MyThoughtWorld.com

In ages past, Europe was one of the great bastions of Christianity. But as Europe shifted its thinking from the Medieval to the “Modern” mindset, Christianity lost its hold on the European consciousness.

This was a gradual transformation, but some of the greatest challenges to Christianity included: sectarian wars and unending polemics over doctrine; various revolutions throughout Europe which overthrew traditional institutions on that continent; and the Enlightenment, which thoroughly cast a shadow of doubt over the traditional institutions, which “the Church” had become.

I don’t want to oversimplify here, because several volumes could be written on each of these topics, but the effect of these and various other “movements” has left Europe an “empty fortress” when it comes to matters of God.

However, a recent Fox News article tells the story of how some Christians, namely Creationists, may be gaining ground in Europe. The article tells more than one side of the story, with quotes from people favorable to the “young-earth Creation” view alongside opponents of that view.

In the institutions of Europe and in the United States, it has been made quite clear that creationists are not welcome. It is amazing how in a few hundred years, people from an institution responsible for the very foundations of societies and civilizations (Christianity) are now greeted with bitter polemic from humanists occupying lofty positions in the great institutions of thinking throughout the world.

In the United States, one of the rights we are guaranteed is free speech. Speech laws are different in nations across the Atlantic, but England is by no means a dictatorship. Probably one of the greatest tactics of radicals on either end of the spectrum is to entirely shut down “the free flow of ideas.” Lots of ideas can really be a good thing; they are the source of creativity and innovation-and obviously some will be superior to others. But we can’t know that unless we discuss them. If the ideas of creationists are “stupid” as Richard Dawkins says in the posted article (just read his words), why not allow people to talk about those ideas freely in the classroom without ridicule? Why not allow students to take their best shots at Evolution? If it is true, it will have no problem standing up to any kind of attack.

What is there to be afraid of? If all the best arguments of the creationists and the evolutionists were placed side by side and not misrepresented, people can easily make up their own minds about the issue. If the evolutionist wants to believe what he believes, who is to stop him?

Suppose someone invented something TRULY useful to you, and they had an entirely different viewpoint from you? Would that prevent you from using the invention? I would hope not. So why would you reject a good idea, even a TRUE idea just because it came from someone of an entirely different point of view? To wit, creationists have plenty of thought-provoking and challenging arguments; I know that evolutionists have had thought-provoking ideas too.

Now, I know free thought doesn’t apply to many places in the world, but schools and universities should be those kind of places. Unfortunately, they’re not and there aren’t really any valid reasons given for why this is the case.

If creationist ideas are as dumb as many evolutionists make them out to be, then people would be able to sort that out wouldn’t they? Why not let people make up their own minds about the issue? The reality is, whether those high up in institutions like it or not, new ideas, or controversial ideas, even if unaccepted, will always find their way in. They will always find sympathizers, and those with open minds will be able to sort it all out for themselves. Real evidence will speak for itself, and good arguments are persuasive. Let the best ideas win. –Chris of themuseandthescribe.com

While we’re on this topic, after you finish this, please check out the trailer for a new documentary coming out, called “Expelled” with Ben Stein:

Categories: philosophy
Tags: Creationism, Darwinism, Evolutionism, Features, free thought, Humanism, philosophy