It’s perhaps a little more clear cut when dealing with issues of scientific fact, but If we believe our own truth claims about Christianity and the exculsivity it entails, then we have to feel the same tug to label statements from a Buddhist, for example, lies or false when they contradict Christian theology. That get’s even dicier, although I would argue that the truth claims being debated in that case have even more at stake than arguing over matters of scientific interest.

Would it be appropriate to call people who believe other religions liars or even to explicate to them that their belief statments are false? I’m not sure. That’s ultimately where tolerance has to enter in. We don’t have to accept their truth statements, but we do have to tolerate their statement.

As you can probably tell from the above pingback, I wrote a reply to your post. It’s long and rambling — and not perfectly on topic — so I figured I’d post it on my own blog.

I don’t have occasion to worry about creationism versus evolution much any more, to be honest. I kind of gave up on creationism in my teens, and there isn’t a lot of debate about it where I live (Toronto, Canada). However, I have been reading books on the accuracy/meaning of the bible, and I’ve found a lot of the same things you’re discussing here, so I wrote up some of what I’ve been thinking about it.

Thanks — as always — for the thought-provoking post.

Regards,
Chris.

http://holyskinandbone.blogspot.com/2008/03/honest-when-youre-telling-lie.html