The edge of atheism

If you're serious about learning about transitional fossils, then Daniel Prothero's, Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters (2007), is the book to read. After reading it, the creationist claim made on a daily basis that there are no transitional fossils becomes utterly laughable. I highly recommend it.

In the last chapter on creationism, Prothero directs the reader to this page written by a geologist and former creationist, Glenn Morton. Morton stopped being a creationist when the young-earth creationists rejected his presentations of the geological data that points unequivocally to the Earth being much older than 10,000 years. I applaud his adherence to the data.

And yet, what happened in the end? Did he become an atheist? No. He read an accommodationist book, and that saved him from the curse of atheism:

And being through with creationism, I very nearly became through with Christianity. I was on the very verge of becoming an atheist. During that time, I re-read a book I had reviewed prior to its publication. It was Alan Hayward's Creation/Evolution. Even though I had reviewed it 1984 prior to its publication in 1985, I hadn't been ready for the views he expressed. He presented a wonderful Days of Proclamation view which pulled me back from the edge of atheism. Although I believe Alan applied it to the earth in an unworkable fashion, his view had the power to unite the data with the Scripture, if it was applied differently. That is what I have done with my views. Without that I would now be an atheist. There is much in Alan's book I agree with and much I disagree with but his book was very important in keeping me in the faith. While his book may not have changed the debate totally yet, it did change my life. [Emphasis added.]

Hilarious. Sad.