Creation Science … Oil Spill … Forgiving Don Denkinger
“When evangelicals rely on a naive Baconianism, they align themselves with the worst features of the naive positivism that lingers among some of those who worship at the shrine of modern science. Thus, under the illusion of fostering a Baconian approach to Scripture, creationists seek to convince their audience that they are merely contemplating simple conclusions from the Bible, when they are really contemplating conclusions from the Bible shaped by their preunderstandings of how the Bible should be read. . . . Millions of evangelicals think they are defending the Bible by defending creation science, but in reality they are giving ultimate authority to the merely temporal, situated, and contextualized interpretations of the Bible that arose from the mania for science of the early nineteenth century.” – Mark Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind
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“If man is pushing the planet toward extinction, then we should stop doing what we’re doing, and if we cannot stop ourselves or tolerate government making us stop or slow down, then I suppose we should enjoy the ride. The condemned man ate a hearty breakfast. I can’t think of anything better to do right now than to sit in my backyard and look at the Mississippi and listen to Bach cello suites and enjoy a dish of ice cream with fresh raspberries. As the Gulf turns dark and the polar ice cap melts, I intend to listen to Bach more and listen to the news less. It’s good to know that, in the midst of vast indifference and mediocrity and narcissism, mankind did manage to produce the ‘St. Matthew Passion’ and the ‘Mass in B Minor.’” – Garrison Keillor, “A Great Nation Grinds to a Halt”
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Armando Galarrago has “forgiven” Jim Joyce for the inexplicable call after 8 2/3 innings that cost him a place in the history books. As you know, he called a runner safe who was clearly — clearly! — out, preventing Galarrago from recording the 21st perfect game in the history of ML baseball.
Good for him.
I haven’t yet forgiven Don Denkinger for the blown call in Game 6 of the 1985 World Series — I’d been at game 5 — that cost the Cardinals the Series championship.
But that’s so recent. I’ll get there.
Worrell looks on to me!
This is asking a lot Mike. I think I’ll stick with the grouchy old guy at my church who avoids forgiveness by claiming, “I am willing to forgive when he proves he’s really, really sorry!”
“but time and chance”
Joyce called it like he saw it at the time. He looked at it after the game and saw it different. I think the best part of the whole thing is Galarrago reaction or actually his lack of reaction. He took the call as man playing the game and went on from there. Great role model for many of us. When we are wronged we usually blow up at who wronged us whether it was intentional or not. We so many times fail to forgive because it doesnt make us feel any better. Or is it that we forgive but dont forget? Fine line to walk and I keep falling off that line.
I come in a spirit of reconciliation to help you with your unforgiving heart. I need to say that I am a Royals fan. I know it is hard to believe there are some out here but there are a few frustrated and very sad people who love the Royals. It must be acknowledged that the call was bad. It was wrong. Consider this: First,it was only the first out of the inning and if the Cardinals had taken care of business it would not have been too hard to overcome. Second, it was only Game 6 and the Cardinals had their ace pitching in Game 7 and once again they had 9 innings to overcome one bad call. Herzog and the ace Andujar (I think that is correct) lost it in Game 7 and the Royals won easily. In 1975 when Carlton Fisk won Game 6 with his extra inning homer against the Reds the Red Sox did not use that momentum to win Game 7. The Reds were a better team and took care of business in Game 7 unlike the 1985 Cardinals. The Royals also had their hearts broken several times in the 70′s with late game heroics by the hated Yankees (on that we can agree!) And finally, please consider the Royals History since that World Series and then consider the history of the Cardinals………… its ugly I know. You got to let it go Mike! You are a blessed man! We are in the gutter, the cellar. Give us our moment. Thanks for listening. I am feeling better.
george orta….George Orta I tell ya’! You should forgive Don, as for me, I still hold only a minor grudge against Jackie Smith in the ’78 Super Bowl – but that was different.
RE: Noll … At the risk of sounding like a naive positivistic Baconian, I consider it possible that God accelerated the flow of time itself and actually did create it all in six days … or millennia … or eras … or whatever. In short, it’s not a big issue with me. He created it. Of that we can all be certain.
Jesus said so (Mark 13:19), and that confirms everything else scripture says on the subject, and as a rational-yet-faithful relativistic Occamian (William, that is), that’s really all that matters to me.
Jim – As a true Missourah boy, I couldn’t object too much to a Royals victory. I was a huge George Brett fan.
Keith – It’s only a big deal to me because the attempt to squeeze Genesis 1-2 into a science textbook is a real roadblock to faith to young scientists. Let’s not make it say something it doesn’t say. And other than what may seem to some on the outside as circular reasoning (similar to “scripture says it is inspired, so we know that scripture is inspired” . . . “scripture says that Jesus says that scripture is right about creation”) . . . I’m with ya! “He created it.” You’re right. That’s a good place to begin. Like Francis Collins (sort of a much less intelligent version), I don’t mind science add its understanding of just how that happened.
dcs – You’re right: the young pitcher gave quite an example of remembering what really matters and what really doesn’t.
How can you mention the Cards without mentioning how Prince Albert has been doing lately? The guy is INCREDIBLE!!
Mike, my beloved friend and your “tocayo” in San Diego is in the same struggle as you -only it’s the Cardinals he cannot bring himself to forgive for shattering World Series dreams from the Phillies lo those many eons ago.
Y’all are so funny. Want to be a sad baseball fan? Be a faithful San Diego Padres fan. Yeah!
btw- Garrison Keillor -Garrison Keillor? You’re quoting Garrison Keillor, the least gracious guest Abilene has ever known. He was downright rude the way he sneered at Abilene. He’s the world’s worst pseudo-sophisticate, imho.
I’m with Kathy. Interesting contrast in posts–one about John Wooden, a great coach but a truly humble and good man, and Mr. Keillor, who seems, from a distance, to be an incredibly arrogant and unpleasant person.
As always, Garrison Keillor makes a great point.
The problem with turning Genesis 1-2 into a science text is not only that it causes a road block to faith among many young people but also from the beginning (no pun intended) it sets us off on the wrong trajectory to understanding what God creative and redemptive mission is all about.
Grace and peace,
Rex
Mike, you’re right, of course. And I don’t have the context of the entire Noll quote.
I was just skeptical about what seemed at first reading to be a criticism of connecting any science to scripture. In reading the quote again, it does seem to criticize only the 19th century approach to science and scripture, leaving room for progress – and science beyond the “merely temporal.”
I remain skeptical about any worldview which claims that science has all the answers or that scripture has all the answers and that the answers are oppositional.
The Bible can be both true in a poetic sense and factual in a prosaic sense, at the same time, and in ways that we may never fully understand in this life. While creation science of the 19th century does not find all the answers in its rejection of science of the 19th century, quantum science casts serious doubt on what can be called impossible. So science doesn’t find all the answers by rejecting or discounting faith, either.
We need to find a way to express that without calling into doubt the competence of physical scientists or the faith of believers.