Friday, May 11, 2007

Don’t allow evidence to infringe faith, ever.

Bob’s callers were this afternoon reacting to ABC’s “Nightline” piece featuring Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron.

One female caller, gushing enthusiasm for what she hoped had happened but didn't, said Dr. Grady McMurtry would have argued more forcefully than did Comfort and Cameron for the young earth creation position. Bob agreed strongly.

Dr. McMurtry is Bob’s star performer on young earth creation and a literal reading of the bible. While Dr. McMurtry was again holding forth on Bob’s program, September 10, 2002, Lynn from St. Clair Shores called and asked how to resolve conflicts between scripture and science.

My recording of the exchange captured Dr. McMurtry’s reply: “We should never substitute evidence for faith but what we are showing is that we have an evidence-based faith. The apostle Paul said Christians are supposed to have a reasoned, logical evidence-based faith -- that we don’t substitute evidence for faith but we do have a reasonable, logical evidence-based faith in what we believe and this of course is what we are all about -- and our first filter should always be a Breaean filter -- Acts 17:11 -- the accommodation to the Breaeans that they first checked everything against the word of God; if it didn’t line up it was rejected. If it was lined up, it was accepted, and that is our first filter.”

So Grady, the scientist, says, filter it. “...if [evidence] lines up with the word of God,” we are to accept it, if not reject it.

People on the creation side say they want their view presented in the schools. Science types, hard-boiled folks they are, say such adulteration would degrade and damage the discipline of science.

Grady with his "filter” is just what they are talking about.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've heard "Doctor" Grady McMurtry on the show more times than I can count. Bob always introduces him as a "former evolutionary scientist turned creation scientist". Now, this statement gives you the impression that McMurtry holds a Ph.D. in biology (or similar field) and actually studied and/or researched evolutionary biology. Of course, the evidence doesn't support this.

First of all, McMurtry's own bio shows that his doctorate is not the result of a study of science, but rather a Doctor of Divinity degree. Furthermore, the degree was issued by a mysterious place called "School of Theology" in Columbus, Georgia. McMurtry's bachelors and masters degrees are in agriculture and environmental science, respectively. Neither indicate a serious study of evolutionary biology.

I urge Bob's listeners to keep all of this in mind when Bob puffs up McMurtry's qualifications. There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that McMurtry was some hard core evolutionary scientist who, after years of research, suddenly couldn't realized that the scientific data was pointing towards creationism. Instead, I would hypothesize that after an uneventful career, McMurtry decided to get a mail order degree in theology, label himself a "creation scientist", and setup a "ministry". Of course, donations are always appreciated and can be conveniently charged to your credit card on-line.

Lumberjack said...

Jeff, Bob often says Grady taught evolution for yrears before becoming a creationist. Nother details are offered.

Grady did say that be became a born again and then later decided Genesis, not the accumulated evidence from science, best explained the the earth as it is today.

An occasional listener may conclude the events occoured in the opposite order.

Gordon said...

McMurtry is not a scientist and does not have any qualifiactions in evolutionary biology or any rleated subject.

See this article:

Dr Grady McMurtry