Josh Sawyers (Shaking the World View, Free Lance, Dec. 27 )
wrote a passionate letter, but, in my experience, is making
fundamental misstatements.
Editor,
Josh Sawyers (Shaking the World View, Free Lance, Dec. 27 ) wrote a passionate letter, but, in my experience, is making fundamental misstatements.
Mr. Sawyer states “creationists in this country that take the Bible literally have been beaten by evolution.” Biblical literalists are a small percentage of Americans. Almost every major religion understands that the Hebrews who wrote Genesis were not writing a historical and scientific textbook. The following official religious organizations have made statements in support of evolution: Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, American Jewish Congress, Lutherans, Methodists, Mormons, Presbyterians, Unitarians and many others.
He then goes on to compound his error when he states, “the God of Christians, Jews, and Muslims, the Abraham God, has been … proven wrong”.
He vastly overstates his case in three ways. First, he has not accounted for the followers of Abraham who are not Biblical literalists. Second, he is assuming that evolution is necessarily at odds with religion, and nothing could be further from the truth. Third, he was being intentionally insulting, particularly during the season when we are celebrating the birth of Christ.
Mel Tungate, Hollister
