Freethought & Rationalism Archive

kaidi06 · 04-07-2003, 02:00 PM

Did Darwin become a Christian on his deathbed?

This page would have one believe that Darwin's conversion is highly probable. The fact that this site quotes the book True Science Agrees with the Bible makes me skeptical off the bat. Any other opinions of the author's claims?

RufusAtticus · 04-07-2003, 02:01 PM

caravelair · 04-07-2003, 02:05 PM

"It has been claimed that Charles Darwin recanted on his deathbed. Supposedly Lady Hope visited him, and wrote about it, many years later.

Darwin's daughter Henrietta has stated that he didn't. Further, Lady Hope did not visit during Darwin's last month. And none of Darwin's friends (who did visit him) reported any conversion. Darwin's various biographers are agreed on this point."

these are not my own words. taken from:

http://www.cs.colorado.edu/%7Elindsa...in_recant.html

ruby-soho · 04-07-2003, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kaidi06
Did Darwin become a Christian on his deathbed?

This page would have one believe that Darwin's conversion is highly probable. The fact that this site quotes the book True Science Agrees with the Bible makes me skeptical off the bat. Any other opinions of the author's claims?

Please see:

The Lady Hope Story - A Widespread Falsehood

It wouldn't matter one damn bit if Darwin converted on his deathbed or not, it would be entirely irrelevant to the validity of his theory.

Respectfully,

D

Dr.GH · 04-07-2003, 02:18 PM

Well, the story was denied by Darwin's wife. It has been so discredited that even Answers in Genesis (one of the lowest forms of creationist propaganda on the web) recommends aginst using the "death bed conversion" story.

Plus, what would it matter to the scientific validity of evolutionarybiology if this fairytale were ture? Absolutly nothing.

Wounded King · 04-07-2003, 03:02 PM

Maybe he was just covering his bets, seems rational to me, after all what did he have to lose?

KC · 04-07-2003, 03:14 PM

Good Grief, not that tired, old, argument again. Christian fanatics must have obligatory wet dreams about every agnostic or atheist having a deathbed conversion.

KC

Doubting Didymus · 04-07-2003, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wounded King
Maybe he was just covering his bets, seems rational to me, after all what did he have to lose?

What would he lose by conveting to christianity? Well, he might have risked making Anubis just a little bit more annoyed with him. If someone's about to eat your heart, you DONT want to piss them off by claiming that they are inventions of the satan figure in some pissweak tribal myth, that just happens to be descended from some folk that were a real pain in the arse for egypt, as well as being closely tied to old rome.

If he really wanted to cover his bases, he'd want to ask for a few tasty human organs to distract Anubis, a couple of emergency peanuts 'in case of Ganesh', and become really excellent at the 'get out of hades free' lute. He might want to spend his life seeking buddha while he's at it, if he wants a decent reincarnation.

BRO3886 · 04-07-2003, 03:39 PM

I was unaware he ever de-converted in the first place. Does anyone have any references to him proclaiming that he did NOT believe in God?

Dr.GH · 04-07-2003, 04:10 PM

Yeah. Darwin in his letters to Huxley, and to Grey as well as his autobigraphic writing (basicly a letter to his descendents) explained that he was "agnostic."

His evolutionary thinking did not contribute to his agnostism, however. The pervasive cruelty of life convinced him that a just God could not have created the universe.

Charles Darwin Religious belief
http://www.update.uu.se/~fbendz/library/cd_relig.htm

Online Literature Library - Charles Darwin
http://www.literature.org/authors/darwin-charles/

04-07-2003, 02:00 PM	#1
kaidi06 Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 23	Did Darwin become a Christian on his deathbed? - Interesting Website Did Darwin become a Christian on his deathbed? This page would have one believe that Darwin's conversion is highly probable. The fact that this site quotes the book True Science Agrees with the Bible makes me skeptical off the bat. Any other opinions of the author's claims?

04-07-2003, 04:10 PM	#10
Dr.GH Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Dana Point, Ca, USA Posts: 2,115	Re: Darwin and God Yeah. Darwin in his letters to Huxley, and to Grey as well as his autobigraphic writing (basicly a letter to his descendents) explained that he was "agnostic." His evolutionary thinking did not contribute to his agnostism, however. The pervasive cruelty of life convinced him that a just God could not have created the universe. Charles Darwin Religious belief http://www.update.uu.se/~fbendz/library/cd_relig.htm Online Literature Library - Charles Darwin http://www.literature.org/authors/darwin-charles/

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04-07-2003, 02:01 PM	#2
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853

04-07-2003, 02:05 PM	#3
caravelair Regular Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: toronto Posts: 420	"It has been claimed that Charles Darwin recanted on his deathbed. Supposedly Lady Hope visited him, and wrote about it, many years later. Darwin's daughter Henrietta has stated that he didn't. Further, Lady Hope did not visit during Darwin's last month. And none of Darwin's friends (who did visit him) reported any conversion. Darwin's various biographers are agreed on this point." these are not my own words. taken from: http://www.cs.colorado.edu/%7Elindsa...in_recant.html

04-07-2003, 02:18 PM	#5
Dr.GH Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Dana Point, Ca, USA Posts: 2,115	Well, the story was denied by Darwin's wife. It has been so discredited that even Answers in Genesis (one of the lowest forms of creationist propaganda on the web) recommends aginst using the "death bed conversion" story. Plus, what would it matter to the scientific validity of evolutionarybiology if this fairytale were ture? Absolutly nothing.

04-07-2003, 03:02 PM	#6
Wounded King Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 1,211	Maybe he was just covering his bets, seems rational to me, after all what did he have to lose?

04-07-2003, 03:14 PM	#7
KC Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: San Narcisco, RRR Posts: 527	Good Grief, not that tired, old, argument again. Christian fanatics must have obligatory wet dreams about every agnostic or atheist having a deathbed conversion. KC

04-07-2003, 03:39 PM	#9
BRO3886 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: UK Posts: 48	I was unaware he ever de-converted in the first place. Does anyone have any references to him proclaiming that he did NOT believe in God?

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