I will never
forget the first time I saw you in action in a Creation vs. Evolution thread in
a forum on Facebook. I had only been exploring these for a few months. In my
neck of the woods you find many who are unsaved but not many Atheists. So I
wasn’t used to discussions on God’s existence, just the need for
Salvation. I was at this point just
reading the different threads not commenting until…. In this particular thread
the Creationists were holding their own with great arguments and being very
nice, but the Evolutionist guy all of a sudden got extremely angry. It was
clear he could no longer make his case and exit the thread nicely. Then out of
nowhere comes Cowboy Bob!!! I had never seen your name until then, so I watched
as you not so gently shut him down. After a few minutes it was clear the guy
wasn’t coming back, so I posted, “WOW!! That was FUN!!”
Recently, I did a guest post for
someone about having a balance between showing love and strength. Many people
accuse Christian apologists of being “unloving”, but their definition of “love”
is essentially saying to the attackers, “Hello, Mr. Hater. Slap me around some
more, and you can come over and experience the love of Jesus by sharing tea and
crumpets. Then we’ll sing “Kum Ba Yah” and have a group hug, mmmkay?” That is
not a biblical attitude, and Jesus showed not only strength, but said “mean”
things to false believers and unbelievers. Anti-theists and anti-creationists treat
us with contempt, and when we stand up to them by showing that their reasoning
is flawed (and with evolutionists, many have completely wrong ideas about what
they themselves believe in). I have tempered my approach over the years, but
still will show that we can reason, we know science, we do not need to be
intimidated by the massive intellect of The Mighty Atheist™ (or so they think)
and above all, some of us will not compromise on Scripture.
That’s been
a few years ago since that first encounter and I continue to follow your page
named, “The Question Evolution Project.” How long have you had The Question
Evolution Project Ministry and what is the story behind it?
I’ll try to give the shorter form of a
long story. For about fifteen years, I put God on the shelf. Although I did not
renounce the faith or creation science, I learned about Buddhism and lived for
my own selfish interests. I had a Weblog (my total posts and articles in
several places may approach 2,500, but I deleted quite a few) that still gave
the occasional defense for the Bible and refutation of atheism. A few years ago,
I recommitted my life to Jesus. Interestingly, hateful atheists had an
influence there, getting me thinking about what I really knew and believed.
After I came back to Jesus, he pulled
me back into creation science. I began a creation science Weblog, and then
bought the domain to go with it: Piltdown Superman. The late heavy metal singer
Ronnie James Dio had a song, “Sunset Superman”, and I combined it with the name
of Piltdown Man, a fraud that fooled most of the scientific establishment for
about forty years.
I was inspired by Creation Ministries
International’s “Question Evolution!” campaign. The second comment on that page
is mine, I suggested that a coordinated “Question Evolution Day” get organized.
http://creation.com/question-evolution Turns out that it had to be me! We’re coming up on the fourth
annual QED, on February 12, Darwin’s birthday. (I didn’t know at the time it
was an evolutionist religious holiday as well, lots of praise to Darwin, and
the apostasy project of getting churches to compromise with evolution.) So, I
started a Page on Facebook for Question Evolution Day (I send people here for
that: (http://www.piltdownsuperman.com/p/question-evolution-day.html ; Wild Bill was late to the party last year, http://drrichswier.com/2014/03/24/atheists-nightmare-day-time-to-question-evolution/ ). The first QED was a bit too little too late, but it got the
ball rolling. However, I didn’t want the Page to be for just one thing (a
one-trick pony, if you will), so I changed it to “The Question Evolution
Project”. Do a search for that phrase in quotes on a major search engine and
you’ll see that quite a few results — many with extreme hatred and profanity.
But the Page is a resource for creation science materials. For such a hated
topic, it has reasonable success.
You seem to
have a target on your back. You have many aliases on fb. Why is that?
After about five years of successful
FB use with no warnings or disciplinary action that I can recall, I was
suddenly shut down. “Prove you’re eligible to use FB”, they said. So I scanned
my driver’s license and proved that I was several decades over the minimum age
requirement. Later, they said my account was suspended and they could not tell
me why “for security reasons”. Other people on the Web had the same experience,
so I figured it was just a fluke. I took an auxiliary account and gave it my
name, but also created another account in a different name. The one in my name
did not last long, also with the same response. Later, I made “Sorrenson
Roberts”, that was also killed off the same way (by then I had several spare
accounts). I reluctantly agreed with others that this was a personal thing,
that someone who dislikes me (I have several Internet stalkers, and my wife
even fears for my life) is either in power or has friends in power on Facebook.
But I cannot explain why other creationists are not disappearing from FB. Not
all of my FB friends know my real name, but I’ve confided in many. I’m very
careful in taking friend requests. One was from Lucy Furr Kryst. Sounds legit.
Atheists want us silenced, especially
over the issue of origins. They cannot defeat us with logic or science, so they
resort to various ways of negating us: demonizing, poisoning the well (I have
stalkers badmouthing me all over the Web), ridicule, legislation and even
shutting us down whenever possible.
Also, I agree with others that FB
wants too much personal information. It is a haven for identity theft, and FB itself
uses your information to make money. Some advocate never using your real name,
which includes things like First Name-Middle Name, Middle Name-Last Name, or
outright fake names.
I have
witnessed fellow believers snub you and call you arrogant. I honestly don’t
understand it. I sit on my side of the computer yelling, “Woohoo!! Go get’em
Cowboy Bob!!” I have even tagged you in debates when I was in over my head and you
would storm in and bail me out. What do you hear from believers that snub you?
There are many reasons. Some do not
have a proper understanding of Scripture (contend earnestly for the faith, take
every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and so on), and hold to the
wimpy Jesus concept. Also, some of us are firmly committed to having Jesus as
Lord over all aspects of our lives, and the written Word is our foundation.
Liberal Christians and compromisers elevate “science” above Scripture, and use
the ever-changing whims of man-made science philosophies to tell God what he
says and means. Science judges God? Not hardly.
Also, even though I refuse the labels
of Calvinist or Arminian, I take a Presuppositionalist (or “transcendental”)
approach to apologetics. It is Calvinist in its origins, but there are many
aspects to it that I use. Some of the strongest points for me are that there is
no “neutral ground” (such a thing means leaving the Bible out of discussions,
and actually using the presuppositions of atheists and evolutionists), and how
the Christian worldview has the answers; our starting point should be God’s
Word. Our faith is not based on evidence, which keeps changing, but on the
unchanging Word of God. Evidence is good, but needs to be presented in a
presuppositional framework. I didn’t realize it, but the Institute for Creation
Research, Answers in Genesis, Creation Ministries International all use a kind
of presuppositional approach. They present science, then show the biblical
worldview.
You are
gifted in how you can use your sense of humor to disarm a naïve Atheist and
shut down a militant one. You also use it to encourage fellow believers like
you have always done with me. Have you always had such a quick wit and did you
get in a lot of trouble growing up because of it?
Wish I could find something, must have
been thrown away. A kindergarten report card where the teacher said, “Mouth
sometimes gets him in trouble”. My parents responded, “We know”. You’ve
probably seen my “memes” (captioned pictures), and atheists have actually
scoffed, that it’s “disgraceful” for someone “well into his 50s” (I’m not 55
yet, and started those a few years ago) to use things that are for younger
people. What, I didn’t know there was an age rule on those things! See, people
are desperate to find excuses to ridicule so they can poison the well against
others and negate what they have to say. Anyway, yes, I often can come up with
a quip to dispel tension, but have been known to overdo it. That’s improved
with time, but it’s difficult for me to resist making dreadful puns. These get
worse during times of stress and fatigue.
Well I love
it when you get silly!!
Now I want to change gears.
Now I want to change gears.
How long
have you been a Christian?
About a week.
But seriously folks…
I was raised in the Untied Methodist
Church (misspelling intentional). When I went to a Fundamentalist-run high
school, I was challenged, and it was in those years that I took the Bible
seriously and realized that I really do believe, and that there is evidence to
support the Bible. There was the aforementioned falling away period. Several
reasons for that, including how Christians don’t act like Christians (I took my
eyes of Christ), my own selfish desires, and other things. God worked on me,
and became more insistent until I came back. Also see http://www.piltdownsuperman.com/2014/02/question-evolution-day-2014-evolution.html , and if you’re really interested, http://www.piltdownsuperman.com/2011/08/being-skeptical-part-1.html (that article has a second part, linked at the bottom).
What is your
favorite book besides the Bible and why?
QThe Ultimate Proof of Creation by Dr. Jason Lisle. It had a strong impact on me, and a
reasonable balance toward presuppositional apologetics and giving evidence. Refuting Compromise by Dr. Jonathan
Sarfati has great content to deal with compromisers, but also has material that
would challenge unbelievers as well. It deals with theology as well as science,
but it is not light reading by any means! Deadly
Disclosures is a creationist novel adventure mystery. I recommend all three
in the trilogy, but especially this first one. I gave sets of them out for
Christmas presents. You asked for one, I gave three and will make myself clam
up now. Oh, and I’m working on Always
Ready by Greg Bahnsen, which may very well become another favorite.
Here’s where I get to plug my favorite
free Bible software, “theWord” http://www.theword.net.
Bibles, study material, make your own notes, all kinds of stuff. I’m going to
use it now, since I can’t name just one, like I can’t name just one favorite
book.
Genesis 1.1, of course. I’m a
creationist and I believe God says what he means and means what he says.
“Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.” (Prov 30:6, NASB) – this tells us not to put our preferences or opinions into the text.
“It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.” (Exod 31:17, NIV) – helps nail down the fact that God created the world in six literal days, not long ages.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear.” (1Pet 3:15, World English Bible) – the apologist’s key verse. Many will jump on the middle part, and forget that we’re no good in using our own wisdom to give fancy arguments to win the lost, we have to go to the first part of the verse first. The last part, there are bad creationist Pages on Facebook (one is run by a cultist!), where they are actually bullies. Not just standing up to unbelievers, but actually abusive. We are to have humility where we realize that God shows his power in our weakness and in his Word, not our own genius.
Psalm 14.1, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’”, and I add Romans 1.18 and following, which shows my presuppositions that the written Word of God is true and says that there are no atheists, they know the truth, but suppress it and are fools in God’s eyes.
“Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar.” (Prov 30:6, NASB) – this tells us not to put our preferences or opinions into the text.
“It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he abstained from work and rested.” (Exod 31:17, NIV) – helps nail down the fact that God created the world in six literal days, not long ages.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear.” (1Pet 3:15, World English Bible) – the apologist’s key verse. Many will jump on the middle part, and forget that we’re no good in using our own wisdom to give fancy arguments to win the lost, we have to go to the first part of the verse first. The last part, there are bad creationist Pages on Facebook (one is run by a cultist!), where they are actually bullies. Not just standing up to unbelievers, but actually abusive. We are to have humility where we realize that God shows his power in our weakness and in his Word, not our own genius.
Psalm 14.1, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’”, and I add Romans 1.18 and following, which shows my presuppositions that the written Word of God is true and says that there are no atheists, they know the truth, but suppress it and are fools in God’s eyes.
How much
reading do you do? Does it help you in your debates/discussions?
Boatloads of reading, but still not
enough. Some creationist Pages on Facebook are what I call “link mills”, they
just throw any old thing out there. I’m more selective, and read most of what I
post. This happens through the Kindle. Although I have serious disagreements
with the customer service at Amazon, I rely on my Kindle. There are services
where I can go to the site, send the article to the Kindle, have it downloaded
there and then read it on a screen that isn’t backlit. The usual format is to
select a “Featured Article” for the day, write an introduction and find a legal
graphic (just because it’s on the Web doesn’t mean we have the right to use it),
do an excerpt, then a link for more reading. Also, I write some full articles
myself, mostly on the philosophy behind atheism, evolution, science, and also
some theology. Those introductions I write often have additional thoughts to
support the article, and extra links as well.
I have many books on the shelf and on
the Kindle, and try to get through them. But this creation science ministry is
often like a part-time job in itself.
I would like
to close with this, I know your favorite topic is Creation. I love it too. Do
you ever take time to ponder the things of heaven and what it will be like?
Share your thoughts please.
In-con-CEIVE-able! I try to imagine
some things, but get lost. The Bible tells us some things, but really not that
much. Others have given good information on this. But I’ll admit that I want to
find some people up there and apologize for things.
I’m sure we
all owe some apologies. But I believe we will worship at the feet of Jesus and
everyone will be giving Him glory and not worrying about the old things of this
earth.
Tell us more
about yourself.
Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, greenest
state in the land of the free. Raised in the woods so's I knew every tree, killed
me a bear when I was only three.
There I go again.
OK, born in Battle Creek, Michigan and
lived in that state for my first 40 years. Father was an Untied Methodist
Pastor, and we moved a great deal. My theology became much more conservative
than his and that church’s, fortunately. There was that falling away period, my
first marriage ended. I moved to New York and lived with a woman for several
years before we got married, then I recommitted my life to Christ. Hey, you
don’t want me to varnish stuff, right? I’ve done some bad things and been a big
sinner. Now things are on the right track, and this creation train is rolling
fast, mainly online. Now I want to spread the gospel through creation and
exhort Christians to give the Word its proper authority. Genesis is our
foundation for all major Christian doctrines. I’ve had radio interviews and
some online news interviews, video podcasts, made other videos, and done guest
blog posting. Also, the pastor may have a place for me in a creation ministry
in the church, and that would be thrilling.
Oh, and the “Cowboy Bob” thing came
along after I was in New York. Someone called me that and I ran with it because
I’m a cowboy at heart. How did I get interviews? I contacted the radio shows
myself. Starting Question Evolution Day? Hey, nobody else would. Being
straightforward about the gospel and showing logical fallacies in worldviews?
It helps being a cowboy. At my father’s funeral, I found out that he was a bit
of a cowboy at heart as well. I like John Wayne movies.
I’m hated as well. I have stalkers,
and have to stop telling my wife things that are said to me because she fears
for my life. To quote the video game character Duke Nukem, “Come get some!”
I am strongly Pro-Life and believe Evolution
has been used to justify abortion. In that way I can deal with both topics at
the same time on many occasions.
Here is the
link to The Question Evolution Project Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/Piltdown.Superman/photos/a.213629268731621.48302.213606162067265/699617083466168/?type=1&source=11
And Bob’s Website.
http://www.piltdownsuperman.com
https://www.facebook.com/Piltdown.Superman/photos/a.213629268731621.48302.213606162067265/699617083466168/?type=1&source=11
And Bob’s Website.
http://www.piltdownsuperman.com
I hope you
enjoyed my friend Bob and that you will like his Facebook page and visit his
website often. I am thankful for Men and Women like Bob that stand on God’s
word no matter what the world throws at them!
God bless
you Bob and Thank you!!
~Cheri Moschler
~Cheri Moschler