Letters to the Editor
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It doesn't matter
One of the most beautiful things about science is that it doesn't need belief to work. People can concoct whatever myths they need to explain the world in human terms, but regardless of whatever fantasies they construct, science keeps humming along underneath. All religions fade and die over time. Some, like Christianity and Islam, are perverted from their true origins long before they fade, and so die two deaths. And just as surely others will rise to take their place. But science is eternal.
It may sound depressing that only 40% of Americans understand enough science to grasp the truth. But consider that at the time of the Enlightenment, less than 1% of Europe's population could comprehend the logic, mathematics and science that made the Age of Reason possible. There will always be a segment of the population who is too ignorant, incurious, or incapable to see the truth in science. They are the ones who need operatic mythology to make sense of the world, and it is unlikely we will every truly be rid of them.
It's lucky for them that they live in a world where science is indifferent to belief. That way they can continue to enjoy the benefits of medical and technological innovation that is derived from an understanding of evolution and cosmology and other non-biblical sources of data. And just like an anti-choice father who discovers his daughter is inconveniently pregnant, they are more than ready to renounce their precious belief if it means science will fix something for them, only to resume their delusion once stability is restored.
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I wonder how this will look in 20 years...
I agree with the poster who said this is designed for the home-schooled children of fundie families. I live in the heart of the bible belt, and I'm one of two people at my (small) workplace who doesn't home-school their kids. Everyone is part of a huge (20,000+) megachurch, at least those who haven't left because it's not fundie enough.
I'm really alarmed/curious at the big social experiment these people are conducting with their children, and I suspect some of these parents are in for a bit of an eye-opener when they start hitting 18-20 (at least that's what my optimistic side hopes).
These kids live in a completely separate society, and are never exposed to people or media of any kind that doesn't share their worldview. They have separate books, tv (video), music, home-school curriculum. They only see other fundie kids. They are all raised "God's Way" (it's a trademark, go look up 'Growing Kids God's Way' for an eye opener). Did you know that there are fundie versions of the Baby Einstein Videos? I didn't.
Anyway, for some of you with more experience in the world (I'm 35), is this a recent phenomenon and how do you think it will turn out?
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A billion-year-old universe isn't impressive enough?
Buddy Davis is quoted in the article: "I want to see God get credit for his creation...and to think that it all just came from an explosion billions of years ago is just wrong."
Why is it wrong? God creating a massive explosion billions of years ago building infinite stars and planets and galaxies, at least one of which sustaining life as we know it, isn't impressive enough? Talk about not giving credit. I find proof of God every time I look past my own 2 foot comfort zone and focus on the night sky.
Let me paraphrase Madeleine L'Engle, author of Wrinkle in Time and a devote Christian, who said that physicists were the new religious explorers (or close to that). I know what she means. Find God in your microsope and your telescope. I'm starting a new church that embraces science, gosh darn it (and shoot, one that doesn't hate women or pray on children).
Make it a great day, everyone!
- Lesley
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this is killing me
this is too much, or as Foulwell could have put it, 'Religion has been very, very good to me'
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Was Adam cut? Who did the deed?
Last figure I saw had about half of male American babies getting circumcised. Are the fundies abstaining?, I doubt it.
How did they render Adam? He is hairless and cosmetically groomed. Eve has apparently had access to razors and wax, not to mention hair-care products. Why not a little trim downstairs?
Totally illogical? Of course.
It is incredibly sad that so many Americans can be so insecure in themselves that they cannot survive without these fictions. It is a world-wide problem but it is particularly dismaying in America where information is widely and cheaply available that ignorance can run so rampantly through the streets.
There is much that needs to be done and we are running out of the resources that make us so powerful. These fights make everyone weaker when we need all of our strength to move 7 billion people into a sustainable future.
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What color is Adam and eve
That is a ridiculous display. Who know what color adam and eve were. How do they know? Thats what i hate about some christians. We have no clue what color but they still display 2 white people. Think about that.
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Too many of the comments in this thread are too funny to single them out, so I'll...
...piggyback on this one by Anonymous:
"viruses, bacteria, parasitic worms...did they all just get along in Eden? Only after the Fall did they start their destructive life cycles?
Did Noah carry them onto the Ark?
What about HIV? Just hanging out with nothing to do for all those years?
Oh, I forgot. HIV was designed, built, and sent by God RECENTLY. To kill the homosexuals."
But God created nothing to kill lesbians? So, God likes lesbians? Typical guy.
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Why is America so different? Why are facts so dangerous here?
The big puzzler for me is why America has such deep-rooted resistance to science. The rest of the developed world seems to live with no fear of facts.
So much progress has originated or gained momentum in America. It is very odd to me that this strain is so virulent.
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Read Genesis carefully
If one reads Genesis carefully, it is obvious that it contains not one but two separate creation stories. Which one is "true"? The KIng James version is remarkably clear on this matter. To me, the creation story is all about how humans should relate to their surroundings and to each other. The creationists make Genesis into a dull scientific treatise. By doing so, they miss the real point