On Tuesday February 4th the Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky hosted a debate between Ken Ham and Bill Nye. Both men and well known and respected in their various fields. If you haven't watched the debate, you can watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6kgvhG3AkI
Having watched a good chunk of the debate and read lots about it, let me venture a few thoughts:
1. I think every Christian should watch the debate and think CRITICALLY.
Yes, there were things Bill Nye said that challenged me. That is something I'm not afraid to admit. We should never approach things with an airtight seal. If we believe in the truth of a particular position (I do believe in a young earth creation position), we should be willing to be challenged.
What happens when you research those opposed to your position? It helps you understand where they're coming from and it furthers your belief in your own position because you have to do the work yourself. I would have been disappointed if Ken Ham would have spoon fed all the responses to Bill Nye's points. There's an element of challenge and growth (similar to writing a paper) that comes when you process information on your own.
2. Human reason needs God's reasoning.
I want to point you to Al Mohler's response to the debate. It is a bit lengthy but well worth your read.
He basically says that man's faulty understanding of things is in need of God's perfect understanding.
3. I have no interest in calling anyone names. I'm glad these two men didn't either.
While these two men showed great respect for each other, many proponents of both views fail miserably in this area. This is one of the most baffling parts of this particular debate and the debate in larger culture. Let me plead with you to use your mind and think through your position rather than just calling names of people who disagree with you.
Maybe in 3rd grade calling names out of frustration woud have flown, but c'mon adults, show that you can respect people who disagree with you!
No matter what side of the debate you're on, respect for the other side is something I'd encourage: especially for the Christian, who is called to show love for those in opposition.
I hope these few thoughts will stimulate your mind. I certainly encourage you to take the time to watch the debate. Watch it with your family and go through the arguments. Look up responses and build your defense exactly how Ken Ham did - on God's Word, not man's.
In Christ,
Pastor Kevin
1 Comments
Feb 27, 2014
Great post Kevin. I did not watch the debate, but I have heard Ken Ham speak before. I thought Mohler summarized it best: they could not rebuttal each other's arguments, because it was not really about the means of creation, but about acknowledging if there is a creator or not. It is a clash of worldviews, and I think both Ham and Nye even said there is really nothing they could hear which could change their minds.