Today’s post may ramble a bit. Fairly warned ye be.
I had never intended to start an evolution/creation blog, but that seems to be the direction the blog has taken for the present. That’s fine with me; I’m certain that exciting happenings in science will tug at my fancy. For now, it’s evolution, and as I regard victory in the war on evolution as vital for our continued survival, I’m happy to give it center stage for a time.
That may have seemed like idle hyperbole. Certainly it’s important to protect evolutionary theory from the ideological attacks on it, in this country (the US) and in all others. If we fail, the US stands to fall behind the rest of the world in scientific competency. Not only that, but if the soldiers of religious wingnuttery are able to censor science, what’s to prevent their influence from entering other areas of public life? What’s to stop them from outlawing homosexuality, or undermining religious freedoms? All these are nontrivial concerns, but none of them threaten our survival as a species.
I fight so hard for evolution not only for the theory itself, but for its necessary implications. The fact that humans share a common ancestor with all other life makes one long-held notion virtually untenable: that humans are somehow above and separate from the rest of life. Evolution makes it uncomfortably difficult to believe that humans were made “in God’s own image.” We are a part of the life of this world, we came to be in the same way as anything else, and we are subject to the same laws of nature as anything else. It is unspeakably vital that we all grasp this fact, and soon.
Again, the urgency with which I advocate this idea may seem strange. What harm is there in some people’s believing that humans are somehow exalted over other organisms? The danger is in the actions such a belief permits. If humans are exalted over all other life, than we are free to do what we will with all other life. In fact, “civilized” humans have done whatever they would with all other life for thousands of years, and the results are all around us. Fisheries are collapsing, vast areas of forest are destroyed daily, the products of agriculture and industry are driving global temperatures up, and estimates hold that dozens of species are driven extinct every day. This is a direct result of the idea that the world was made for us, and that we were made to make what we would of the world.
Accepting the more humble origin of humanity does not utterly banish this notion, but it does make it difficult to maintain. If we are simply a natural outgrowth of the processes that shaped this planet, it is hardly possible to justify our treating it as our personal property.
I fight, because fighting for evolution means fighting for humanity.
Tags: Creationism, culture war, Evolution, Intelligent Design, Science, war on science
Allusions of Grandeur 
May 16, 2008 at 6:29 am |
When fighting for evolution, you are actually persecuting the Creator of all, Jesus, the Christ.
THE BIGGER PICTURE IN THE DEBATE ON DARWINISM IS NOT INTELLIGENT DESIGN.
The reason is elementary: the Discovery Institute and other ID proponents leave out the Triune God, Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Hence, Richard Dawkins can make the case for “aliens” seeding the earth.
A PARAGON OF SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENT!
The Quest for Right, a series of 7 textbooks created for the public schools, represents the ultimate marriage between an in-depth knowledge of biblical phenomena and natural and physical sciences. The several volumes have accomplished that which, heretofore, was deemed impossible: to level the playing field between those who desire a return to physical science in the classroom and those who embrace the theory of evolution. The Quest for Right turns the tide by providing an authoritative and enlightening scientific explanation of natural phenomena which will ultimately dethrone the unprofitable Darwinian view.
The text begins simply enough, tracing the history of Darwin from an impressionable youth influenced by atheists and agnostics on every hand to a full-fledged agnostic in his own right. The matter may be summed up by the inclusion of Darwin’s sentiment regarding the Creator. In a bitter denial of Christianity, Darwin complained that he “could hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true; for if so, the plain language of the text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this would include my Father, Brother and almost all my best friends, will be everlastingly punished. And this is a damnable doctrine.” Darwin charged his original belief in God to the “constant inculcation” (instruction or indoctrination) in a belief in God” during his childhood, which was as difficult to cast down as “for a monkey to throw off its instinctive fear and hatred of a snake…. Darwin purposed in his heart that he would no longer retain God in his knowledge. And the scientific illiterate upstart sought to entrap the innocents in the classroom in his web of deceit.
Once past the history of the Darwinist movement, the architecture of the quantum atom is explored in great detail. This is breathtakingly new!
The atom has been compared to a miniature sun-earth system with one or more electrons darting about everywhere at once weaving an electronic shell around the nucleus. In order for this to occur, “Bohr calculated that the electron must move at a speed of no less than seven million billion rotations per second.” Ummmm, “numerous electrons darting about, dodging one another at breakneck speeds would necessarily require the supernatural. The Quest for Right will prove to your complete satisfaction that the electron is directly adhered to the perimeter of the nucleus. “How could it have been otherwise?” The exciting text is remarkably easy to follow even for a lay person.
The book is a virtual smorgasbord of good things to taste: a few of the entertaining subjects include: the earth was created from a watery nebula, the mechanism of gravity which was used to form the earth, the failed photoelectric effect, theory of antimatter, quantum creation (big bang theory), disappearing color, magical application of mathematics to explain certain rudimentary principles, Rayleigh scattering (sunsets), electricity, lightning, electrolyte, the browning of fruit, the mystery of fire, and the role of oxygen in the ignition of hydrocarbons. Then, there’s the desserts which are far too numerous to mention in this limited space; for example, the origin and demise of the great dinosaurs. Moreover, you will marvel at the comprehensive law of fixed choice.
This is not your parent’s science book filled with distortions of the truth, called “quantum mysticism.” The comprehensive investigation–like none other you will read–quickly escapes into realism by underscoring the numerous experiments and errors responsible for the debasement of scientific theories based on whim. Teachers and students will rejoice in the simplicity of earthly phenomena when entertained by the new discipline.
The Quest for Right is not only an academic resource designed for the public schools, but also contains a wealth of information on pertinent subjects that seminarians, and Christians in general, need to know to be effective: geology, biology, geography, astronomy, chemistry, paleontology, and in-depth Biblical studies. The nuggets from the pages of Biblical history alone will give seminarians literally hundreds of fresh ideas for sermons and teachings. The ministry resources contained in The Quest for Right serve as invaluable aids that will enrich graduates beyond their highest expectations.
Visit the official website for additional information: http://questforright.com
May 16, 2008 at 10:49 am |
Thanks for the post, Mr. Parsons.
I’m sure you’re aware that, for a claim to be scientific, there must be evidence in support of it. What evidence do you have that Jesus is the creator of all? What do you say to Christians like Ken Miller who have no problem with evolution?
The Discovery Institute leave God out so they can sneak their theory into classrooms. And you have quotemined Richard Dawkins. He was never “made the case” for aliens seeding the Earth. He only acknowledged the possibility, as any good scientist would.
You have failed in the first sentence, I’m afraid. The very fact that you have “married” physical science and “biblical phenomena” means that your textbook series can never be used in US public schools.
Perhaps you can explain to me why the theory of evolution is not science.
Darwin’s beliefs have nothing to do with the veracity of evolutionary theory. It worries me that I have to remind you of this, since you claim to have composed a series of science textbooks.
What does the structure of the atom have to do with evolutionary theory?
What qualifies you to overturn the work of generations of physicists?
Few if any of those subjects have anything to do with evolution. They also appear to have very little to do with established science. What do you mean by “magical” math?
You then claim that this book is equally useful in the public classroom, and in the seminary. Um what? Are you planning to publish these in the US? You have heard of the Constitution, have you not?
If I had any inkling that any American public school would ever use these books, I would be abjectly terrified. They seem a gross misrepresentation of what is meant by science, and an attempt to indoctrinate children with distrust of any scientists whose findings (which are based on reality) happen to contradict a literal interpretation of scripture.
I will be checking out your site, however. I need to find out more about this one.
May 16, 2008 at 11:46 am |
“Quest for Right turns the tide by providing an authoritative and enlightening scientific explanation of natural phenomena which will ultimately dethrone the unprofitable Darwinian view.”
“unprofitable”?
Freudian slip?
May 18, 2008 at 2:58 pm |
Or course, you casting down a book which you haven’t read. That speaks volumes about your agenda. It is time to be “abjectly terrified.”
May 18, 2008 at 11:07 pm |
I wouldn’t be too worried. This particular buffoon seems to do nothing but trolls around wordpress blogs, pasting in spam for his shoddy products whenever he can.
May 19, 2008 at 12:09 am |
The summary material on your website bespeaks no scientific literacy whatever. This indicates to me that you are casting aspersions at sound scientific theory, even though you clearly do not fully understand it.
Aw, I was beginning to think I was special!
May 23, 2008 at 11:08 am |
I like this blog. Reminds me that there are other sensible people out there in this country.
May 27, 2008 at 1:37 am |
After being directed to your blog from this thread:
http://www.richarddawkins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=908282#p908282
I was indeed also a little disgusted by the sheer arrogance of this charlatan, spreading his unconstitutional and severely detrimental to modern existence, rot.
It is sad to see theomite spammers flooding the internet.
Nice blog. 🙂
May 27, 2008 at 2:00 am |
Thankfully, his rot is so rotten (and insane) that I don’t see it catching on, even in CreoLand. In fact, people like him are the greatest evidence for intelligent design: they demonstrate that God put them here to amuse the rest of us.
Thanks!
June 11, 2008 at 10:03 am |
[…] fight for creationism? I’ve already intimated why I think it’s important to fight for evolution, so this is the other side of the […]
June 21, 2008 at 6:57 pm |
Oh my.
You’ve decided that man is no more than an animal or a fungus, have you? We’re not above it all. We’re a product of evolution and just as subject to possible extinction as any other critter.
You’ve forgotten to take into account sapience. I don’t often give Richard Dawkins any credit, but at least he’s been wise enough to recognize that there’s something about humanity that’s different. He supposes that we’re the first creatures who might transcend evolution, since our intellect gives us a severe advantage over natural selection.
The rest of your post is tiresome screed. Your attempts to wave the flag of eco-nuttery are laughable at best.
–Sirius Knott
–Sirius Knott
June 22, 2008 at 2:00 am |
Of course humans are different from other animals, but that doesn’t mean we are not animals ourselves. There is nothing in the definition of “animal” that excludes humans.
Of course we are subject to possibe extinction! What do you think excludes us from it? If a giant meteorite slams into Earth, sets half of it on fire and blankets the rest of it in darkness, we’ll go extinct with every other large animal. Ditto if we kill off all the fisheries, cut down too many forests, etc.
If you don’t agree with the above, try actually posting an argument instead of another list of unsupported assertions.