Cindy gave us this great article to share gettting ready for the upcoming
Creation Science Class.You don't want to miss this class.
Art of Expressing What You Believe
By Christina Gerwitz Moss
Many Christians I know have been exposed to Creation Science and for that I am thankful to God. They have studied it, taught their kids about it, and/or given their friends books to read about the subject. This initiative has allowed the message of Creation Science to spread and awareness to rise. Many are amazed with the re alization that there are scientific facts to support the Biblical account of the origins of life. But what happens when you are presented with an opportunity to verbally explain your beliefs?
Individuals I have known, who are often very intelligent and knowledgeable, seem to cave when presented with an opportunity to explain Creation Science to someone in a discussion format. You may be thinking that this sounds very familiar—maybe you have been in a conversation or heard a debate in which the person seemed to forget information they knew seconds before. Why does this happen? Or more importantly, “how do I prevent this from happening?”
I have personally witnessed this phenomenon on many occasions. The discussion begins between a well-meaning Christian and an evolutionist or even someone who is just curious about Creation Science, but then suddenly things take a turn for the worst. All of what has been learned is forgotten or maybe the information is remembered just not when to use certain arguments! The discussion/debate seems to be lost from the beginning, yet it’s not because the debater didn’t believe in what was being said and it’s not because they didn’t know the information, it’s simply that they have not been taught to express the data or information they have acquired from a textbook into a question and answer format.
Being able to discuss, debate, or even simply converse with someone holding opposing views on a subject is not an easy endeavor. Getting past the fact that you must disagree (kindly and articulately of course) with someone to their face, is a daunting enough proposition for some to overcome. (I’m one of the few who actually likes it! I feel bad for my husband—he doesn’t share my enjoyment of debate for the sake of debate.) After conquering this first hurdle of debate, the next that comes is being able to quickly bring to mind the information you need. Answering questions is only part of a discussion the rest comes in raising good questions of your own.
When my mother and I first began the Truth Seekers Mystery Series™, one of our goals was to aid other students in techniques to use and with facts when discussing this controversial topic. Christian and Anna Murphy, the main characters in our novels, are often faced with opportunities to share information with a variety of people. Pre-teens, teens and even many parents enjoy reading these novels; the books are specifically designed for both those who already knew a lot about Creation Science as well as those who are learning it for the first time. We knew that our readers would need to recall many of the truths about Creation Science when talking with their friends. What better way to teach them about Creation Science then in the same way they were going to need to use the information—in a conversation!
In our third novel, Key’s to the Past: Unlocked we incorporated many discussions between the Murphys and other characters. Dr. Foster, who is a marine archaeologist in the book, represents a knowledgeable individual that a reader may encounter. One particular discussion takes place between Dr. Murphy, Anna, and Dr. Foster, in which they talk about the sedimentary layers in the ocean. Dr. Murphy and Anna present information gathered from scientific abstracts. My mother took the information she read from scientific papers and abstracts and implemented true research and experimentation in formation from a creation scientist into our books. We wanted to show how the data could be used and learned in a discussion.
This is only one way to learn the information, but we feel it’s one of the best for it’s easy to remember the information in the same way you will need to use it. The characters are often presented with people who look down on them and even say that they never knew anyone who was “educated and believed” in Creation Science. This of course is simply a misconception; however, if you are not expecting this it could take you by surprise and for that reason we included characters with this mindset in our books.
As much information and as many arguments as we attempt to provide in our books (each novel deals specifically with a different topic) there is no doubt you will still encounter questions you don’t know (I do as well). Don’t get flustered or think you’ve failed, instead simply admit you don’t know. Not having all of the information is in no way a discredit to you, instead it displays your honesty. When you get home, or near a computer research the question and get back with the person—(you may go and re-read our novels or utilize another source), www.answersingensis.org and www.icr.org are great places to research. I also recommend getting together with a friend after you both have read our novels. Act out a debate (one person be a Creationist and the other an evolutionist) with a specific topic—such as the flood, or sedimentary layers, which are both discussed in Keys to the Past: Unlocked. This will allow you both to become more comfortable when you are presented with an opportunity to share your beliefs in Creation Science. And believe me, the opportunity crops up more times than you’ll expect!
About Christina Gerwitz Moss...
Christina Gerwitz Moss was homeschooled K-12 and attended Florida Gulf Coast University. She graduated with a degree in Communication and a minor in Anthropology. She is married and has two children. Christina continues to write and is working on several manuscripts. Let Christina and her mom Felice help you teach Creation Science to your children each Monday morning from September 22-October 28. Learn more
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