I think there is also a more fundamental aspect to what the
creationist fundamentalists are doing--money. Each of their
organizations runs a constant stream of money requests in their
literature, mailings and web sites. As part of this, they hold up
the bible to other Christians and ask, "You believe in the bible and
the Lord, don't you? Look what it says here and what those
evolutionists are doing. Join us, give us money, help us fight for
Christianity, your bible, your beliefs, and morality" and a bunch of
other stuff. They use us well in their quest for funds and
souls.
In a large sense, I think this is a battle for more bodies and money, and
those bodies and money are coming from other faiths. The
Protestants, Methodists, and all the others are the losers. Almost
all of the Christian mainstream faiths accept evolution (check out the
Pope's web site). The mainstream faiths need to defend themselves
(as some do), and explain to their flocks how they (and God) see
evolution.
One of the foremost proponents and defenders of evolution of late 19th
Century in America (and incidentally the founder of paleontology at
Berkeley), Joseph LeConte said
. . . I was an evolutionist, thorough and enthusiastic.
Enthusiastic, not only because it is true, and all truth is the image of
God in the human reason, but also because of all the laws of nature it is
by far the most religious, that is, the most in accord with religious
philosophic thought. It is, indeed, glad tidings of great joy which
shall be to all peoples.(Armes, 1903).
It is not exactly a view that we would subscribe to now at Berkeley, but
it is a clear statement of how evolution can be God's work. This
may be the sort of thing that other faiths should hear about rather than
the narrow and unrepresentative view that creationists present.
Incidentally, the original posting said that 48% of Americans believe in
the bible literally. This has remained so for decades, but they are
not all creationists. There are also a dozen different kinds
of creationists, but the Young Earthers seem to me to be the
loudest. 95% or so of Americans believe in god. The few
atheists around are pummelled by the rest of America, its politicians,
its courts and, especially unfortunately some radicals who shoot
them. America is, "one nation under God" and that is
conceived of as a Christian god for the most part. At least our
president talks to a Christian god, I hear.
JHL