A Jaw-Droppingly Dumb Editorial
Honestly, this editorial is one of the worst things I have ever read. Sloppy, unsourced and gratuitous quotes, it sounds like something Michael Moore would do.
Bernard Moon sets out to provide "A Lesson for the Liberal Elite" or so the title says. He points out that many on the left blame the election results on Fundamentalist Christians who voted overwhelmingly for Bush, and turned out in huge numbers. Which, of course, is true. He then goes on the basically lampoon the liberals for scorning these people, saying we (I will count myself) describe them as [his quotation] "homophobic knuckle-draggers." No source for this quote, of course. He says liberals have a "distorted image" of Christians as being uneducated and anti-science.
He reminds us that in terms of practical examples ese laws, it might be good to look back in history and be reminded that "some of these Christian fundamentalists served a significant part in our great nation's birth. From Sir Isaac Newton to George Washington Carver, from Abraham Lincoln to Woodrow Wilson to Martin Luther King Jr." Seriously, what the heck is he talking about? Newton was British and died in 1727. Carver born 1865, died 1943. Wilson- 1856-1924. King 1929-1968. Maybe Moon did not learn this in school, but our nation was born in 1776. None of these men are within 45 years of this date.
Okay, first of all, you are the one who has no idea what country people are from or where they lived, not me. Secondly, one cannot if one holds Bible to be a "literal truth" as he claims to later on in the piece, also be a scientist. But we'll get to that. Let's see who he lists:
"Johannes Kepler was a mathematician and astronomer who discovered the laws of planetary motion and fathered the study of celestial mechanics." True. Kepler was also [quote from link] "excluded from the sacrament in the Lutheran church. This and his refusal to convert to Catholicism left him alienated by both the Lutherans and the Catholics." Later on, he was forced to move several times as a result of religious persecution, and even had to defend his mother against charges of witchcraft. His grave was destroyed in the religion-based Thirty Years War.
"Galileo Galilei was the inventor of the telescope, discovered the laws governing falling bodies, and made numerous astronomical discoveries." Galileo was a supporter of the Copernican system, and faced the Roman Inquisition twice for supporting this "heresy". In 1633, he was found guilty and sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life. Hence- believing that the Earth orbits the Sun (rather than vice versa) gets you a life of persecution and punishment by the Catholic Church.
It is really hard to think of worse examples to choose than this, but this is what Moon chooses. Amazing.
Let's move on to Mr. Moon's personal experience- "I grew up in the Midwest with a familiar story to most Americans. My family members and I have attended Ivy League institutions, expounded upon Emerson and Whitman, lived abroad, and chatted endlessly on various topics in Upper West Side cafes." Does not this seem a little bit elitist to prove his bonafides like this. See, I'm smart! I went to an Ivy League school, I'm not a stupid Christian like you think I am. It seems like exactly what he accuses our side of doing.
He says "Oddly enough, we [he and his family] believe in the deity of Jesus Christ and the literal translation of the Bible." Okay, here is where I talk about the dilemma of the Chirstian as scientist. If one interprets the Bible literally, one must believe that created the Earth in 6 days. The most common interpretation of the date of creation is between 6000-10000 years. Ok, so if you believe this, you have to throw out biology (evolution), anthropology (history), archeology (fossil record), physics (carbon dating), chemistry (how matter is formed,) and let's say math too because the numbers do not add up. Modern science has determined tha ge of our universe to be approximately 14 million years old, with the Earth forming about 4.5 billion years ago. See an interesting discussion of these numbers here and more about Creation stories here. Especially check out the similarities between the Christian story and Babylonian story which came centuries earlier.
The point is, one cannot be an intellectually honest scientist and believe all parts of the Bible are literally true. If people believe God is a guiding force for evolution, for the creation of life, then fine. If people believe that God has a plan for all or that He is watching out for them, then fine. People like Moon are a threat to science- this is why we still argue over evolution in the public schools. To demand equal time for other "theories" is just...so 18th Century. Science and religion ask different questions. To create a conflict between them is just constructing a false choice. How life evolved is a scientific one. What it means is a religious one. Let each method handle their own questions, and if you cannot decide...God gave you that brain to think! Use it. If yours is full, Bernard Moon has plenty of room to spare in his.
Bernard Moon sets out to provide "A Lesson for the Liberal Elite" or so the title says. He points out that many on the left blame the election results on Fundamentalist Christians who voted overwhelmingly for Bush, and turned out in huge numbers. Which, of course, is true. He then goes on the basically lampoon the liberals for scorning these people, saying we (I will count myself) describe them as [his quotation] "homophobic knuckle-draggers." No source for this quote, of course. He says liberals have a "distorted image" of Christians as being uneducated and anti-science.
He reminds us that in terms of practical examples ese laws, it might be good to look back in history and be reminded that "some of these Christian fundamentalists served a significant part in our great nation's birth. From Sir Isaac Newton to George Washington Carver, from Abraham Lincoln to Woodrow Wilson to Martin Luther King Jr." Seriously, what the heck is he talking about? Newton was British and died in 1727. Carver born 1865, died 1943. Wilson- 1856-1924. King 1929-1968. Maybe Moon did not learn this in school, but our nation was born in 1776. None of these men are within 45 years of this date.
"There also seems to be a myth traveling around certain intellectual circles that science and the insanity of Christian fundamental doctrine cannot coexist. Again, history serves to prove this wrong and acts as a reminder. Each of the following people held strong beliefs -- "extremist beliefs," some would say -- as Christians and sought to reveal the work of God through their contributions.
For some liberal minds that cannot reach to their grade school days, I made a summary of their accomplishments:"
Okay, first of all, you are the one who has no idea what country people are from or where they lived, not me. Secondly, one cannot if one holds Bible to be a "literal truth" as he claims to later on in the piece, also be a scientist. But we'll get to that. Let's see who he lists:
"Johannes Kepler was a mathematician and astronomer who discovered the laws of planetary motion and fathered the study of celestial mechanics." True. Kepler was also [quote from link] "excluded from the sacrament in the Lutheran church. This and his refusal to convert to Catholicism left him alienated by both the Lutherans and the Catholics." Later on, he was forced to move several times as a result of religious persecution, and even had to defend his mother against charges of witchcraft. His grave was destroyed in the religion-based Thirty Years War.
"Galileo Galilei was the inventor of the telescope, discovered the laws governing falling bodies, and made numerous astronomical discoveries." Galileo was a supporter of the Copernican system, and faced the Roman Inquisition twice for supporting this "heresy". In 1633, he was found guilty and sentenced to house arrest for the rest of his life. Hence- believing that the Earth orbits the Sun (rather than vice versa) gets you a life of persecution and punishment by the Catholic Church.
It is really hard to think of worse examples to choose than this, but this is what Moon chooses. Amazing.
Let's move on to Mr. Moon's personal experience- "I grew up in the Midwest with a familiar story to most Americans. My family members and I have attended Ivy League institutions, expounded upon Emerson and Whitman, lived abroad, and chatted endlessly on various topics in Upper West Side cafes." Does not this seem a little bit elitist to prove his bonafides like this. See, I'm smart! I went to an Ivy League school, I'm not a stupid Christian like you think I am. It seems like exactly what he accuses our side of doing.
He says "Oddly enough, we [he and his family] believe in the deity of Jesus Christ and the literal translation of the Bible." Okay, here is where I talk about the dilemma of the Chirstian as scientist. If one interprets the Bible literally, one must believe that created the Earth in 6 days. The most common interpretation of the date of creation is between 6000-10000 years. Ok, so if you believe this, you have to throw out biology (evolution), anthropology (history), archeology (fossil record), physics (carbon dating), chemistry (how matter is formed,) and let's say math too because the numbers do not add up. Modern science has determined tha ge of our universe to be approximately 14 million years old, with the Earth forming about 4.5 billion years ago. See an interesting discussion of these numbers here and more about Creation stories here. Especially check out the similarities between the Christian story and Babylonian story which came centuries earlier.
The point is, one cannot be an intellectually honest scientist and believe all parts of the Bible are literally true. If people believe God is a guiding force for evolution, for the creation of life, then fine. If people believe that God has a plan for all or that He is watching out for them, then fine. People like Moon are a threat to science- this is why we still argue over evolution in the public schools. To demand equal time for other "theories" is just...so 18th Century. Science and religion ask different questions. To create a conflict between them is just constructing a false choice. How life evolved is a scientific one. What it means is a religious one. Let each method handle their own questions, and if you cannot decide...God gave you that brain to think! Use it. If yours is full, Bernard Moon has plenty of room to spare in his.
posted by Scott L. Stuart at
8:38 AM
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