What is to become of them?

I wrote yesterday about the rebuttals/counter-rebuttals of Nye and Ham and something Ham touched on but he wouldn't talk about further really troubled me. That something was "those Christians" who don't agree with him. He refused to discuss this issue, even when directly challenged by Bill Nye: "There are Christians that don't accept that the earth could somehow be this extraordinarily young age because of all the evidence around them. And so, what is to be come of them in your view?"

This is what Ham had said to prompt that challenge:

"They, there are a lot of Christians out there that believe in millions of years, but I'd say they have a problem. I'm not saying they're not Christians...because salvation is conditional on faith in Christ not the age of the earth, but there's an inconsistency with what the Bible teaches. If you believe in millions of years, you've got death and bloodshed, suffering and disease over millions of years leading up to man because that's what you see in the fossil record. The Bible makes if very clear; death is a result of man's sin. In fact, the first death was in the garden when God killed an animal, clothed Adam and Eve; the first blood sacrifice pointing toward what would happen through Jesus Christ; one who would die once and for all."

He went on to give examples in the fossil record of carnivores, disease, and thorns. He says that we are told in the Bible that all creatures were vegetarians until after the flood and that disease is not 'good' and thorns were a result of the fall. Since the Bible tells us these things that contradicts the millions of years theory of the age of the earth and they are incompatible.

This issue of death is a real problem that needs to be addressed, but there are problems Ham must face as well. These are problems Nye is pointing out, which Ham is skirting one by one for the most part. He's not answering the questions. It seems to me he has more problems to work through with a young earth than those who do not hold his view. Perhaps he will get into it more in the question and answer period, but I want to know what he thinks will become of those who don't agree with him. Are they refused membership in the church? Are they removed or prevented from being in leadership? Are they allowed to be pastors or professors? Are they excommunicated altogether until they fall in line with his view? What is to become of them? It's a big question and a big problem for Ham and the church of North America in general. Sadly, the story has often been a clarification of doctrinal statement, the cracking of the whip, and the dismissal of pastors and teachers. You can read about one recent example here.