I’m sorry… this is just depressing. Some aspects of this Reuters poll are not surprising. Vast majorities of Americans believe in God and Jesus as either God or the Son of God. That’s all well and good. But for only 42% to believe in evolution is a bit numbing. Only 16% of Evangelicals accept evolution, which I guess shouldn’t come as a shock. But I wonder if that same 84% of them would be willing to live without the medicines, therapies, crops, and livestock that scientists, working with and from Darwin’s theory, have made available to them? Maybe the witches that 37% of them believe in can conjure something up for them the next time they are sick or hungry.
Because there's a little cogitator in all of us...
Perhaps those same people who don’t believe in evolution laugh at the less than 10% of the population that don’t believe in God. What do you think? In the words of Rodney King, “Can’t we all just get along?”
They may laugh at us, or pity us, or whatever. They are entitled to whatever reaction they like.
However, I think evolution scares them because they fear that acknowledging it may somehow weaken them. On the contrary, their outright rejection of reality in the face of overwhelming evidence scares me because that sort of intellectual disingenuousness has the potential to weaken us all.
I don’t wish to live in the world that existed two millennia ago. I don’t think they do either. But if they reject the scientific process which brought us evolution and cosmology, then they are also rejecting the process that brought us electricity, transportation, medicine, and other developments essential to modern human life. Science doesn’t work when you follow the path and just reject the destinations that you aren’t comfortable with.
The overriding point here being that science does not need to live in conflict with religion. Even the Pope has arrived at that conclusion. I do not want anyone to be less religious. Just that their religion doesn’t require us all to return to a pre-industrial age.
Christianity Today has a beautiful piece explaining why Young Earth Creationists make life difficult for mainstream Christians.
Timmy:
You are really hung up on this crap, aren’t you?
YMF,
Roy
> New Pledge of Allegiance
> Since the Pledge of Allegiance
> and
> The Lord’s Prayer
> are not allowed in most
> public schools anymore
> Because the word “God” is mentioned….
> A kid in Arizona wrote the following:
> NEW School prayer :
> Now I sit me down in school
> Where praying is against the rule
> For this great nation under God
> Finds mention of Him very odd.
> If Scripture now the class recites,
> It violates the Bill of Rights.
> And anytime my head I bow
> Becomes a Federal matter now.
> Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
> That’s no offense; it’s a freedom scene.
> The law is specific, the law is precise.
> Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
> For praying in a public hall
> Might offend someone with no faith at all.
> In silence alone we must meditate,
> God’s name is prohibited by the state.
> We’re allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
> And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
> They’ve outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
> To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
> We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
> And the ‘unwed daddy,’ our Senior King.
> It’s “inappropriate” to teach right from wrong,
> We’re taught that such “judgments” do not belong.
> We can get our condoms and birth controls,
> Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
> But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
> No word of God must reach this crowd.
> It’s scary here I must confess,
> When chaos reigns the school’s a mess.
> So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
> Should I be shot; My soul please take!
> Amen
> If you aren’t ashamed to do this,
> please pass this on.
> Jesus said,
> “If you are ashamed of me,
> I will be ashamed of you before my Father.”
Always the victim … right Timmy? Wah wah wah … perhaps I should meet you for lunch next week … I can take you to McDonalds and get you some testosterone shakes.