Comment on Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation by Sean Pitman.
@Ron:
The founding fathers did indeed argue against creeds, organization, and church government of any kind. However, they soon discovered the impracticality of this position and changed their minds. They all, including Mrs. White, ended up supporting standards of church order and government, to include the adoption of rules of enforcement particularly in regard to who could officially represent the church in a paid capacity.
Of course, those who were not considered to accurately represent the views of the early SDA Church did not receive “cards of commendation”. In other words, they were let go from church employment. And what was the attitude of such persons? – according to Loughborough?:
Of course those who claimed “liberty to do as they pleased,” to “preach what they pleased,” and to “go when and where they pleased,” without “consultation with any one,” failed to get cards of commendation. They, with their sympathizers, drew off and commenced a warfare against those whom they claimed were “depriving them of their liberty.” Knowing that it was the Testimonies that had prompted us as a people to act, to establish “order,” these opponents soon turned their warfare against instruction from that source, claiming that “when they got that gift out of the way, the message would go unrestrained to its `loud cry.’ ”
One of the principal claims made by those who warred against organization was that it “abridged their liberty and independence, and that if one stood clear before the Lord that was all the organization needed,” etc… All the efforts made to establish order are considered dangerous, a restriction of rightful liberty, and hence are feared as popery.”
Loughborough, JN. Testimonies for the Church. p. 650. Vol. 1.
It seems to me like you have the same attitude as those who where excluded from being paid representatives of the early SDA Church by our founding fathers…
Also, the fact that Mrs. White clearly claimed to have been shown, directly by God, the literal nature of the Genesis account of the creation week, completely undermines any leeway you could possibly claim in her writings for the neo-Darwinist position. The neo-Darwinist position is fundamentally opposed to the SDA position on origins and always has been. It is also opposed to the rationality and credibility of Christianity in general.
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
Sean Pitman Also Commented
Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation
@Ron:
So, now all of a sudden, you DO believe in Darwinian evolution. Have you talked to Bob about that? Is he going to allow you to stay in the church?
There is no “all of a sudden” about it. We’ve believed in very limited forms of evolution via random mutations all along. Mendelian variation has also always been accepted as a fact of nature by creationists. I’m still not quite sure how you could have concluded otherwise?
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation
@Ron:
Why then are you arguing against us? If you are perfectly content with a literal six day creation week, then where is your argument with us? We are all fine with the existence of very limited forms of Darwinian-style evolution occurring at low levels of functional complexity since the Fall. Our only problem is with those teaching in our schools telling our students that the neo-Darwinian story of origins, to include the existence and evolution of all forms of life on this planet, from a very simple common ancestor over hundreds of millions of years, is the true story of origins – that the literal six-day creation week is nonsense. That’s what we’re having a problem with.
If you agree with us in this regard, what then is your concern?
Sean Pitman
www.DetectingDesign.com
Walla Walla University: The Collegian Debates Evolution vs. Creation
@Ron:
Of course things change in real time, via random mutations and natural selection, in a Darwinian manner, within certain limits (limits which I have detailed for you numerous times now).
How this has not been made clear to you before now is beyond me. Creationists do not reject all forms of Darwinian-style evolution! Where on Earth did you get that idea?
If you really do want more detailed information regarding the limits of what Darwinian-style evolution can achieve, please do visit my website at:
www.DetectingDesign.com
Sean Pitman
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