tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23758043.post-22005389511862810592008-02-01T15:46:00.000-05:002008-02-01T15:46:00.000-05:00I think what AIG has done is that they have forced Christians everywhere to take a stand on Biblical issues and doctrines that were not so high in public debate before. It's the same thing that Darwin and other evolutionists forced on society many years ago, that is to take a stand. The truth is that Christians believe a lot of things that can't be proven with facts. It's the nature of Christianity to believe without seeing--faith. I don't know how old the earth is exactly, but I have taken a stand that, I guess, puts me into the Young Earth category. I have chosen this stand because I feel that it helps me to fight the spiritual strongholds in non-Christians minds. I live in Asia, and over here evolution is a rock-hard science. When I talk to people about Christ one of the first things that I have to address is that we are not descended from other life forms, that we were made by God. And then I always have to explain why death and sickness came into the world, Genesis 3. Hardly anyone in Asia has a sense of where they came from. Genesis is a valuable tool for missionaries in foreign countries. We have to build a foundation of origin in the native mind before they can even begin to understand why they need a saviour. I find that if I favor the old earth position that it lends a hand to thinking that is contrary to my efforts in evangelizing the foreign mind. If I say that the very foundations of the Bible are metaphoric or poetic I can actually feel a loss of confidence in my evangelism efforts. Derek, I know that you are well read and that you have a knack for understanding and explaining deep doctrinal issues. Your stand is that knowing the age of the earth is not important but that believing that God created it is important. I'm glad you've taken a stand. What I learn from your article is not so much about Genesis, but at some point we need to take a stand and be confident.Richard Robertshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02034966756781948066noreply@blogger.com