Anyone else see this letter in Baylor Magazine?

[FOBob]

http://www.baylormag.com/dept.php?id=000904

In your recent Winter 2009-10 magazine, something jumped out to me as inaccurate. In the article titled "A Mammoth Undertaking," on page 27, it reads, "™the mammoths are believed to have died between 53,000 and 73,000 years ago™" This was surprising to read in a Baylor publication because according to the Bible, the world is no more than 6,000 years old.

Baylor prides herself on being a "nationally ranked Christian University" (as seen in the header of the Web site as of 1/1/10). If Baylor calls herself Christian, she must uphold the Bible as truth in every area and not trust man's ideas as truth. We can't choose what we believe in. We either trust what the Bible says as truth or we don't.

Using the genealogies found in the Bible, there is no way the age of the Earth can be older than 6,000 years old, which means the article's statement of "53,000-73,000 years" is impossible and inaccurate.

We can not re-interpret Scripture to fit man's viewpoint. Either Baylor is a Christian university that upholds God's truth as found in the Bible, or it is just another private, secular school.

Christi Jordan Snaufer, BA '04
___________________________________________

I understand Baylor is a university and should be open to different opinions and viewpoints, but printing a letter like this is like printing a letter from someone seriously trying to make a case for the Easter Bunny.

[JGTBH]

another reason not to live in Beavercreek, Ohio.

[OsoCoreyell]

The only thing surprising to me about that letter was the graduation date of the author.

[Bear Man]

I'm just relieved that this nonsense was spouted off in a letter to the editor of the magazine and not in the original magazine article itself.

[West_Coast_Bear]

Hmm tongue firmly implanted in cheek or a real bozo. Hmm

[GrowlTowel]

What's funny is that no one ever updates the "6,000" years old. I've heard that number all of my life and have seen it referenced at various times throughout the 20th century. At a bare minimum, we should be nearing 6100 by now.

[KODIAK]

LOL I read this rather quickly at first and though FBob was posting this as his response to some letter about the mammoth deal. I was thinking he must think this is good sarcasm.

...and 6000 years?? It seems it has been longer than that since Baylor had a winning football season.

[caesarscott]

What's funny is that no one ever updates the "6,000" years old. I've heard that number all of my life and have seen it referenced at various times throughout the 20th century. At a bare minimum, we should be nearing 6100 by now.

the date calculated was 4004 BC. it only became 6000 years in 1996. so going by Bishop Ussher, the world is now 6,014 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ussher_chronology

[Chamberman]

Clearly a joke. What's even more laughable is that the editorial staff of the BaylorMag printed it.

[FOBob]

Clearly a joke. What's even more laughable is that the editorial staff of the BaylorMag printed it.

I went back and read it a couple of more times -- sure sounds to me like she wrote it as a serious letter.

[WS6bear]

Thanks for the laugh FOBob.

I find it quite refreshing that after growing up in a baptist home and church my whole life, Baylor is one of the first times in my life I was presented with the ideas of intelligent design, evolution, and other thought provoking topics. I think it says a lot about the university that these ideas are present, not only in the science departments, but also in religion classes. The last thing the world needs is another Christian school forcing ideals, beliefs, and theories that are based on nothing more then human interpertation of the Bible. I think it says a lot about our school that things are so open.

[marco]

I have a sister with a Masters in English, her husband has a Doctoral in Hospital Administration, they belong in the group that believes in a "new earth". Needless to say I don't discuss the Discovery Channel, National Geographic or the History Channel with them. I would say it's sad, but they aren't hurting anything. I tried once to explain to her that the cell phone she believes in, the microwave oven she believes in, the MRI machine her husband believes in all come from the same science that tells us to some degree how truly ancient our planet is. You could just see the walls go up and we don't talk about "mother nature" anymore.

[ninjacoco]

The only thing surprising to me about that letter was the graduation date of the author.

I know a few people who go here now and believe in stuff like this. Not surprised by the graduation date at all.

[GrowlTowel]

the date calculated was 4004 BC. it only became 6000 years in 1996. so going by Bishop Ussher, the world is now 6,014 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ussher_chronology

6014? Thanks. Now, let us get it right round here. It is 6014 *****es.

[Moze]

It could be a gag, or it could be serious.

The attitude is a typical Fundamentalist one, though.

"If you don't accept my interpretation of the Bible, you don't believe the Bible."

I think the early church fathers were right. Pride really is the first and worst sin.

[Bear Man]

I don't think it was a gag.

Bizarre as it may seem, there are some educated and otherwise intelligent people who believe this young earth creationism nonsense, including the pastor of Houston's First Baptist Church.

And our own GWB43 is a firm young earth creationism believer. (I always thought it appropriate that somebody who chose George W. Bush for his user name would also believe that the earth is only 6,000 years old).

[RD2WINAGNBEAR86]

I respect little Christi's beliefs. But she needs to know also that it is possible to be a Christian, a Baylor grad, believe that dinosaurs roamed the earth 65 million years ago, that evolution is real, and God will not strike you down with lightning bolts if you have an adult beverage every now and then.

That is all.

RD2

[JGTBH]

I respect little Christi's beliefs. But she needs to know also that it is possible to be a Christian, a Baylor grad, believe that dinosaurs roamed the earth 65 million years ago, that evolution is real, and God will not strike you down with lightning bolts if you have an adult beverage every now and then.

That is all.

RD2

Pretty sure that about sums me up right there...

[KODIAK]

Why would Baylor even print that letter? Do they print every letter to the editor they get? Printing it just makes it look like we churn out some strange folks--which Baylor does but why show case it?

[webejamin]

that no one sends this letter to the medical schools. We are in deep enough ---- with them already.
Kodiak, I just don't know why . . . . .