Evangelicals full of fear

[oxmixmudd]

Can one be an evangelical and a credible historian or scientist? I think the answer is obviously yes.

Unfortunately many evangelicals think no. If one enters the field of biology or history, he may run into things which are condemned on Sunday. That person can either remain silent and avoid the evidence and be a good Christian, or proceed on the evidence and be a good historian or scientist.

Fea looked at history and found some things which are unflattering to the ego and pride; he also did not lose his faith, from what I know. He also wrote and taught about those things.

A "real Christian" would remain silent on those things?

This is basically what is expected. Evangelicals carry with them a certain demand for a certain reading of scripture. As a result many are young earth and believe that a 'true' CHristian will deny what the data tells us about the age of the Earth, or the history of life on the earth. And that basic approach spills over into nearly every element of study and learning. From the disparities in the many texts of the scriptures themselves, to history, to psychology,. If there is a perceived conflict between what they think the bible is telling them and what the data shows, the will assume the data is wrong. This creates a vacuum that is easily filled with conspiracy theories that claim some sort of group effort by science and scientists to deceive the world about the truth as an explanation for why that data appears to contradict what they think the Bible is telling them. And this has set the stage perfectly for what we see today in the Evangelical community regarding anti vax, anti global warming, anti evolution - a generalized anti science, anti knowledge undercurrent that plays right into the rhetoric of the political right. It is why my wife's Facebook is constantly filled with the most absurd conspiracy theories about global warming, the corona viruscetc etc. And this deep seated distrust of knowledge and science makes it virtually impossible to offer any sort of rational pushback against it. Even if the person pushing back believes in the authority and inspiration of the Bible and is in fact an evangelical by any historical definition of the word.

[Cow Poke]

Can one be an evangelical and a credible historian or scientist? I think the answer is obviously yes.

Absolutely! Is a historian necessarily an Evangelical just because Charles says he is? Not so much.

Try to focus - this is about Charles' claim that Fea, himself, is an Evangelical, when Fea is actually an individual who makes his life writing articles, blogging, and making speeches critical of Evangelicals.

[lilpixieofterror]

Absolutely! Is a historian necessarily an Evangelical just because Charles says he is? Not so much.

Try to focus - this is about Charles' claim that Fea, himself, is an Evangelical, when Fea is actually an individual who makes his life writing articles, blogging, and making speeches critical of Evangelicals.

Ironically, elitist attitudes are one of the reasons academics are losing respect among the GP.

[Cow Poke]

Ironically, elitist attitudes are one of the reasons academics are losing respect among the GP.

I think that's exactly what this is. The guy has a thing for Evangelicals, so let's claim he's "an Evangelical himself" to give him some false credence.

[Cow Poke]

And SHEESH, the EXTRAORDINARILY LARGE BRUSH being used to paint Evangelicals in order to try to justify this crap is a little surprising.

[lilpixieofterror]

And SHEESH, the EXTRAORDINARILY LARGE BRUSH being used to paint Evangelicals in order to try to justify this crap is a little surprising.

Somebody has to be the great evil, even when Evangelicals are not a denomination and can have some pretty wide range in theology beliefs and practices. I’ve seen some pretty hard core fundamentalist Evangelicals and some pretty liberal ones.

[Cow Poke]

John Fea committed the unforgivable sin of diverging from the NRA line. Everything else I have seen points to Fea being an evangelical and an orthodox Christian. (but only if a real Christian can be opposed to Trump)

You guys have really lost your marbles. I see NOBODY here claiming Fea is not a Christian, and for you to jump to that conclusion shows what how incredibly disingenuous you can be.

Either that, or you're dumber than a stump.

[Watermelon]

I think that's exactly what this is. The guy has a thing for Evangelicals, so let's claim he's "an Evangelical himself" to give him some false credence.

So what would’ve been be your thoughts on the OP if Fea had been an actual Evangelist? Any different if Fea isn’t an Evangelist

[Mountain Man]

So what would’ve been be your thoughts on the OP if Fea had been an actual Evangelist? Any different if Fea isn’t an Evangelist

He's just some guy with an opinion. You can take it or leave it.

[oxmixmudd]

This is basically what is expected. Evangelicals carry with them a certain demand for a certain reading of scripture. As a result many are young earth and believe that a 'true' CHristian will deny what the data tells us about the age of the Earth, or the history of life on the earth. And that basic approach spills over into nearly every element of study and learning. From the disparities in the many texts of the scriptures themselves, to history, to psychology,. If there is a perceived conflict between what they think the bible is telling them and what the data shows, the will assume the data is wrong. This creates a vacuum that is easily filled with conspiracy theories that claim some sort of group effort by science and scientists to deceive the world about the truth as an explanation for why that data appears to contradict what they think the Bible is telling them. And this has set the stage perfectly for what we see today in the Evangelical community regarding anti vax, anti global warming, anti evolution - a generalized anti science, anti knowledge undercurrent that plays right into the rhetoric of the political right. It is why my wife's Facebook is constantly filled with the most absurd conspiracy theories about global warming, the corona viruscetc etc. And this deep seated distrust of knowledge and science makes it virtually impossible to offer any sort of rational pushback against it. Even if the person pushing back believes in the authority and inspiration of the Bible and is in fact an evangelical by any historical definition of the word.

NPR's "Hidden brain" had a very interesting program on how we determine what sources we trust and what sources we do not trust. It is very relevant to this discussion, but it's not a short program, it will require about 35 minutes of your time:

https://www.npr.org/2019/07/18/74319...-false-beliefs

As for those sources Evangelicals tend to trust against and over science and knowlege:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_..._a_young_Earth

Source: above

A 2017 Gallup creationism survey found that 38% of adults in the United States inclined to the view that "God created humans in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years" when asked for their views on the origin and development of human beings, which Gallup noted was the lowest level in 35 years.[15]

© Copyright Original Source

https://religionunplugged.com/news/2...eve-its-a-hoax

Source: above

Of white evangelicals surveyed, 37 percent said they believe there’s no solid evidence the planet is getting warmer — this is higher than all other religious groups polled.

© Copyright Original Source

Note this is just getting warmer, not mankind is causing it to get warmer.

Anti-vax is far more widespread than just Evangelicals, but is part of their anti-science cadre and they contain more by percentage than the general population. In addition, is is in fact a Republican problem along with climate change denial. The Trump base includes a lot of Evangelicals, and their anti-science bias has influenced it a good bit:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-an...lican-epidemic

We are seeing the "5G is why corona virus is so bad" also filling up the facebook pages of those evangelical Christians we are close to.

Anti-science/conspiratorial dogma is rampant in the Evangelical communicty, especially on internet feeds from them and through their connections. This is simply a reality, perhaps an uncomfortable one, but a reality none-the-less. And we see that influence in nearly every thread that touches on science here and in Nat Sci.

[Cow Poke]

So what would’ve been be your thoughts on the OP if Fea had been an actual Evangelist? Any different if Fea isn’t an Evangelist

You mean Evangelical? You guys don't even know the terminology!

[lilpixieofterror]

So what would’ve been be your thoughts on the OP if Fea had been an actual Evangelist? Any different if Fea isn’t an Evangelist

What if frogs had wings?

[oxmixmudd]

Somebody has to be the great evil, even when Evangelicals are not a denomination and can have some pretty wide range in theology beliefs and practices. I’ve seen some pretty hard core fundamentalist Evangelicals and some pretty liberal ones.

And within the Evangelical community, which does indeed span a large number of denominations (my own cadre of Evangelical Friends covers everything from Church of Christ to indpendent Charismatic, with a large number of your standard SBC, UMC, Assemblies of God, etc, etc. in between) The Evangelical community is broad and ecumenical in many ways. But they also are prone to the sorts of scientific illiteracy, fear, and conspiratorial nonsense I'm talking about. I've lived in it over 60 years, and my singing has put me in touch with just about every single significant expression of it.

[Sparko]

As an atheist myself, I think atheists are all hate-filled bigots who live just to destroy Christianity.

[lilpixieofterror]

And within the Evangelical community, which does indeed span a large number of denominations (my own cadre of Evangelical Friends covers everything from Church of Christ to indpendent Charismatic, with a large number of your standard SBC, UMC, Assemblies of God, etc, etc. in between) The Evangelical community is broad and ecumenical in many ways. But they also are prone to the sorts of scientific illiteracy, fear, and conspiratorial nonsense I'm talking about. I've lived in it over 60 years, and my singing has put me in touch with just about every single significant expression of it.

And I’ve lived and traveled all over and scientific illiteracy, fear, and conspiracy theories exist in all ideological views. Ask 10 random people to name one of Newton’s laws of motion, tell you the 9 planets, or explain why the sky is blue. How many can get all three?