Darwin's Finch

In spite of my private vow not to lurk at BB in the wake of the great atheist purge, I had a moment of weakness just now. Sure enough, our favorite creationist "expert" is at it again:

<a href="http://www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=000162" target="_blank">www.baptistboard.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=36;t=000162</a>

(Sorry, I still haven't figured out how to link to things without typing the entire address.)

Helen's screed is blatantly wrong on so many levels that I will content myself with simply posting it here and letting others reach their own conclusions. Have fun.

scigirl

To put in a link, do the following:

When making a post, click on the "URL button" below, under the "Instant UBB Code" bar.

Type in, or copy and paste from browser, the web address (if you are pasting, make sure it copies over the http:// that appears there already, so there isn't two of them)

Hit "Ok"

Type in what you want to be hyperlinked (i.e. "Helen's last post")

Hit "Ok"

This link will now appear at the end of your post, even if your cursor was somewhere in the middle.

scigirl

(I'll have to look at that later - I'm at work and don't have a lot of time right now, but Helen's stuff was pretty easy to pick apart before, IIRC)

scigirl

Ok here we go:

How we think is programmed into us? Where does evolutionary theory say that??

This is the third time this week I've heard YECS whine about how evil evolutionists look for natural explanations. Why don't they go harass medical researchers for looking for natural explanations for diabetes and heart disease instead of assuming it's satan. I certainly hope that Helen hates the NIH as much as she hates evolutionary biologists!! (she probably does though, those evil scientist bastards, who try to find natural causes for disease in order to CURE THEM)

And scientists are interested in the truth. I think she is confusing real scientists with Indiana Jones:


Fact is, "fact" and "truth" are not easily definable terms, and science does indeed search, and find, truth.


So believing that a sky fairy made us in 6 literal days out of dust all of a sudden makes our thought processes more valid? I fail to see her logic here (as usual).

Um, no. Evolution doesn't tell us ANYTHING about how we should behave. Neither does the theory of gravity, or our chemistry books. (Maybe Helen's science texts talk to her, and that's why she's so freaky about evolution! )

Huh?

Anyone else here think she's using Babelfish?? I have no idea what she is talking about.

Or maybe I'm just not a "True Scientist" (TM).

Helen seems to think that evolution is the one and only theory in science that helps us understand how we work. And her "evolution wires our thinking" idea is pure bullshit. It's almost as if she believes in evolution, but believes that if you deny the theory, you are immune from the hard-wired evil behavioral thinking "caused" by evolution.

In other words, I think that she thinks this:
1. Atheists did evolve, they have hard-wired thinking, aren't responsible for themselves, etc, and this is BAAAAAD.
2. (Her brand of) Christians were specially created (not evolved), and thus their brains work better.

Does anyone else think her philosophy is like that, or is it just me?

Evolution certainly gave us the brain we have, and the capacity for certain types of thought, but we are not "hard wired" to have any specific beliefs. Sheesh, she is a teacher, she should know that by now.

What a load of crap. I know plenty of people who look for, and accept, naturalistic explanations of many things (gravity, why water freezes, evolution, etc etc) and are religious and believe in God.

Why are evolutionary biologists picked on because they look for natural explanations, when every other scientist does the exact same thing, and often finds a naturalistic explanation! Why isn't Helen whining about how "Meterologists are all atheists because they assume all thunder is explainable by clouds bumping into each other, instead of saying it's God yelling at us" ??

Watch out Galileo, your persecuters are coming.

Well isn't denying evolution also limiting God?

"God made us out of thin air, but there's no way he could have set up evolution."

How arrogant of Helen to assume the mind, and actions, of her God.

Bold added by me. She goes from talking about evolution as a process to talking about people who accept evolution, and seem to think they are the same thing!

Again, she seems to think that atheists did evolve (and that explains why we are all evil heathens trying to eat babies, etc) but christians were created by a wonderful god, therefore they are a-ok.

Oh, but she thinks atheists ARE like that. So clearly we evolved.
Well that settles it. Helen just knows that God is real, therefore a scientific theory that contradicts her narrow interpretation of an ancient text that was not written to be a science book must be wrong.

What daily experience and reality is she talking about? Maybe she never known a person who had her appendix removed, or her tonsils out, or back problems. Maybe she has never cultured bacteria, grown cells, or studied primates.

Again, science has to assume a natural cause! Why is it a problem with evolution, but not all the other scientists? I want an explanation from a creationist on this one, please! Any creationist will do.

Science by definition cannot study miracles (whether or not they happen). What it can do, is provide the most rational explanation of an event. So far, science is winning (we don't believe that thunder is god yelling at us, etc).
Clearly.

It's very rational to believe that we have chimp telomeres and centromeres in one of our chromosomes because [helen on] God made our chromosome that way now go read the Bible, you heathens!!![/helen off]

scigirl

P.S. 4squareman and other creationists, what do you think of Helen's post?

[ June 20, 2002: Message edited by: scigirl ]</p>

Duvenoy

From my sporadic lurking at BB, I have become very fond of Helen.

But don't make a big deal of it. I like anybody who's crazier than I am. And my, how she do take on!

doov

DonaldW112

On the subject of truth:

"Truth -- hard to define you have yours I have mine." P. Pilate from Jesus Christ Superstar 2000.

Donald

enemigo

I see what you mean. Her language does suggest that she is saying that. It seems to me that what she is trying to say is that we atheists invented and use the Theory of Evolution to justify our godless and evil way of life, and that if evolution was true everyone would be evil atheists with no morals. I think her brain just isn't functioning properly and she speaks as if we are products of her false concept of evolution simply because of the fact that we believe in evolution.


richard