A chap I know has started sharing some daily posts on the subject of creation. It became apparent right away that he is a creationist whose posts contained frequent scientific errors and faulty interpretation of scripture. So, being the dutiful and well-meaning citizen that I am, I left some comments (which, in a cowardly, dishonest and, as we'll see below, fearful manner, he deleted from public viewing), then offered him some further gentle encouragement and advice after he sent me a private message. But I also expressed concern that his errors would mislead the very people he said he hopes will get saved. He said science isn't really his thing, so I even offered to look at his drafts prior to posting, and advise on any suggested adjustments beforehand, to help him produce accurate posts. Alas, after a few more messages between us, it became clear that my creationist acquaintance has inadequate interest in ensuring what he is posting is correct, and has proceeded to carry on posting inaccurate and misleading information on his daily offerings.
What strikes me most about conversations like this with creationists is how they are so rigidly closed, lacking humility and curiosity, and how they maintain an unhealthy indifference to whether their beliefs are true or not. Which is why I want to say that there are lots of factors at play in creationism (evolution-deniers) - closed-mindedness, dogmatism, confirmation bias, misinformation, etc - but the two primary traits that both underpin the others and run through them are, I believe, ignorance and fear (unless they are a Hawk, see my Hawks, Pigeons & Sparrows blog here - in which case it's usually power and control). Fear because they are beset by religious fundamentalism that threatens their black and white identity, and ignorance because it’s the safest place to remain to assuage their fears. Like in many other walks of life, fear is utterly crippling to an individual’s ability to be liberated by truth, free enquiry, critical thinking, relationships, adventure, travel, personal development, self-awareness and intellectual curiosity.
And if you’re a creationist reading this thinking “Huh, I don’t feel particularly fearful about my creationism”, well that probably just means that your fear has been so deeply ingrained and normalised that you don’t even recognise it as fear - it falsely masquerades as confidence or denial to keep the fear in check.
The above shows why classic psychological literature says that the opposite of most fear is knowledge and understanding. Some elements of fear, of course, have their initial opposite in courage (courage to step out of your comfort zone and dare to try something) but it is the knowledge and understanding of that pursuit that brings it to fruition. For example, if you’re socially anxious and require courage to go to a social gathering, courage might get you there, but it’s the familiarity brought with knowledge and understanding (repeated experience) that will assuage your fears in the longer term.
Most people who have not been ensnared by creationism understand that the opposite of the fear that drives their creationism is knowledge and understanding; of why there is nothing to be fearful of accepting evolution as consistent with their Christian faith; of why smarter scriptural interpretation would expend their theological comprehension; of why embracing reality leads to a deeper, more meaningful engagement with both the natural world and their spiritual journey, and so on. The opposite of being afraid is embracing knowledge and understanding, because courage leads to curiosity, which leads to learning, and ultimately, to wisdom and liberation.
We could even apply this to one of the most important Biblical truths, but perhaps in reverse; "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10). Remember, “fear of the Lord” here means deep reverence, awe, and respect for God's greatness, standards goodness and truth – so it is a healthy fear that is likely to increase with the pursuit of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. In other words, seeking God is a healthy fear and desire to be everything you can be, and rejecting God is an unhealthy fear of what you could be if you were courageous enough to seek. That’s why the unhealthy fear that underpins the creationists’ mindset is also stopping them being the Christians they have the potential to be in places they can't yet realise.
