I've read many an application of religious principles in the last few years, from the bizarre to the beautiful. (Ah, the joys of the bloggernacle!) The Baron wrote an excellent series on science & religion earlier this year, refuting the 'it can only be one or the other' fallacy. I hadn't realized just how deeply some people out there are firm in their position that anything that says the earth is more than 6500 years old is a ploy by Satan to steal our souls and destroy all faith in a Creator. Until a recent e-mail exchange, that is.

Now I believe.

Walking with Dinosaurs has an upcoming special show in our area for school groups, seniors and Mom's clubs for a third of the regular admission ticket price. Exciting news, no? It's only logical that Misty* (names have been changed) immediately sent the info on to her friends in the homeschool group. The following response she got from Janet* lacked much in the way of logic. [Italics indicate my thoughts while reading. You really should go check out Eric D. Snider-he does this so much better than I. But I didn't let that stop me from stealing the format]

    " Wait a minute.  This is supposed to be a Christian homeschool group, right? [This is a homeschool group that has some Christian members--there's a difference] To support an evolution based program is wrong.  Evolution's main goal is to disprove the existence of God. [I must have missed that day in school] It has done nothing but try to destroy any belief in God and Him as the Creator. [Lazy lazy evolution, not getting that job done, apparently]  As Christians, we should not be supporting this.  All we would be doing is giving our money to help further the cause of the evolution movement. [Or contributing to the minimum wage for guys pushing the fake volcanoes around] Science proves Creation. [I must have missed this day in Church--who knew I played hooky so much?] Evolution is a fantasy land that has degredated our societies belief in Who God really is.  I pray that you guys take a look at God's Word and realize how evil evolution is.  We would be terrible witnesses to be associated with anything that purposely denounced God. [Subliminal messages in the roars, maybe?]  I only say this out of love.  But, we as Christians need not to get caught up in the world's viewpoints and we need to stick out out of the crowd and go the opposite way of main stream thinking.[I do love conforming to non-conformity]"

This couldn't go uncontested of course, lest Misty* get the impression she had led us all into temptation with the dino e-mail.

     "If you don't like dinosaurs, no one is forcing you to read any e-mails or visit websites or go to a basketball arena filled with giant animatronic reptiles and fake volcanoes.
 
Blanket denouncements of people who study dinosaurs (or other science subjects you may disagree with) as evil and anti-God are fallacious and misleading. I personally find such behavior to be offensive, unChristlike, and wholly ineffective in trying to spread His light. Please respect others as you wish to be respected yourself."

Apparently, writing this revealed my true character as an unChristian who doesn't know the facts about evolution, trying to stop Janet* from preaching truth just like Jesus did.  To be fair, perhaps it shouldn't have taken me by surprise.

Janet* replied with an even more stupefying rant.

  "I was under the impression that this was a Christian homeschool group. Are you not one, so it offends you?  Or are you a Christian who believes in evolution?  Whether you are a Christian or not, my job as one is to speak the truth.  I answer to God the Father, not you.  If I am led by God to speak truth to those around me, whether they are Christians or not, then that is what I am going to do.  What is un-Christian is being a Christian and supporting evolution. [Oh, these were rhetorical questions. It doesn't matter whether I say I'm Christian or not, because if I disagree with her, I'm not]
 
I do believe in dinos, so don't put words in my mouth. [Oops, I missed that missing statement in your first e-mail]  But I believe in them the way that God intended and created. [Tell us about it, Janet*]

My comments are not un-Christian like.  The problem is that Christians do not stand up for what is right anymore.  Not taking stands against things that are so ungodly is the un-Christian way to do things.  Christ spread His light, but was also bold and to the point and did not back down when those around were mislead.  He sure wasn't encouraging to the money changers in the Temple when He overthrew their tables. [I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be the money changer or if that's the good bad folks at the BBC]  
 
My views are not blanket. [Okay, we'll take off the blanket] They are proven by God's Word and also Science.  Evolution is anti-God.  No matter what you believe, it is anti-God. [Welcome back, Jane's* blanket!] What is offensive, however, are people who profess to be believers, but fall in to such worldly trains of thought, such as supporting evolution.  More than just spreading God's love, the truth needs to be spread, and spread boldly.  Jesus Christ offended people all the time by speaking the truth.  That is why they wanted Him dead. [I hope this isn't a Messiah Complex in the making] 
 
I never said anything derogatory against anyone who studies dinosaurs. [Just people who buy tickets?] I follow a man online (Dr. Dino) who does study dinos with Christian principles.  I know they existed.  The Bible speaks of them. [I missed this day in Sunday School. Anyone? Anyone?]  But, evolutionists are completely wrong.  It is my job as a Christian to speak the truth.  That is what Christ did.  He didn't only speak of God's love.  He stood up against things that were wrong.  I am respecting others in my opinion.  I care enough to speak the truth. [You're evil, you're wrong, you're working against God. But I respect you because I care enough to make sure you know you that you're evil, wrong and working against God]

My belief in evolution being evil, is not based on my opinion.  Study the facts.  Study out what evolution really is.  Study out the roots.  You will see how evil it really is.  My beliefs are educated, not just my opinion. [But if your beliefs aren't mine then your beliefs are evil uneducated opinions]"

The group's co-leaders followed up with explanations of how we are all sisters in Christ, believe Him to be our Savior, and Christians aren't all in agreement on every point of doctrine. Much nicer responses than I had going at that point, I should say. Undaunted, Janet* shot back.

   "The problem is that Christians do not make a big enough issue about subjects like these. [I've never liked straining at gnats myself] That is why Christianity is in the toilet these days. [Some disturbing imagery there] That is why there is the lukewarm church. [Because of attending giant dinosaur shows--oh my]     It is exactly what Satan wants.  He wants division amongst the Church.  I cannot believe that in my lifetime, I would ever get into a disagreement amongst Christians over a topic that has been so profoundly anti-God. [If it was before her birth or after her death, then it might be different]"

Janet* ranted on, citing biblical precedent for not sugar-coating anything because "Christ told people they were wrong all the time, so He could point them in the direction to be more like Him" and "Paul was very harsh to Peter when Peter went back to the Law and told him to quit following it".  She writes that "most dinos, as the evolutionists have made them up, are not accurate"; how "you're trying to apply things from the Bible to fit your worldly decisions"; a bad analogy of how "someone who is a counterfeit $ expert, does not study counterfeit $"; and that we have hard hearts because we "are not fearlessly studying the Word" and our pastors are not "teaching correctly" or else we would have been "taught correctly".

Janet* concluded that she will not be a part of our wicked, worldly group any longer. [And there was much rejoicing in the land...]