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

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

[cyborg]

I've not said anything I haven't said before. I just don't debate evolution. Only reason why I'm in this thread was a claim made by someone that I thought was ridiculous. I still do but doesn't mean I'm going to try and change anyone's mind about evolution. The Bible says there's nothing new under the sun and I happen to believe that.

[jwalsh07]

Good observation. Bigots paint a narrow picture with a wide brush. Dawkins is a bigot and like Marx would ban religion if he could.

But he's written plenty. It's their for the reading.

[Paige]

If you don't believe in G-d's word as in the book of Genesis which states G-d created the heavens and the earth, then it would suffice to say this bloke is bashing anyone who believes in the word of G-d? Once again we have intolerance from the far left. One thing they seem to forget about science, men are the ones who come up with the theories and men are the ones who prove these theories so who is to say they are always correct in their findings?

[edsheppa]

No, you are wrong. Marx and Dawkins have very distinct thinking about religion. There is not rational way in which they can be said to be of the same school.

But hell, as long as you're bringing up schools, let's discuss the way Creationists belong to the Goebbels Big Lie school.

[Torie]

How are they different? Both seem to assert it deadens the synapses to reality and reason, without qualification. Help me with some of this Ed.

[jwalsh07]

No, you are wrong. Marx and Dawkins have very distinct thinking about religion. There is not rational way in which they can be said to be of the same school.

Pshaw. If either had had their way religion would be banned. To say otherwise is irrational. You are being irrational Ed.

But hell, as long as you're bringing up schools, let's discuss the way Creationists belong to the Goebbels Big Lie school.

Which Creationist Ed? A lie is a lie. A bigot is a bigot. They come in all flavors.

[From many - one.]

OK, you don't want to expand your knowledge base. I offered.

Now I'm back to work for a few hours.

[Fester Chugabrew]

"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

A fine preacher of philosophy indeed. Even has his own choir, cheerleaders, and hymn writers.

[Torie]

Ed, Mr Walsh thinks the ranks of those who point out the excesses of creationism are more than well represented around here. He thinks the ranks of those whose attack paints a bit too broad brush, from a rational scientific point of view, are under represented. Mr. Walsh saw an empty niche, and decided to fill it, as the challenge, and for the pleasure of not only himself, but for his God. That is my take.

[furball4paws]

A retreat into a niche is one of the mechanisms supporting evolution. Do we really have a creationist "proving" evolution?

[wallcrawlr]

see here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Kingdom_of_Egypt

Amenemhat III (1817 BC - 1772 BC) was the last great Pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom. Egypt's population began to exceed the food production levels and Amenemhat III ordered the exploitation of the Fayyum and increased mining operations in the Sinaï desert. He made sure that nomarchs could no longer inherit their nomes as Amenemhat II had allowed. He also invited Asiatic settlers to Egypt to labor on Egypt's monuments. But late in his reign the annual floods began to fail and his son Amenemhat IV ruled 10 years (1773 BC - 1763 BC) before dying prematurely.

If a person is willing to put a few minutes into studying Egyptian history and cross referencing it with the Bible it is possible to see the correlation.

[Ichneumon]

Now it is up to people if they want to gamble that these scriptures are lies, or if they are the truth.

The False Dichotomy rides again... It's getting quite a workout on this thread.

[Torie]

Yes, of the thought provoking kind. Fostering a good debate, even as the devil's advocate, is a grand thing really.

[dread78645]

I think (RA will correct me if I'm wrong) that the lack of any visible parallax shifts wasn't something that could be dealt with until the development of photography, which made possible very detailed records of star positions.

After some Googling it seems Friedrich Bessel made the first parallax measurment two years before John Draper made the first daguerreotype image of the Moon.
Modern measurment are done with photography and spectroscopy, but it seems the pioneering work was done with sextants.

[jwalsh07]

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

Sometimes, sometimes not. Always with nondysjunction. Partial trisomy does not affect every chromosome 21. Translocation does not result always result in trisomy but results in Downs, the extra #21 chromosome can attach elsewhere. Translocation is heritable.

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

Now you're on my side.

[edsheppa]

If either had had their way religion would be banned.

Find me one, in context quote of Dawkins where he advocates for the banning (dictionary meaning: an official prohibition or edict) of religion. He's so prolific, it should be easy for you.

Which Creationist Ed?

Oh let's see, how about the poster of the article who felt compelled to add his a lie to the title? Or how about those who inevitabley claim that all evolutionists are atheists? Or maybe folks who claim that Dawkins is from the Marx school of religious thought? Creationists lies are a dime a dozen.

[jwalsh07]

An irrational man can read Dawkins views on religion and come away thinking Dawkins would not ban religion if he were King. A rational man would not I think.

Is it a requirement that I now call you a liar because we disagree on this? I don't see how that gets us anywhere but if it's in the rules I'll do it.

[Ichneumon]

Honesty would compel you to acknowledge that Dawkins' views on religion are Marxist.

Why, because in your arrogance you believe it's utterly impossible that any reasonable person could disagree with you on this point for any reason other than willful dishonesty?

Seek professional help. Seriously.

You owe him an apology for your appalling behavior.

[Ichneumon]

By killing God, evolutionists kill that which gave rise to our Western Culture, namely Christianity. By killing Western Culture...

Ooooookay... You really need to stop reading the creationist propaganda and get out in the real world some more.

And it has apparently escaped your notice that the *majority* of Americans who are "evolutionists" are *Christians*. I'm sorry if that punctures your cherished preconceptions, or makes your head explode.

[jwalsh07]

I'd have to see your "Fair Witness" registration card before I'd consider that.