Does the lack of a forum mean we’re afraid?

Many skeptics have accused us of not having a forum because we’re afraid our beliefs can’t stand up to opposition. The webteam responds.

I find it interesting that your site does not have a forum for users to exchange ideas. Perhaps it’s because many people with fragile beliefs do not like to have their ideas challenged. Perhaps because they’re bogus and they’d rather live in ignorance. In any case, the fact that there is no forum says a lot -- though I’m sure if there was a forum it would be heavily censored to shelter fragile minds from the truth that Creationism is bogus.

—E.O.

I find it interesting that your site does not have a forum for users to exchange ideas. Perhaps it’s because many people with fragile beliefs do not like to have their ideas challenged. Perhaps because they're bogus and they’d rather live in ignorance.

In general, the web department at Answers in Genesis does its best to research and implement the most advanced new technologies available. Our goal is to find the best tools to further the message that the Bible can be trusted from the very first verse. You may have noticed that we recently redesigned the site to make sure that our website is both attractive and easy to navigate. We want visitors (both supporters and skeptics alike) to find the information they’re looking for.

Sending a message

Thank you for the wonderful work that you have continued and your perseverance to adehere to the Word of God, rather than trying to figure all things out by human reasoning. I have been submitting many of your articles to digg.com and trying to talk to some people through the commenting function. I know that in general the internet crowd (as I am a computer engineer), is a crowd that is adamantly and absolutely opposed to any treatise or premise challenging modern “scientific” origin consensus, however, I have found that sites such as digg.com are opportunities sometimes to reach out and help people to realize that all creationists are not just “kooks”.

—D.B., U.S.

We have, as a matter of fact, discussed the idea of a forum, and this is probably one of the most requested features from our supporters. So, far from being afraid, many of our supporters would enjoy being able to discuss their opinions, and we know from reading the feedback that we receive and the responses that they send to newspapers and other media outlets that our supporters are well able to defend what they believe.

If you had taken even a cursory glance through our archives, you would have found that we have responded to numerous “challenges” to our beliefs throughout the years in our daily articles, in our newsletters, and in our feedback. The Bible, the true Word of God about the history of the universe, instructs us to give an account for what we believe to anyone who asks (1 Peter 3:15), and you will find that we strive to do just that. We are certainly not afraid of the biased presuppositions of evolutionists, humanists, or atheists, and our mission has always been to equip other believers with theological, archaeological, and scientific facts so that they too can stand on God’s Word. One of our goals is to challenge every believer to look at the evidence and to know the arguments that secular scientists are using (e.g., News to Note and Evolution Exposed) so that all who visit our site are cognizant of what a priori beliefs are being passed off as facts. Rather than sheltering anyone, we want to challenge our supporters (and our detractors) to look at the evidence and the presuppostions that everyone has.

In any case, the fact that there is no forum says a lot -- though I'm sure if there was a forum it would be heavily censored to shelter fragile minds from the truth that Creationism is bogus.

Forums can be a powerful way to share ideas and to debate concepts. However, they also require a great deal of time and resources to moderate, since we want our site to always be family friendly. We receive a great deal of feedback that is certainly not polite or congenial, and we have little doubt that those who send in such feedback would also use inappropriate language in a forum as well. So, yes, if we had a forum, we would filter out those types of responses.

As a donor-funded organization, we have a responsibility to use the funds we receive in a way that first honors God and second honors our supporters. Moderating the number of comments that we would receive (both positive and negative)—as based on the number of visitors we have each day—would take considerable resources. We would rather use those resources to produce new materials that uphold God’s Word and equip Christians as they go into the world—and as they discuss creation vs. evolution on other forums. And there are numerous other forums on the internet where creationists and evolutionists can (and do) discuss the evidence and the interpretations.

Internet forums, however, can be an impersonal place where users can hide behind anonymity, and many of our supporters are much more likely to take the creation-evangelism message to their neighbors, to the marketplace, to schools and universities, and to the “highways and byways” of the world. Do they face opposition and doubters? Of course they do. But far from having “fragile minds,” they continue to lead people to Christ by answering objections and demolishing strongholds and showing others that God is the creator and redeemer.

I pray that you will find out just how real He is.

In Christ,

John
AiG Webteam