Do We Want to “Eliminate” Other Beliefs?

AiG:

I find it unnerving that you and some other Christian groups are so determined to eliminate any thinking or belief that’s not in line with your own.

Is your faith really that weak that you must be so discomfited by not managing to have every person in America (or the world) share it?

Why not just love God instead of hating “sinners”? If you don’t want to have premarital sex don’t have it. Why try to “save” everyone? If people start following your religion out of social pressure, is that an exercise of faith, or an exercise of herd mentality?

—M. (age 44), San Francisco, California

Dear M.:

Thank you for your email. As someone who once embraced the evolution worldview, I am taking the opportunity to respond to you.

Several years ago, I decided to use whatever critical thinking skills I possessed to examine both sides of the origins issue and to question what I really knew about evolution. I had not been isolated from evolution teaching—I had been taught evolution in my public schools and accepted it. Soon, my interpretation of the scientific evidence changed. For example, the incredible intricacy of our universe and of living things clearly showed the handiwork of a Designer, not the randomness of mindless evolutionary processes. My careful study confirmed in my mind that the Bible I had been questioning (because of my belief in evolution) could be trusted.

Therefore, my beliefs did not come out of any “herd mentality.” I was an evolutionist—until I started to think for myself. I decided I would not uncritically accept what my public schools and science museums in Los Angeles were telling me. Furthermore, I now recognize that all of us have biases and preconceptions that affect our interpretation of evidence. But I came to the conclusion that the Book of Genesis makes much more sense of what we observe in the world than On the Origin of Species.

Why, then, are we attempting to share the gospel and see people saved? Because we are commanded by Christ to do so (Matthew 28:19–20). As Christians here at the Creation Museum and Answers in Genesis, we have a love for sinners—not a hate for them. We want to see them saved in the same way we have been gloriously saved.

We truly have a burden for people who will be lost in a Christ-less eternity if they reject the gospel. Our desire to present the gospel through the Creation Museum, website, books, DVDs, magazines, etc. is out of concern for people and their personal relationship with the God of the universe. We want them to experience the joy that comes from receiving and serving Christ and the eternal life that Christians will enjoy in Christ.

Now, we are far from perfect—Christians are sinners, too. But the difference is that we have forgiveness of our sins through Jesus Christ. And we want others to receive God’s forgiveness.

With respect, you have misunderstood our intent. We are not trying to “eliminate” anti-Christian beliefs from society. You will not, for example, see Answers in Genesis going to the courts, legislatures, school boards, etc. to try to influence how the teaching of origins is conducted in public schools. At the same time, I should point out that it is Christianity that has been eliminated (to use your word) from the culture, especially in public schools. Frankly, because evolution is the dominant worldview, we believe that all students should understand it—but understand it warts and all.

By the way, as Christianity is gradually removed from the public arena, it is not being replaced by a “neutral” worldview. Secular humanism—a non-theistic religion—is equally religious, for it purports to explain all of life without God. In essence, one religion is being replaced by another.

Please spend more time on our website to find out what we really believe—and what we actually propose. Here are a few articles I would suggest you read to get you started:

• Creation in Public Schools?!
• What’s the Best “Proof” of Creation?
• What Does It Mean to Be “Saved”?
• Can Public Schools Be “Neutral”?

With Kind Regards,
Mark

[Editor’s note: In a follow-up email, and after being contacted by Answers in Genesis, “M” apologized for portions of the original email, writing that the first “message to you was sort of rude.” But there was no retraction of “M’s” belief that groups like AiG were determined to eliminate any thinking or belief not in line with our views. “M” added that as “Christian beliefs are really taking off with a lot of younger people, I begin to wonder if I am going to have these kids burn me at the stake some day.”

We will not comment on that new charge, other than to note that the claim is so bizarre that it speaks for itself about the writer’s own hostility towards Christianity.]