I gotta say, the story of Noah has got to be the clincher. Here you have adults who believe this story without giving it a second thought! Did you ever have to try to defend this story out is service? There's no way to do so without looking like a moron of the first magnitude.
Householder: So you're telling me you actually believe God sent a global flood 4300 years ago.
JW: Yes, that's what the Bible says.
Householder: Have you thought about the implications of such a flood? That means that all animal life (besides fish, perhaps) that we have on earth today came from Noah's ark.
JW: Yes, that's what it would mean.
Householder: You know we have millions of animal species.
JW: Well, the ark was pretty big! We calculate it had about a million square feet of space.
Householder: Yeah, a million square feet sounds like a lot, but it's certainly not enough space to carry more than a small portion of the species we have now. And how do you explain the fact that there are species that exist only in specialized places on earth today. How about the kangaroo, koala, wallaby, and platypus?
JW: What about them?
Householder: Well, they live only in Australia and the surrounding islands. How did they get there?
JW: Maybe they swam?
Householder: So let me get this straight. The Australian delegation gets off the boat - sorry, ark - and travels over thousands of miles of land and sea, leaving no groups behind along the way, to Australia. Every last one of them. And how did Noah get his hands on these guys anyway?
JW: Well, they probably lived near Noah before the flood, but then decided to move to Australia afterward.
Householder: Do you know there are species of animals that live on as specific a place as a single island in all the earth?
JW: Maybe one "kind" of creature adapted into several related species. That kind of adaptation could occur.
Householder: So you believe in evolution! Well, that's a relief, at least.
JW: No, not evolution. We definitely don't believe in that. Just adaptation.
Householder: ...Biological adaptation...
JW: Yeah, exactly.
Householder: ...that results in a new species...
JW: Yeah.
Householder: That's exactly what evolution is!
JW: Well, we just don't believe that an ape can turn into a cow or anything weird like that.
Householder: That's good, because evolution doesn't predict that kind of change either. But nevermind that. Let's stay on the flood topic here. So how do you deal with the fact that there is no geological evidence of a catastrophic flood event in recent history?
JW: Actually, I'm glad you brought that up, because there is evidence. For example, you know those woolly mammoths that were flash-frozen in Siberia?
Householder: Yeah.
JW: Well there you go.
Householder: What? How is that proof of a global flood?
JW: (Scoffs) Boy, sometimes people won't see something even when it's staring them in the face. It's obviously evidence of a quick climate change.
Householder: Well, clearly it is that. But any number of things could have caused a climate change like that. There's no connection whatsoever between frozen mammoths and an alleged worldwide flood.
JW: Maybe not directly. But all the pieces taken together...
Householder: All the pieces? You've only named one!
JW: Look, we're looking for honest-hearted people, and clearly, you don't want proof. So, it's been nice chatting with you, but I really should go.
Householder: I wish I could say likewise.
SNG
