Letters to the Editor
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Must be about the money...
...because it's too crazy to be about belief.
The astonishing ability to believe two things are true when in complete contradiction. To use as one's supporting argument the very logic that undoes one's own argument...amazing every time I see it.
Evolution is just a "theory" they say, it has only been supported 1,000,000 times and never once contradicted...but it's only a theory...
These same kooks believe in a book that not one single person alive or dead has ever seen or touched in original form, and the copies written decades and more after the fact all tell a different story and contradict each other. Even when compiled into one work, there are more contradictions and horrifying examples of a sick and demented god who wipes out whole populations in anger.
Given their own test, they could not possibly believe, and yet they do!
This is not faith; it is the shadow of faith.
This is one of the best reasons why Churches need to give up their tax free status. They are spending outrageous amounts of money on crazy, and lining their own pockets with money that could be used for worthy pursuits.
Awesome...I am in awe.
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Bought And Paid For?
Here's my question. Who paid Mr Slack for this piece of PR tripe, Salon or Answers In Genesis? Both?
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Ah
At least they are brunettes.
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??
Well, what can you do? The country has an amazing primitive streak. Always has. Keep on truckin' and hope for the best. Sure glad I live in a relatively progressive blue state area.
40%? That's rank.
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Oh...and...
Gravity is only a theory too...perhaps more testing from high buildings?
Just kidding...but seriously, the "believers" don't undrestand the terminology and then use that ignorance in their arguments.
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The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil
That said, I would very much like to know what evidence they have against it being an apple. The conspiracy theoritst in me thinks that what they are afraid of admitting is that it was...wait for it...passionfruit.
Apples aren't native to Iraq, which is where the plain between the Tigris and the Euphrates is located.
Wait.
Iraq???
Hmm...
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Even the Song of Songs?
How about this fact. The Holy Bible is very long and EVERY LINE WRITTEN pertains to man's relationship to his God. You probably will not be the same aftewards.
Wow, really? Even the Song of Solomon? That seems to be about man's relationship to his honey's bodacious rack.
That's some divine relationship right there!
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What I wanna know is:
Do the Adam and Eve models have bellybuttons?
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It's dangerous to more than science
I haven't read all the many letters to this topic so maybe this is duplicative. But we should realize that the majority of these folks >also< believe we are in the End Times, that the Rapture is around the corner (for the true believers), and that Armageddon is a blessed thing to be worked for because it will herald the Second Coming. This museum and its fundamentalist teachings are part and parcel of the same belief system.
That, to me, is the real danger. And these people do vote. And join the armed services (did you know fundamentalist chaplains now predominate in both our regular military and our military academies - check out Mike Weinstein's book about the Air Force Academy, "With God on Our Side").
It is far more serious in the short-term than worrying about whether we can compete in a scientific world.
Mary
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wonderful freedom
I am reading these letters and quite frankly am totally amazed.
One, the decryers of this museum were not asked to contribute one cent to its 27 million dollar cost. Nor did they give a cent of taxes to it. So what is the fuss about people who want to give their money to build this museum?
Two, many letter writers think that this museum is some kind of assault on their intelligence. I think their ability to offended by this only reflects their incapacity to allow other people their opinion.
Three, many letter writers wonder why there are people who wonder why people believe these kind of things and why they would support the promotion of these kinds of ideas. Implicit in these expressions of censure is that freedome of the first amendment might not be for this kind of speech. Well, let's see - just a few days ago we celebrated Memorial Day and most of of us acknowledged our gratitude for those who served (and are serving) our country and gave the sacrifice of their lives so to protect the First Amendment. So we have the guarantee of the freedom of expression and some people are offended that some people's expression is contrary to their views. The moment the owners of the creation museum's freedom of expression is curtailed, watch out because yours may be next. The freedom of the Atheists to hire a plane to fly over the exhibit and to parade outside was also guaranteed by the same soldiers we all memorialized on Memorial Day.
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Michael B., I doubt that the Adam and Eve models have genitalia.
Contemplate the crotches of Ken and Barbie.
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Adam&Eve
If Eve was created out of Adam's rib, how come she has an umbilicus?
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Iraq??
hey...it's not funny (ok, it's kind of funny), there's a pretty credible conspiracy theory that says Bush invaded Iraq, and supports Israel no matter what, so we will control Jerusalem and Babylon when Jesus comes back...it's biblical prophesy..."in the new world, God will choose a cowboy to conquer the evil-doers and make the Earth safe for God"...it's in there! (in one of the versions, I swear)
Crazier things have been done in the name of God, and other names, for centuries...
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From Pharyngula
For a critical viewpoint, see
http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2007/05/salon_sucks.php#comments
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Two Cheers for Uncertainty
Hastie & Dawes have a chapter in their book "Rational Choice in an Uncertain World" with the heading "Two Cheers for Uncertainty." The point therein being that perfect, comprehensive certainty would make this corporeal life essentially meaningless. Think about it.
Science is always at a problematic forensic disadvantage with respect to refuting morons like these Christiabanists because the latter admit to no uncertainty, e.g. from the AiG "Statement of Faith" -
(D)(6) "No apparent, perceived or claimed evidence in any field, including history and chronology, can be valid if it contradicts the Scriptural record."
Fundamental to science, however, is a recognition of intractable uncertainty, and consequent proper humility in the expression of findings.
My advice to all of these cartoon-intellect crybaby dramatist clowns: Look, since you already know it all, and since this world sucks so bad in light of its persistent, irritating, ghastly cohorts of queers, questioners, and assorted secularists, DRINK THE GODDAMN KOOL-AID EN MASSE AND MOVE ON TO PARADISE! Belly up, I'm buyin'.
You already know how great it's gonna be. Why wait around in this epistemological cesspool? Go to Poppa. The rest of us have work to do.
That's one central thing separating the Islamic Fundies from our whiny, tiresome Christiabanists; the former continue to demonstrate the courage of their equally bizarre convictions daily, boom, splat.