be interesting.
So let’s have it.
What do you want to talk about while I’m gone?
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How does a Christian, particularly one who believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible, reconcile the overwhelming scientific evidence for a 13+ billion-year-old universe?
How does a Christian, particularly one who believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible, reconcile the overwhelming scientific evidence for evolution through natural selection?
If science isn’t up your alley
How does a Christian reconcile man’s free-will with the existence of an omnipotent/omniscient/omnipresent God without casting God in a particularly bad moral light?
that might not be clear what I’m asking so how about by analogy.
If I tell my two-year-old not to play in the road (do not eat of the forbidden fruit) and then place a huge candy bar in the middle of the road (the tree of good and evil in the middle of the garden). I (along with an all-knowing god) know that that 2-year-old is going to go after that candy bar and be immediately hit by traffic. In the real world, I could be morally responsible for the death of that child however god gets a pass?
Even bigger question if you do not believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible then what prevents you from being as “morally relativistic” as an atheist? Since you get to pick and choose what beliefs you wish to subscribe to.
How can an athiest say they need absolute proof of somethings existence, then turn around and say they believe in things that are unexplainable, just not God?
Were “former believers” ever really believers to begin with?
I’d really like someone to give me an overview of liberal christian answers to traditional atheistic questions. So often I only see conservative christians giving answering the critics, but when I have sought out liberal answers for myself I have found some to be very intruiging. So, how about some liberal christian answers to:
How can a loving and powerful God allow so much pain and suffering in the world?
Why do so many prayers go unanswered?
Why do evil people prosper?
Is strict believe in Jesus as savior the ONLY way to a happy afterlife?
What are heaven and hell like?
God’s Gal, re: comment #3 - ouch
I just went through being told with certainty that I never was a Christian on another site.
Sorry Helen, it really is nothing personal, just a question to be explored…sorry if I hurt you, not my intention…:(
There is scientific proof that there is a section of the human brain that has absolutely no purpose or use…but after monitoring several different kinds of people and religions the finding were that the people who had activity in the same part of the brain were worshippers. This raised a question..If God did create humans, as I believe..then there is purpose for all of the brain?:)>-
darla, what is your source for the scientific proof you mention?
How did you first come to believe in the existence of God?
In my case it was a consequence of growing up in family of that believed in God.
Once I developed an opening, questioning mind I found no valid reason to believe God exist.
writerdd - Is that one of the questions?
Ed - I guess you answered your own question…
How does one justify God’s ordering the massacre (genocide) of women, children, and the elderly in the book of Joshua and by King Saul?
How does one justify a god who sends BILLIONS of people to Hell while the only way out he provides is believing in Jesus while allowing so many competing religions in the world to keep people from Jesus? It may seem obvious to you that JC is the One, but as I often remind my wife, the only reason many here are not Muslim or Bhudist (or Atheist)is because they happened to be born/raised in the USA.
Why do people insist on saying God ordered evil when He doesn’t exist to them?
Why doesn’t science find a way to evolve un-evil people?
Helen, you’ve been on my mind all afternoon and I just need to ask you why it would bother you so much if you were never saved if you’re not claiming God as your Savior….I’m truly interested in what you’re feeling..:)
God’s Gal, it bothers me when people deny I’ve had the same experience as them, when I’m sure I have. It bothers me that they refuse to believe me. And that by implication they’re saying all the Christians I knew for 17 years were wrong to think I was one of them.
Bill - while you’re away - here is my question…
In Velvet Elvis - Rob Bell states…. “An atheist is a person of tremendous faith. In our discussions about the things that matter most then, we aren’t talking about faith or no faith. Belief or no belief. We are talking about faith in what? Belief in what? The real question isn’t whether we have it or not, but what we have put it in.”
As I’ve read friendlychristian.com, I’ve noticed a number of different things…when comments are given, some are factually and historically based, some are scripturally based, some are life based and so on and so forth. But Rob Bell seems to have a point. The truth is that you don’t argue your point if you don’t have something you believe in. And truth is, if you believe in something you are putting your faith in it. I mean if we believe in science, we’ve put our faith in the fact that it’s true. If we believe in God, then we are putting our faith in Him and His exsistance. But it is not really possible that we can put our faith in nothing and still stand for something.
So what about you? What do you believe in? Where is your faith based? Do you believe that what Rob Bell and I are saying is true - everyone believes in something and that something is what they put their faith in?
Helen, I think all we as believers are saying that if you had experienced the same things we have, how could you walk away….there is seriously zero doubt that God is real and that I am his…I’m just trying to understand how you can experience His presence, His love, His provision, His forgiveness…and then turn from Him. When He speaks to me it is through my entire being and so unmistakable…there is no way I could ever turn from Him. I’m really trying to understand is all…:):)
I am not sure how the quote function works here. I hope this works.
“Gods Gal Says:
Why do people insist on saying God ordered evil when He doesn’t exist to them?”
“Why doesn’t science find a way to evolve un-evil people?”
Hi Ed, I believe that evil grives Gods heart. Again, I don’t believe He created evil, He created free will. (I wrote a blog today on predestination vs. free will if you would like to read it) I believe there is only One true God, the God of the Bible. I also believe the enemy is very good at what he does which is deception…and any other god beside the one of the bible is false…I know, here we go…but I’m just trying to answer your question;) I don’t believe that when things are done in the name of the one true God that are evil, are merely a deception to draw people away from Him, Satans main goal.
As for your other statement, Skeptigator in reply #1 stated that science proves the universe is billions of years old…..don’t you think that is plenty of time for more “good people” to evolve?
oops, i knew I should have read it first..i meant to write that I don’t believe that when things are done in the name of the one true God, that they are from Him….I believe it is one of many deceptions used by Satan to draw people away …whew…sorry
Gods Gal Ask:
“How can an athiest say they need absolute proof of somethings existence, then turn around and say they believe in things that are unexplainable, just not God?”
And
“Were “former believers” ever really believers to begin with?”
Up to the age of perhaps 10 or 11 I can say I absolutly believed in God. I believed without question what I was told by my parents and minister about God.
Overtime I came to the realization that not everything I was being told was 100% correct. This questioning began with the subjects of history and science but eventually included religion.
It was never absolute proof in the existance of God that I was looking for.
When examing the basis for my believing in God the only evidence I could find was the observations others. The personal observations of others is not in it’s self sufficent evidence to make me believe in a theory. Too many personal observations have been proven wrong.
There is a physicist/mathematician I have read about who is attempting create(?) a formula that will prove the existance of God.
If an accredited body of experts concluded that his formula is valid then I will give credence to the theory that God exist. I will have still do a lot more research before I reach my final judgement.
The only other proof I can think of that will cause me to believe in God is if he/she makes his/her presence known to me.
Gods Gal, I have read your blog and you are very articulate in stating your beliefs.
To answer your question below:
“As for your other statement, Skeptigator in reply #1 stated that science proves the universe is billions of years old…..don’t you think that is plenty of time for more “good people” to evolve?”
I am an optomist and believe that over time human society will eventually evolve to replace conflict with cooperation as the means to resolve difference.
If this doesn’t happen then we are likely to become extinct.
Ed, all I can do is encourage you to stop text booking and just talk to Him. If you seek Him, you will find Him, and you will know His pressence.
As for your second answer, I have seen bad, and I mean scary bad people change litterally overnight with one touch from God, I think I prefer to do things His way….:d
God’s Gal - this is what I’d like. When a Christian gets to “I don’t understand” I’d like them to consider that maybe this is something they can’t actually understand - this is as far down that road as they can go.
Instead of “I can’t understand therefore I think you’re lying or mistaken”.
When you read verses in the Bible that imply God’s nature is Trinitarian, you can’t understand that, right? But you don’t go on from there to “therefore I think the Bible authors are lying or mistaken”. You give them and God the benefit of the doubt.
I’d like the benefit of the doubt. Not to be strongly suspected of lying or being mistaken. I’m not saying people have to believe me without evidence, but I’d like the evidence I present to be given a fair hearing. Even in our courts we have ‘innocent until proven guilty’.
Here’s something I can’t understand - how anyone can read what’s on my site from when I was a Christian and not come to the conclusion after a while that yes I really was a believer.
But I have to let go of it.
If I don’t understand something about you I can stop there. I don’t have to try to prove you are lying or mistaken or mentally ill just because I can’t understand something about you.
I hope I haven’t been too direct…I’m trying to explain how it is…
Hey everyone, I think some of you have forgotten that this site is called Friendly Christian.
I would be surprised if Bill posts any questions that aren’t friendly.
In my opinion, any questions that are written in such a way that they seem to presuppose negative characteristics of the ‘other side’ - fail the ‘friendly’ test.
So if your question presupposes other people are deluded, irrational, etc. - it’s probably not friendly enough.
If you want people to take your questions seriously and try to answer as best they can - then it’s not a good idea to include an insult in the question. That shuts down conversation rather than opening it up.
So, if you really want answers, being friendly is in your best interests (imo).
Helen, several times, no many times in my posts i have indeed said, I don’t know. I don’t need to know everything, how big of a God would that actually be if my feeble brain could understand Him? The reason that people can believe you weren’t a believer is for the reasons listed above that I gave you. The scary thing is (and please don’t take this as a personal attack, it’s not meant as one) I have come accross people who write beautifully, and have gone to church for years yet never had a relationship with the Living God. They never submitted their lives to Him, trusted Him, or allowed Him to work in their lives, and end up turning away because they never really knew Him at all. No one is calling you a liar, with my walk with the Lord, I just can’t see how anyone can experience Him, then turn away. That’s all….as far as friendly questions, sometimes the hard questions are going to offend…I have been offended here, but it’s helped me to learn and grow, I think as long as people keep in mind it’s general questioning and not attack on any one person on either side it’s fine.
@Helen…
Thank u >:d<
How can someone show true love (commitment) without choice (i.e. the Tree)?
I think you should ask about our favourite type of cake. Just for something different.
I have a question Bill. Where are you going?
Now on theme: Do you think that your belief (or lack thereof) of an afterlife effects how you live your life and how you view the death of others?
I’ve just posted this on Gods Gal’s blog but as it’s a question I thought I’d repeat it here:
@hover…
I’m going to Costa Rica on with 15 people from my church. We’re doing medical and construction missions.
I’m excited!! Thanks for asking, man!
Have fun!!! My sister returned from a missions trip to Costa Rica (doing medical and construction missions) within the last year and wouldn’t trade the experience for the world.
My sister says that when you go to Costa Rica prepare to feel moist most of the time.
You’re welcome Bill
Gods Gal, I think my problems with your question are:
1)to me it’s too close to “Are former believers lying or are they mistaken when they claim to have been believers?” To me your question doesn’t come across as neutral but skeptical. It encourages people to think I’m a liar or I’m too ignorant to know whether I was really a believer or not.
2) It’s not something that can be decided in general any more than it can be decided in general whether all people who say they are believers now really are believers.
Just because you’ve run into people who are wrong about what they used to be, why should that make you think I might be wrong or lying about what I was? I might be completely different from them.
God’s Gal do you believe it’s possible that any current atheists who say they were believers really were, or do you think that’s impossible?
“Gods Gal Says:
Ed, all I can do is encourage you to stop text booking and just talk to Him. If you seek Him, you will find Him, and you will know His pressence.”
I do go to a local church, usually a few times a week.
It’s near where I go walking each day.
It’s a very beatiful place to vsit. So quiet, serene. I can clear my mind of the accumulated stress of daily life.
I have never felt the presence of God. Rather I feel the presence of the men and women who created this place in the name of their God.
Helen: Sorry, but your putting words and meaning into what I was stating that are not how I feel….I don’t think you are a liar, or ignorant. As for #2, I agree, there are phony Christians today, that is why Tam awhile ago said she couldn’t tell from your writing because it is a heart condition. His word says that there will be people who stand before Him one day and tell Him they have done things in His name, yet He tells them to depart because He has never known them….and for your final question, no I don’t believe a Christian can lose their salvation, either they are seriously backslidden, or never knew Him.
Ed, you don’t have to go anywhere to find Him, He’s with you right now….just ask Him to show Himself to you in a way that is only for you…He will. Guarantee when He does you’ll be in the same boat I’m in trying to explain it to someone!!
:):)
God’s Gal, sorry if I put words in your mouth.
About my question: actually I wasn’t asking whether you believe a Christian can lose their salvation (that would be a theological question) - but whether you believe it’s possible for a Christian to stop believing in God i.e. become an atheist (that’s not a question about theology but about what people experience).
God’s Gal, thanks for answering - have a good weekend!
I haven’t thought of a question of my own (sorry), but I find that I have a response for one of God’s Gal’s questions that might help things make more sense.
I’m going to change the word believers to children. It’s not my intetion to say that believers are children, or that deconversion is a naturally-occuring process like aging and happens to everyone (because of course it doesn’t), but the example is similar.
Were “former children” ever really children to begin with?
This is how the question looks to all of us “on the other side.” We can’t understand how you would deny that we were ever believers, just as you wouldn’t understand how anyone could deny that you were ever a child.
Of course you were a child! You played games, you had fun, you loved treats, and the fact that you’ve grown older and left some of those things behind doesn’t change what you were. You even have pictures of when you were a child.
The same is true of deconverted atheists. We were Christains. We believed that Jesus had taken all our sins on the cross and saved us. I have a picture of me and my family on the day I was confirmed. I have the Bible with my name stitched into the cover. My lack of belief in God now doesn’t invalidate my belief in Him then.
God’s Gal - still don’t see things the same way? That’s okay. That was also the only thing I could think of, so I think I’m done involving myself in this conversation.
On the plus side, aow I have two questions. They go along with one of Erik’s questions, but they’re more specific, and I like to be thorough. Do you believe heaven (and hell) is a real place, like an alternate reality or something? And, as a follow-up, if not, then what happens when Christians (and non-Christians) die? I would be very interested to see the answers to those, but I don’t know how many Christians out there have such a radically different idea of heaven (and hell), or how many of them are on the Internet.
yinyang: I do understand the analogy because we believe we are God’s children…:)
I don’t believe tho, that a true believer can ever really walk away. How about, do you believe that believers can still be saved that walk away and deny God, and be pleasantly surprised when they reach Heaven? Like I’ve heard said…we’ll be surprised whose there and we’ll be surprised who’s not there….have a great weekend!:d/
Thanks yinyang - I like your analogy.
God’s Gal, I wish you could be able to say “I don’t understand it, but maybe it is true that you once believed as I did and now you don’t.”
I wish you didn’t have to fit us into your belief system which forces us either to still be Christians - which makes no sense to us - or forces us to never have been Christians - which equally makes no sense to us.
Our reality is not determined by what you believe - it’s determined by what’s real. And we know this is what’s real: we used to have the same beliefs as you and now we don’t.
What if we just flat-out didn’t believe what you say? What if you said you went on vacation somewhere and even if you showed us photos and had your friends tell us they saw you there, we said “Nope - you weren’t there - we know you weren’t because we don’t believe you were there. And whatever you say, we are not going to change our beliefs about you not being there.”
At what point should a person be open to the possibility that their own beliefs about something, rather than what other people say they have experienced, may be wrong? How many photos and testimonies should it take?
How many ex-born again Christians will it take for you to even consider the possibility that a person who was born-again could stop believing? Are you listening to us?
Helen, please stop defending yourself, there really is no reason. I’m not judging you, you asked me a question and I answered it. I believe the Bible, above man’s opionions, I will always stand on the word of God. It doesn’t mean I think bad of you, or that I think you’re crazy, it’s what I believe.
You don’t or else you would be a believer….I’m not offended that you don’t believe the same way, nor do I think you have to in order for us to have these conversations….I’m not here to convert anyone, but I will not tell people what they want to hear to make them feel better either….I’m just answering questions as they come, same as you. For every photo and testimony you give to me for an ex-believer, I could give you one for a new believer, or an ex-athiest….what’s the point? I am listening to you, does that mean I have to deny my God and believe what you do? Not here, I don’t think that is what Bill is looking for, and it’s impossible for me to do. Am I learning alot? You bet!!! And will continue to….I hope you can not take it personal, I know it’s hard, it was very hard for me to watch even 2 minutes of that video you posted awhile back….but I don’t want to be in a bubble of just believers, I want to know the rest of humanity as well. It doesn’t mean tho, that I will give up my God or even agree with some reasonings….it’s nothing personal tho….hope that helps.:)
I think inWorships comment should be read that was just posted one post back…
God’s Gal I’d be interested to hear what was hard for you about watching that video - are you referring to Hope vs Certainty? But if you’d rather not discuss that, I respect your preferences.
I appreciate your honest answers to my questions. I hope you won’t take this personally just as you hope I won’t take what you’ve said personally: if no atheist was ever saved, I can’t see how you can be either, because I can’t see any difference between their past experiences, beliefs and state of heart and your current ones. Please note I said “I can’t see” - I am not making a declaration or assertion about ‘what is true’ but simply sharing my own perspective. I am open to learning; so, if you can show me how your current experience or beliefs or state of heart are different from their past ones then perhaps I will be able to see things the way you do.
Wow, I found the link to this blog from Tam’s site. Pretty heated discussions. I’d like to throw in my 2 cents for what it’s worth. As far as the debate of losing salvation or if you walk away did you ever have the salvation - really that’s something that we may never know. There are many things that we may never understand. Scripture can be translated so many ways that
somemany things we all won’t agree on - even if we had the same basic beliefs. Personally I feel that you never lose your salvation. You can walk away from God but He will never walk away from you. I can easily understand how a Christian can turn and run from their faith. I’ve been there, done that and still struggle with it at times. At the end of the day only we (and God) know our true heart and that is what matters. None of us are to judge another’s fate, it’s not our place. Like I said, just my two cents. I’ll have to check this site out some more.Helen: Knowing that you know my beliefs, I’m not going to get into the first part of your question…I think you know why it would be offensive.
The second part, honestly if I thought you were truly seeking I would go into great detail the encounters i have had with the Lord. But it’s been my experience so far that that is not the case…again, it’s not personal toward you, just don’t want to spend a lot of time relaying things to just get into another debate. But to sum up what someday I do hope to share with you, I have had two extremely powerful encounters with the Lord, again hard to explain to a non-believer, and He also healed our son, who should be dead, in a way so quickly and powerfully that even the doctors scratch their heads. He is in everything I see, and everything I do. i respect where you are, and really hope to share with you on a deeper level sometime, but this probably isn’t the best place for it.
Thank you for caring enough to ask tho, it meant alot.
Hi God’s Gal, I respect how powerful and personal your experiences are. I’m very happy for you that your son is alive and well.
I just watched the video again to see if I could see why it would offend you. I can understand you disagreeing with it, but I didn’t see what was offensive to you in it. But, as I said, if you don’t want to go into that here then I respect that.
Hi Helen, it wasn’t hope vs. certainty, it was the one of the two Blues Brother lookin kids that go to beat up the other one…..thanks for understanding about and yes we are very blessed to still have our boy.
Hi God’s Gal…oh, yes, I can see why you wouldn’t have liked that since it was making fun of Christian beliefs.
Sorry, I maybe should have put a warning on there that it might be offensive to Christians.
I have a question. I’d like to know why American Christians tend not to believe in global warming, and why there’s an alliance between fundamentalist Christianity and global warming denial.
The reason I ask is that I have this theory; that Creationism’s campaign of misinformation, undermining science and personally attacking scientists, has so damaged the Christian public’s trust in us that, even with a near unanimity, you won’t believe us if it’s inconvenient. Alternatively, I have a friend who thinks you don’t care either way about global warming because Jesus is coming back soon anyway, but that seems too simple to me.
Any thoughts?
What is the difference between a liberal and conservative Christian?
I’ll 2nd the vote for nerdiah on “Why do I hear so many of my fellow Christians make fun of protecting the environment?” I’m talking the “sell everything they own and give it to the poor-types.” Weird…
@Matt L: The difference between liberal and conservative Christians is biological. Our “beliefs” are less meaningfully obtained than we think.
@Matt L: The difference is biological. Our “beliefs” are a more arbitrary than we realise.
nerdiah (atheist) Says:
“I have a question. I’d like to know why American Christians tend not to believe in global warming, and why there’s an alliance between fundamentalist Christianity and global warming denial.”
Matt Says:
“I’ll 2nd the vote for nerdiah on “Why do I hear so many of my fellow Christians make fun of protecting the environment?” I’m talking the “sell everything they own and give it to the poor-types.” Weird…”
Matt and nerdiah I am an atheist as well but I have never seen any opinion polls or surveys that support the idea that the majority of Christians, or people of religious faith, are opposed to idea of gobal warming.
Since most of the men of science that I have read about are men of religious faith I would guess that many, if not most, of the scientist that have published papers in support of global warming believe in God. However I don’t know where to look up this information so it is just a guess on my part.
I can say I read the online addition of the Christian Monitor and to me this paper supports the idea of global warming and protecting the environment.
Can you point me to any credible resources that support the idea that the majority of Christians don’t support protecting the enviornment?
Sorry guys, it’s the Christian “Science” Monitor I was referring to below.
“I can say I read the online addition of the Christian Monitor and to me this paper supports the idea of global warming and protecting the environment.”
@Ed
Fair enough. I should have been careful to emphasise the word “tendency”, as many Christians do acknowledge global warming and the scientific consensus on it, just less so than non-Christians.
For example, while about 70% of white evangelical Americans believe that there’s solid evidence that the earth is getting warmer, that’s still less than about 89% of secular types (Second graph, data from Pew 2006). Similarly, only 35% of evangelicals consider addressing global warming absolutely necessary, compared with a 60% American average (Barna group, 2007).
The effect seems to be caused by a certain “type” of Christian. I’ve called them “fundamentalists”, but I don’t know if that is the right label. They seem to get captured best when polls have an “evangelical” sub-group, but I suspect that the distinction may be finer still (e.g. the National Association of Evangelicals signed an expression of concern about global warming, but not without controversy), and may well transcend the evangelical/non-evangelical boundary. I chose “fundamentalist” because, anecdotally speaking, through blogs and other media, those who I’ve seen express a disbelief or disinterest in global warming have tended to be fundamentalists.
Regardless, this sub-group of Christians is having a discernable effect on the lumped “Christian” response to global warming, and atheists like me have noticed it (and I will be remembering it to my kids).
Since most of the men of science that I have read about are men of religious faith…
The correlation between being a scientist and a theist tends to be negative, not positive. Scientists are less likely to be believers than non-scientists, and high-profile scientists are less likely to be believers than other scientists again (Nature, 1998). The previous link estimates a mere 7% of greater scientists have a personal belief in God, so I think your guess is wrong.
Incidentally, many of us are women too.
@Ed:
Fair enough. I should have been careful to emphasise the word “tendency”, as many Christians do acknowledge global warming and the scientific consensus on it, just less so than non-Christians.
For example, while about 70% of white evangelical Americans believe that there’s solid evidence that the earth is getting warmer, that’s still less than about 89% of secular types (Second graph, data from Pew 2006). Similarly, only 35% of evangelicals consider addressing global warming absolutely necessary, compared with a 60% American average (Barna group, 2007).
The effect seems to be caused by a certain “type” of Christian. I’ve called them “fundamentalists”, but I don’t know if that is the right label. They seem to get captured best when polls have an “evangelical” sub-group, but I suspect that the distinction may be finer still (e.g. the National Association of Evangelicals signed an expression of concern about global warming, but not without controversy), and may well transcend the evangelical/non-evangelical boundary. I chose “fundamentalist” because, anecdotally speaking, through blogs and other media, those who I’ve seen express a disbelief or disinterest in global warming have tended to be fundamentalists.
Regardless, this sub-group of Christians is having a discernable effect on the lumped “Christian” response to global warming, and atheists like me have noticed it (and I will be remembering it to my kids).
The correlation between being a scientist and a theist tends to be negative, not positive. Scientists are less likely to be believers than non-scientists, and high-profile scientists are less likely to be believers than other scientists again (Nature, 1998). The previous link estimates that a mere 7% of greater scientists have a personal belief in God.
Incidentally, many scientists are women too.
nerdiah (atheist) Says:
“Fair enough. I should have been careful to emphasise the word “tendency”, as many Christians do acknowledge global warming and the scientific consensus on it, just less so than non-Christians.
For example, while about 70% of white evangelical Americans believe that there’s solid evidence that the earth is getting warmer, that’s still less than about 89% of secular types (Second graph, data from Pew 2006). Similarly, only 35% of evangelicals consider addressing global warming absolutely necessary, compared with a 60% American average (Barna group, 2007).”
Thanks for supply the data. It will take me awhile to look up the links you provided.
I doesn’t surprise me that the majority of evangelical christians might not believe it isn’t “absolutely necessary” to address global warming.
I am surprised that as little as 7% of “greator” scientists believe in God so it will ne interesting to see the basis of that estimate in the link you provided.
Thanks again for taking the time to supply the data.
I try and get back to you after I get a chance to read it.
My pleasure
nerdiah,
I was quickly able to find a link, in the American Scientist Online, http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/55593 to a study by Professor William B. Provine and Gregory W. Graffin (Life Sciences lecturer at UCLA) that, to my untrained eye, provides more than adeqate information to support it.
If you haven’t been to the studies site you might find it interesting:
2003 Cornell Evolution Project
http://www.polypterus.com/
I need to do so more research on the PEW group. From what I have read so far it is identified as a “conservative” think tank and any information they disseminte could be biased.
It is good to learn something new.
If anything, Pew would be left-leaning, not that it should matter. Short of falsifying their results outright, the only way I can think of that they could mess with their poll results is either using a biased sample or asking leading questions. Examining their report should reveal either or those.
As to the Cornell group’s study, I noticed something … odd about their work. I don’t want to hijack the thread, so I’ve stuck it on my own blog here.