Worldview - "I do not believe in the Bible as a divine revelation"

Darwin letter reveals, "I do not believe in the Bible"
Excerpt:

While many scholars believe Charles Darwin was an agnostic or even an atheist, it can be difficult to find hard evidence to back up those beliefs. He was reluctant to discuss religion and his writings are often silent on the issue. But now a simple one-sentence handwritten letter signed by the naturalist offers proof he did not believe in God. The letter, written 21 years after the publication of "The Origin of Species," was auctioned off Monday afternoon at Bonhams in New York. It fetched $197,000 at the auction, three times the previous record of $59,142 for a four-page letter that Darwin had penned to his niece. Darwin's letter is a reply to a young barrister named Francis McDermott, who wrote on November 23, 1880 with a very unusual request: "...If I am to have pleasure in reading your books I must feel that at the end I shall not have lost my faith in the New Testament. My reason in writing to you therefore is to ask you to give me a Yes or No to the question Do you believe in the New Testament."

McDermott continues by promising not to publicize Darwin's reply in the "theological papers."

The next day Darwin responded. He wasn't brusque but he was to the point and left no doubt about his beliefs, stating: "Dear Sir, I am sorry to have to inform you that I do not believe in the Bible as a divine revelation & therefore not in Jesus Christ as the son of God. Yours faithfully." McDermott promised not to publish the correspondence and he kept to his word. The letter was unknown to scholars for over 100 years.

Comment: It's called a presupposition

We watched "Expelled" today

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

Kathee and I watched Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed today and I wanted to post some brief comments:

What is is not:

1. It does not promote Biblical creationism or
   
2. A "young earth" view of creation
   
3. It is not a Christian film
   

It's value:

1. It exposes the holes in Darwin's hypothesis.
   
2. Ben Stein exposes the academic bias against scientists who believe in Intelligent Design.
   
3. It explains that the above is a "free speech" issue.
   
4. It explains the incredible complexity of a single cell.
   
5. It exposes the presuppositional worldview of evolutionists and how true evolutionism is atheistic
   
6. It exposes the hostility of mainstream science against Christianity. People who believe in creation are called "insane" and "stupid".
   
7. It demonstrates cabal of science and the mainstream media in the promulgation of evolutionism.
   
8. It shows the link between evolutionism and the death industry (Planned Parenthood, etc)
   
9. It shows the link between evolutionary thought and the murderous engine of Nazi Germany
   

What did we think? First our own view: We are Biblical creationists (young earth (don't ask me how young as I don't know) creationists. We found it very valuable. There was nothing really new but it was nicely assembled and well presented. One highlight was the extraction (by Ben Stein) of the shocking conclusion about the origin of life held by Richard Dawkins. What that is, in my view, a giant leap of faith: "Popular author and atheist Richard Dawkins tells Ben Stein in this film that there could have been a designer of life on earth, but it would have had to have been “a higher intelligence” that had itself evolved “to a very high level . . . and seeded some form of life on this planet.”" Quoted from Myths about 'Expelled'.

The appropriate audience for this film would be High School students and above. We highly recommend it.

Other reviews:


EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed
CT: Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed