Creationism ... American Loonies

[joggerjayne]

Creationism thing on BBC Three at the mo ...

Americans are such a bunch of scary loonies.

[ladybirder]

And the one that said they couldn't vote for an atheist because they had no morals! Bl00dy cheek!

[LazyGun]

@Jayne
"
In the US, people like that get elected to high office.

In the UK, we forbid them from going near sharp objects"

LoL!

On that subject - Republican Congressman, member of the House Select Committee on Science, who believes that Evolution, Embryology, Big Bang Theory all come "from the "pit of hell" -And this guy is an MD! Fortunately, not all americans are as batty as him....

http://www.theregiste...tition_science_bible/

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Phil is Northern Irish Jayne.

[joggerjayne]

I think "loony" is slightly understating the case for guys like him, LazyGun.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Maybe Jayne but he's not an American.

[joggerjayne]

Okay ... Irish loony, then.

[naomi24]

The demonstration of the reality of evolution using half a dozen skulls taken from a one kilometre high valley in Africa was simple, but brilliant. And how telling that the group put them in practically the correct chronological order but failed to recognise the implication of that!! I liked the simple explanations given by the experts – and I loved the whale question! How funny! No attempts to blind the group with complex science – not that it worked! The chap who accused the director of bullying, I felt, was quite typical of an immutable Christian (or an immutable person of any flavour religion). He was angry and bombastic and clearly possessed a victim mentality. He had no intention of listening – but, despite his accusation, he saw no irony in attempting to manipulate the thinking of the whole group. The other fellow – with glasses – looked to the rest for confirmation that what he was saying was accurate, so didn’t appear to know his own mind. Nevertheless he decided that the young earth theory must be the right one – but since he gave no explanation for his decision, I assume he said that because he thought that was the right thing to say. The two girls were seriously floundering – and one actually said that she now had her doubts but couldn’t bring herself to believe it. How sad. The whole thing went right above the head of the Muslim who said that Islam had come out of it unscathed – or words to that effect. On the whole, an excellent programme, but a sorry – and frightening - indictment of the effect that religion can have on the intellect – just, Ladybirder, as the mentality that wouldn’t vote for an atheist is sorry and frightening.

[Octavius]

Waldo, its not a belief I share. I went into maths and physics, pootled around a bit in various engineering and construction jobs and projects and am currently working in the civil nuclear industry.

My handicap, if I am to have one, is not possessing sufficient talent to become my inner rockstar touring the globe with my band.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Modeller, given the capacity of the atmosphere to hold water, to cover the Earth in water to a depth of just over 12 metres (bearing in mind that Creationists believe the entire Earth was covered to above the height of the highest mountains, which is several orders of magnatude deeper) would double atmospheric pressure.

That pressure increase alone would greatly affect the ability of creatures to survive and I'm pretty sure wooden arks aren't particularly pressure proof. It would, according to also raise the temperature to over 100 degrees C (this is the 12 metres flood remember, a fraction of the proposed one).

Condensation of of one gram of water releases just over 500 calories of heat. I'm sure it's obvious that the amount of heat liberated would be enough to scorch the Earth.

Blah, blah, blah...

This stuff wasn't written to be checked against science. It's myth (obvious myth) from a bronze-age culture. It should be valued as the Epic of Gilgamesh is valued. It just shouldn't be regarded as bearing the slightest bearing on reality. That it is, is fightening.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Oh for an edit facility...

"It just shouldn't be regarded as having the slightest bearing on reality."

[joggerjayne]

Maybe God just took the water away again?

[WaldoMcFroog]

Yes, but if you go down that route, you might as well say, "Why didn't he just magic the evil people dead in the first place?"

[WaldoMcFroog]

It is a handicap we share, Octavius.

[ladybirder]

Naomi, the other one, with glasses, was a vicar's son!

[joggerjayne]

God doesn't magic evil people dead.

Only good people seem to kop it from "act of God" things like disease and famine.

God has a pretty rummy sense of fair play.

In fact, thinking about it ... He's I bit of a git.

[Octavius]

Blasphemy!

[joggerjayne]

Maybe God is trying to show us that we've got it all wrong?

Maybe He's trying to show us that we've missed the point, and that good people are supposed to be mistreated, and bad people should rise to the top of the pile?

That's how God seems to do it.

Perhaps even, we've totally misunderstood the idea of Good and Evil?

[modeller]

What can one say about the vicar's son ? I suppose being a vicar's son says it all.

[naomi24]

Ladybirder, was he? I must have missed that bit - probably when the dog barked to go out.

Modeller, I don't suppose he had a choice of parents, poor bloke.

[modeller]

Was Phil a Loyalist loony ? His suppressed violence would have made him a good recruit . Being as the vicar's son was his 'yes man' I should imagine Phil was a Loyalist . Ian Paisley was a Creationist and wanted it taught in schools.