"Oh bull! That's not true!" I thought with much chagrin. I was listening to the radio in my car. The station was a Christian radio station; the program on air was about defending the scriptures and supporting the creation doctrine against the theory of evolution and some other claims of science, e.g. the age of the earth. To my annoyance the person on air had very little real appreciation of the scriptures he was supposedly explaining.
Some alcoholics lose their short term memory, permanently. It is called Korsakoffs. Their alcoholic lifestyle depletes so many brain cells for short term memory storage they can not remember what clothes they wore yesterday, or what they had for breakfast, they would not know whether they had breakfast. In order to fill in the blanks they make up something to fit, confabulation is the technical name. That is what I discerned the speaker on the radio doing; confabulating to make up for the voids in his biblical knowledge and understanding. Disclaiming with a smirk in his voice some basic claims of science, trying to instil confidence into the listeners in the face of the (apparent) rebuttals science has for the bible.
What could I do? I have zeal for the scriptures and hated knowing the absurdity spoken, that many believing listeners would take on board those words thus channelling their minds and thinking into a misunderstanding. It would be similar to when people believed the world was flat. When it was suggested it was not on the basis of observable phenomena the bible was brought into bear, e.g. Rev.20:8 "...at the four corners of the earth.", hence the earth must be flat like a table top with four corners! (Have they not heard of non-Euclidian geometry?)
The bible has always said that the earth is round. Isaiah 40:22 "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth …" Also Prov.8:27 and Job 26:10 speak of God scribing a circle on the face of the waters or deep and this has to do with the earth, but more on that later.
Unfortunately, just as when people believed the earth was flat, misconception enforces misinterpretation and vice versa. Even when people have the facts right there is a tendency to become puffed up about it, how much more when the conceit is the basis for their faith!?
It is from my vehement anger at this stupidity came the motivation to write this book. Another book on creation and evolution. How much demand is there for another book addressing the scripture and science issue; would it even be published? But I am constrained to write nevertheless.
This book is on science and scripture, and creation versus evolution, but it is about so much more. In order to adequately address the issue a fairly diverse range are either considered or mentioned; the Christian universe is big, more than currently under the scope of science. Perhaps some would say that I have cast my net far too wide but when sliced open the bible divulges a lot, it may be I have caught some whoppers. Aside from a smattering of scientific bits the range touches on theology, good and evil, pain and suffering; lords and gods, UFOs, biblical dark speak and the foibles and nature of people. If a tree is studied in the forest then not only that tree is looked at but the forest is looked at overall, what other trees are next to the tree under study- how they compete for light and nutrients etc. What are the pests and parasites that attack the tree, what symbiotic relationships does the tree have what is the climate and so on. Some of the items I did not have an inkling that I would be writing about when I began to write. Some points in some areas are developed more just for interest sake. There are also times I have speculated further about some matters, maybe it is wild speculation. If it is at least see it as speculative, I have not stated it as a fact.
In the writing of the manuscript with its range of areas covered I hope to have made it readable to most, any technical terms are explained simply. Perhaps the theologian, the philosopher and the scientist will be dissatisfied in places being used to a stricter and more exact language. The lay person might also consider there is a lack of clear communication. In some matters not all the particular ins and outs are exhaustively explored. This may have left some holes thus the arguments are technically open to attack in ways which a tighter, more detailed and considerably longer manuscript would not be. To thoroughly sew up the case would make for a tedious read; therefore in places a broader thematic treatment has been opted for. In any case it is here to anyone willing to read it.
In refuting the "Fundies" and their misinterpretation the bible is used. The very verses these Wooden Literalists use are also used and explained. (This undertaking has honed my own biblical knowledge and understanding.) Perhaps at times this expose takes on an exhortatory or sermon-like tone. This is to be expected in dealing with the scriptures and their intrinsic nature. 2Tim. 3:16-17 makes known that the inspired scriptures are profitable for teaching, reproving, correction, and training in righteousness thereby equipping the man of God for every good work. The passages of scripture have specific applications and when these passages have their meaning exposed their application comes with the territory.
This book will not attempt to prove with science why the magnitudes of time are reckoned with such vastness nor go into the scientific case for evolution and whether we are descended from apes. Rather this book will look to the Bible on these points and whether there is a categorical impossibility for evolution and the millions and billions of years attributed for the earlier events. In the main the discoveries of science are taken as factual in so far as they go. After all considering evolution as probably factual and the earth and cosmos more ancient than six thousand years necessarily mean disbelief of the scriptures as such? The author does not believe so, yet if the bible is true surely it can be shown that ultimately the facts do not disprove it. And by the same vein, the facts will be put into context.
This book will look at the bible generally and particular passages specifically, drawing out with understanding the meaning of the texts; the meanings of the texts themselves show how relevant they are to the debate. This book will elaborate the Christian universe. Like modern chemistry to alchemy the correct methodology when spelt out shows the false as false. If all the convolutions and wanderings of the alchemist were explained then the reasons given why these are wrong turnings and erroneous ideas the corrections would have to be every which way. However once the true fundamental principles have been appreciated there is no need to state the elaborations of a false philosophy. In like manner I will not go deeply into what the other sides say; it may seem that I speak little about the Gap Theory, or the claim that it was the Flood that killed off the dinosaurs, or even the claimed topic of the book evolution and science regarding the scriptures. This would be akin to the alchemist upon hearing nothing about the philosopher's stone or the elixir of life in modern chemistry wondering why not and thinking chemistry has gone astray. It has always been alchemy and the alchemist off the track. The points made in the book will be "proved" with the bible, so please forgive the multitude of scriptures.
The ear tests words as the palate tastes food. The ear is not just the organ for hearing but the attention to listening, the analysing, the critiquing and weighing up what is said with what is known. Some of the greatest amounts of complexity in human life revolve around words and communication. Opposite extremes in meaning can hinge on subtle nuances. A slight miss reading can give a widely different interpretation to a matter. Slightly different intonations or choices of words disclose an altogether different spirit. Now out of all the wild creatures the serpent is the most cunning and knows the exact words and intonation to use in order to deceive.
However the Word of God is active, sharper than any double edged sword, able to slice between the soul and spirit, ab1e to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. We have been given the Sword of the Spirit; that is the Word of God; we have at our disposal something finer and more subtle than the intelligence of the Enemy. With it we confute and confound his works, for we are not ignorant of his designs. It is my hope that this book will establish the truth with what it has to do. It is my hope that believers will have their belief furthered (and their misconceptions squashed), and that non-believers become believers.
Bon Voyage.

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