Big Eva calls for a ceasefire over Francis Collins

Several Evangelicals leaders still dare to defend the character of Francis Collins, the former head of  NIH gain-of-function research supporting supervillain in part responsible for the last two years. Francis Collins was named church villain of the year by Evangelical Dark Web in 2021. Erick Erickson made a defense of Francis Collins and called for a ceasefire among the hostilities of Big Eva against the Grassroots Evangelicals.

I’d also like to note Collins does consider himself a believer in Jesus Christ and a pro-lifer, but he does not believe in an actual Adam, which I think puts him at odds with Jesus and definitely with Paul, a man who Jesus Christ directly charged with spreading the faith. But having talked to several people who know him, I think his faith is sincere, even if I think he is wrong on some stuff.

Erick Erickson defends the profession of faith of someone who is a mass murderer when you account for the origins and handling of coronavirus. Additionally, Erickson points out Collins for having heretical views about denying the Adam of the Bible yet still affirms his beliefs.

I’m not sure committed Christians should be in charge of NIH, given what NIH does. One of the big issues, though, is research on fetal cells. A senior executive at the NIH who asked to be nameless to speak freely and an evangelical leader who knows Collins both told me that the NIH research on fetal tissue is based on Reagan era guidelines that were developed in consultation with pro-life Catholic bishops. The NIH had not sanctioned the abortions, encouraged the abortions, or paid for the fetuses, but recognized some research for humanity was best served researching on those cells. The Reagan Administration, seeking pro-life guidance, sought out the Catholic bishops for input as guidelines were developed.

A lot of Christians have qualms with this nonetheless. I put it in the Genesis 50:20 camp — what one meant for evil, God used for good. Millions of people have been aided and live because of the deaths of those children. That does not condone or give a pass to the deaths, but those deaths happened and happened without the NIH’s blessing, sanction, or payment.

On other issues, I still have some qualms with Collins’s positions, though the NIH executive tells me it is important to understand that Collins does not approve and sanction all research and funding and of the funding Collins has directly overseen and approved, only a little would be controversial.

Additionally, Erickson defends his abysmal record, specifically as it is in regards to the record levels of spending on murdered baby tissue research Francis Collins oversaw. Erickson leaves out Francis Collins support for homosexuality and transgenderism which Basham addressed.

I’m seeing a lot of chatter that they should. A lot of people are using Megan Basham’s report to attack Christian leaders from an anti-vax position.

I’m seeing a lot of condemnation of evangelical leaders for working with Collins. Personally, I think they probably saved a lot of lives.

Erick Erickson can’t put away his Branch Covidianism before moving on to an appeal to peace.

I love you all and I’m really finding all this infighting and tribalism tiresome. To be clear, I firmly view a lot of it as tribal performance art for people, including a lot of Christians, who have defined their identities based on their online personas. I know a lot of people think they’re just holding each other to account, but I’ve never known someone to be effective at accountability by coming off with disdain for the person they want to hold accountable.

Y’all, this may come as a shock to each of you, but Russell Moore, Rick Warren, David French, Tim Keller, John MacArthur, Douglas Wilson, Owen Strachan, and Voddie Baucham are all going to be in the House of the Lord one day and if you don’t think so, maybe you need to search your heart and see what’s wrong. You may not realize this, but God is still sovereign even without your mean tweets and the Holy Spirit still moves among us even without your 10,000 word think pieces.

Erick Erickson goes on to confirm the faith of Russell Moore, Rick Warren, David French and Tim Keller, none of whom I would say are true teachers, nor would I call any a brother. Erick Erickson tries to sound reasonable, but he’s already affirmed the faith of Francis Collins despite his blatant theological liberalism. So Erickson has no real standard other than the guild of Big Eva and self-identification to affirm one’s faith.

Peace must be made on the basis of truth, and Big Eva writes lies under its banner of peace. And since Erick Erickson was intellectually beneath contempt for beginning his article with a Nazi reference, let me reply to his ceasefire offer similarly: Nuts.