Letters to the Editor
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How hung was Adam?
Do they show the goods?
Personally, I refuse to believe that 40% of american believe in this nonsence.
The silver lining of this is that the Creation Museum will be such an object of ridicule that it will do its cause much more harm than good. Once the curiosity seekers have seen it. its only customers (suckers) will be the Kool-Aid drinkers going over and over.
The reasonable, the intelligent should use this to their advantage. Make it the laughing stock it deserves to be.
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Terminal stupidity
Ernest Sternglass was right. The bomb testing did lower our intelligence.
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Minor Theological Correction
Theologically speaking, according to the account in Genesis 1 to 3, A&E were not lured into temptation vis a vis their sexuality — as the author seems to suggest. I think I am on safe ground saying that THAT is part of the Augustinian legacy bequeathed to the Roman Catholic church. Rather, it was the temptation to " eat of the tree of the knowledege of good and evil . . . wherein they will be LIKE GOD" that was the occasion of the first lapse. The original sin had nothing to do with sex; it had everything to do with establishing HUMAN autonomy over THEOCRATIC autonomy. Hence, at the end of time — according to the New Testament — every knee will bow to God in Jesus Christ et al.
Just a minor correction to an otherwise interesting (and much disturbing) piece, from a former Evangelical Pastor and Teacher.
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Yes, the Creation Museum is silly, but....
some of you who are labeling all Christians with these kooks are really no different than the freerepublic morons who present crime statistics as proof that all blacks are criminals. There is a disturbing trend by those like Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins to label religious moderates as just as bad as fundamentalists. They also talk about the elimination of religion.
Let's cut to the chase here - how would you that want religion gone achieve this goal? By outlawing religion? By persecuting people for their beliefs? How is that even vaguely different from Jerry Falwell? I am a Christian who sees value in all religions. I also am American Indian who participates in a traditional drum group. We perform at powwows, it's rooted in spirituality. I know many of you would sneer in contempt at this, but by ending religion, would you also end this. How do I know Sam Harris isn't just an atheist Custer?
I also see much value in science and understand stuff like this museum is wrong. But this museum debate is part of a larger discussion on religion, and the face of atheism that Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins present is terrilby ugly. However, unlike them, I will refuse to lump them with the millions of atheists who disagree with my beliefs but at least respect my right to practice them.
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The Creation of Fallacy Museum!
This is so disturbing to my spirit. As I often do, I will start my letter with full disclosure. I am a Catholic and deeply so. That said, I am a progressive, liberal Catholic so please do keep that in mind as you read on.
The dogma of the Roman Catholic church does not call on those of us who practice it, to interpret scripture literally. That alone is a reason to stay in the church, despite all the often compelling reasons to flee.
So right there and then, this whole notion of creation falls short. The reason you may hear dissent about that in today's church, especially the American church is that we live in the land of idiocy and confusion!
Rather than rail on about all manner of things I will start with this taken directly from the article... Buddy Davis, a technician and artist who has also made dinosaurs for use in secular exhibits, tells me he's much happier seeing his dinosaurs at the Creation Museum, promoting faith in the Bible. "I want to see God get credit for his creation," he says. "I look around and see so much beauty -- even if it is marred by sin -- and to think that it all just came from an explosion billions of years ago is just wrong. To me it's obvious the hand of God is behind it. As scripture says, 'They are without excuse' who do not believe."
"--even if it is marred by sin--" says Buddy.
This is the sort of sick, sad thought that attracts some to Christianity and repels others.
As for me, I am sticking with the following, as moved to do so by my spirituality. Yes, that spirituality... the one that is based on and in Jesus Christ.
1. We are all God's children and as a result, loved no matter what. Ever.
2. Avoiding that whole "We are all sinners", which while true at one level to me, is used to promote "working" to achieve grace (which by its very nature is given and received freely not earned!), so that God loves us better or more. Not so!
3. Science is good. Very, very, very good. God invented it.
This child of God is signing off...
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But where are the antibiotic-resistant bacteria?
They're so elegantly explained by the theory of natural selection.
Oh, wait, silly me. The development of resistance is just God punishing mankind for the hubris of using reason to figure out how to cure diseases. He gave us thinking minds, but apparently we aren't supposed to use them.
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Dominionists
If you like the "Museum of Stupidity," you'll love the Christian Reconstructionist / Dominionist movement.
They may be insane, but they are highly motivated and organized, lavishly funded, smart enough to know their agenda (institution of theocratic "biblical law" including death by stoning for fornication, advocacy of slavery, etc.) is repellent enough that they must act covertly.
They are also so influential that Republican presidential candidates must seek the endorsement of the Dominionist front group, the Council for National Policy.
The Dominionists are trying to do to politics what the Creationists are doing to science.
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If there was no death before the fall adn all beasts ate plants, why do Christians mock God by eating meat?
I know these people are immune to their own contradictions and should not be using cell-phones, computers, aeroplanes, gasoline or modern medicine but in this article alone, the Literalists have made the case that no Christian fundamentalist can eat meat and expect to be saved.
Why do they have sex anyhow?
Aren't they just perpetuating the terrible sin of post-fall mankind?
It's almost as if they only belief the bullshit they spout in so far as it makes other peoples lifestyles more difficult....hmmmm....
It is truly a shame that they can't let go of their Easter Bunny and move on to the many very real problems in our world today.
Also, I read 7 or 8 pages of this discussion while waiting for my registration and I was shocked! Not one mention of the Flying Spaghetti Monster? For shame people, for shame!