@Nic Samojluk: Nic, I appreciate your core summary of …

Comment on Gary Gilbert, Spectrum, and Pseudogenes by PhilCromwell.

@Nic Samojluk:

Nic, I appreciate your core summary of the views that Sean, and David and other are expressing. I am new coming here with a bible based perspective that does resonate with what you have said.

My only disagreement probably is that I am not sure that a divorce of the Church from LSU is going to be the best approach in the long term. I think there must be some way for bringing unity within the church short of simply chopping off institutions. I think we can trust Ted Wilson to help reformation in the schools. After all I do think the church should have loyal educational institutions to train its people. This site should be at the forefront in strategies to do that.

PhilCromwell Also Commented

Gary Gilbert, Spectrum, and Pseudogenes
@Sean Pitman: Sean you are so right although I think the authors you cite are wrong in their contention that the alu repeats are somehow important in evolution and recombination. Exonization of alu as you said is critical for the fine control of gene expression by inclusion of alu in mRNA. That there are a million copies that are maintained by retrotransposition in humans obviously means that there is many opportunity for alu to participate in this frequent and important process of gene regulation It is clearly designed to allow flexibility and fine control of gene expression. I agree though that their statements about the phylogeny of alu is really just a reflection of their preconceived ideas about evolutionary origins that doesnt even consider the design implied by the pervasive function.


Gary Gilbert, Spectrum, and Pseudogenes
@Bob Helm:
You will obviously have a better understanding than me but I thought that the Barthian neo-orthodoxy and fundamentalism were really both derivative of the enlightenment. My understanding was that higher criticism which was the enlightenment approach to scriptures led to a reaction with an emphasis on the fundamentals of Christian faith, a high view of scripture and a characterization of higher criticism as illegitate approach since scripture was beyond “scientific” investigation. In contrast neo-orthodoxy responded to the enlightenment by recognizing the legitimacy and findings of higher criticism but maintaining that Christian faith and the revelation of God does not come through scientific understanding or investigation but through a direct revelation from God or as you characterize it a leap of Faith.

Some in Adventism (including for example George Reid ) may not think we fit comfortably with fundamentalism particularly the foundational belief concerning scripture

The 66 books of the Bible are the written Word of God. The Bible is divinely inspired and inerrant throughout. Its assertions are factually true in all the original autographs. It is the supreme authority, not only in all matters of faith and conduct, but in everything it teaches. Its authority is not limited to spiritual, religious or redemptive themes but includes its assertions in such fields as history and science.

That is how Creation Ministries International phrase it. I do think that summarizes our belief as historical Adventists and as it is enshrined in our fundamental beliefs on inspiration of scripture. It is from that position that we must address questions on origins as Sean has done so well.


Recent Comments by PhilCromwell

Bringing the Real World to Genesis: Why Evolution is an Idea that Won’t Die—IV [A Review]
@Professor Kent:
Prof Kent you still do not appear to appreciate what Sean is trying to do here. You see him as simply attacking LSU’s atheistic scientists but you completely miss the point of what a Christian perspective on science and evidence is. He has been crystal clear all along that scientific evidence is not restricted to the self serving world view that is perpetuated in the peer reviewed literature but he is basing his empirical evidence that forms the basis for Christian belief on the scientific approach of hypothesis testing. This people anywhere can use and communicate if they wish whether that is on blogs twitter, books, videos or if you want the scientific literature. The value of the communication is not based on where it is but on the content. Anything that comes from a true understanding of God can build us up and is from God.
What he is doing is truly a great thing for Adventism, at least as far as I can see. He is in effect democratizing science by taking the kernel of science the true science that EG White talks about and is discarding the ossified thinking of scientists like Pauluc and yourself who seem to think that legitimate science is only what scientists do and which by an arbitrary definition assumes there is no God. Such science is very self referential and justified by a circular argument that says we assume there is no God and that we do not need him as an explanation. You then explain something without God and then say see there is no God as the cause. You are simply proving what you have already assumed. Smoke and mirrors. Experts and sophistry.
You seem to think that somehow Sean cannot use the original “scientific” literature because that would mean he has to accept everything in the “scientific” literature or even the premise of that literature. That is simply illogical. You don’t accept everything in your literature why hold him to a different standard. It is just that he has a different standard for judging that literature than you do.