Creationism: God's gift to the ignorant (Religion bashing alert)

Times Online UK ^ | May 21, 2005 | Richard Dawkins

[balrog666]

Did I say anything anybody else wasn't thinking?

[Torie]

"The creationists’ fondness for “gaps” in the fossil record is a metaphor for their love of gaps in knowledge generally. Gaps, by default, are filled by God. You don’t know how the nerve impulse works? Good! You don’t understand how memories are laid down in the brain? Excellent! Is photosynthesis a bafflingly complex process? Wonderful! Please don’t go to work on the problem, just give up, and appeal to God. Dear scientist, don’t work on your mysteries. Bring us your mysteries for we can use them. Don’t squander precious ignorance by researching it away. Ignorance is God’s gift to Kansas."

It seems to me that Dawkins is attacking the invocation of God as a substitute for, and an excuse not to engage in, rational scientific inquiry and analysis. His crack about God's gift to Kansas was a sarcastic jibe at this mindset. I don't see anything in his screed that is anti religion, or anti God. Are you giving him a bum rap, or am I missing something?

[jwalsh07]

I'll give you the opportunity to say that to my face. And then I'll hurt you. Where do you live?

[jwalsh07]

Are you giving him a bum rap, or am I missing something?

I don't think so but obviously there are some who have different opinions. :-}

[Torie]

Your response is a bit vague. Either you are a self admitted hanging judge or I lack perspicacity - say you. Which is it? :)

[From many - one.]

Down's is trisomy 21, in other words 3 instead of 2 of chromosome 21.

It's not a point mutation if that's what you were arguing about.

[Doctor Stochastic]

I was present when my father and some co-workers observed bacterial speciation in a laboratory. That is, they observed bacteria split into two groups that did not interbreed through exchange of genetic material. It was old hat then (in the 1950s.)

[Fester Chugabrew]

The supression of ideas by authority is the greatest single crime that can be committed.

I like that. Judges and School Boards seem to enjoy supressing the notion that biology as we know it may not be a product or natural selection and random mutations after all. Shall they be charged with a crime?

[AntiGuv]

prime

[AndrewC]

You think some of these people care what Dawkins says about President Bush? It doesn't even make a dent.

No, but that is my point. They complain and carp about others, but they are the "putrid" ones. When "creationism" is used in a school context it is religious. When Dawkins attacks it, it is not. Marilyn Monroe logic. They are famous for it.

[cyborg]

No scientist has ever made a blade of grass. I'm not all that impressed with evolutionary theory.

[balrog666]

I'll give you the opportunity to say that to my face. And then I'll hurt you. Where do you live?

You can join exmarine in that line, Bozo.

[jwalsh07]

You can search on your own a make your own judgements but this is a good place to start from my point of view.

Religions Misguided Missiles

[jwalsh07]

You ever mention anybodys mother here again in that foul way and I will break my record and send your foul mouth packing.

Punk.

[AndrewC]

Looks like your "brave" antagonist has a waiting line. I wouldn't waste a stream of urine on him.

[jwalsh07]

Downs is a chromosomal mutation. Period.

[jwalsh07]

Good advice but like I said if I ever meet him, I'll hurt him.

[kcvl]

Oxford University evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins

Science's scourge of believers declares his faith in Darwin

Prof Dawkins said believers might now be disillusioned with an omnipotent being who had just drowned tens of thousands of innocent people in Asia. "My naive guess was that believers might be feeling more inclined to curse their god than pray to him."

"I believe, but I cannot prove, that all life, all intelligence, all creativity and all 'design' anywhere in the universe is the direct or indirect product of Darwinian natural selection," said Prof Dawkins

[Doctor Stochastic]

You are moving the target again. I expect better from you.

[Torie]

Ya, that has a different tone. One thing the guy misses though. Assuming arguendo that belief in the hereafter facilitates risk taking, the taking of risk, and the risk taker mentality, has fostered most of the improvement of the human condition, and helped facilitiate the filling out of not only the ranks of the shock troops of tyranny, but also those who risk their lives to oppose it.

The cup is either half full or half empty to the atheist. This guy is of the half empty cohort.

Putting it another way, the improvement of the human condition has not been fueled by risk adverse near atheistic lawyer types, as a general rule. And that is a fact.