Sunday, August 9, 2009

Minnesota Atheists Visit the Creation Museum

On PZ Myers site there are several posts up about the fascinating field trip he organized. After viewing the dinosaur exhibit, in which each of the geological periods was assigned a recent date, he had this to say.

Even if you don't care about the geology, what about the history? All but 7 people are exterminated in 2348 BC, by their accounting, yet we know that in that century, we have the establishment of the Akkadian empire in Mesopotamia, the sixth dynasty in Egypt, the founding of major cities in the Indus valley and Korea…we have archaeological and historical records that show business as usual, with no one noting a massive annihilation of the human race.

The whole "museum" is like that — it's a succession of assertions that flout the evidence, but does so in a style that is simply parroted from legitimate museums. Substance is completely lacking.

For me, Prof. Myers and his atheist friends often seem to be too sarcastic and condescending. But, who can blame them in the face of something like this. Do people really take the literal interpretation of the Bible seriously? Sadly, I know the answer to that.

I'd be interested to know if our regular commenters who claim Biblical justification for carrying guns also go for this creationism business. It is a fascinating business.

Please leave a comment.

12 comments:

  1. I am not religious in any sense of the word.

    I am howerever, very spirtual.

    Huge difference.

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  2. ". Do people really take the literal interpretation of the Bible seriously?"

    Oh, YES THEY DO!! Just visit this blog for some Christian Loony Tunes:

    http://thebarbwire.blogspot.com/

    "I'd be interested to know if our regular commenters who claim Biblical justification for carrying guns also go for this creationism business"

    You can't be serious, Mike!

    Where the hell in the bible does it permit gun-ownership?

    If your gun nuts claim that, then they belong in the state mental institution.

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  3. kaveman- "I am not religious in any sense of the word. I am howerever, very spirtual."

    So, kaveman, are you one of those gun-toters? If so, when you look at your killing-weapon, does it give you a 'spiritual' high?

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  4. The ironical thing is that your beliefs about firearms are no different than strict Creationists' views about the beginning of the world - both are based on nothing more than belief.

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  5. Do people really take the literal interpretation of the Bible seriously?

    Yes people really take the literal interpretation of the Bible seriously, and they all live in the South.

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  6. "So, kaveman, are you one of those gun-toters? If so, when you look at your killing-weapon, does it give you a 'spiritual' high?"

    No.

    Nice friends ya got MikeB.

    Very telling.

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  7. Mud,

    Perhaps a better question would be where in the Bible do you show that it prohibits gun ownership?

    I've posted my answer to the question on my blog. Stop by and read.

    http://3bxsofbs.infamousanime.net/?p=191
    http://3bxsofbs.infamousanime.net/?p=204

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  8. Bob- where in the Bible...? It wouldn't matter to me if anything were or were not in 'the bible.' The bible is an ancient historical record with many idiotic additions and mythical nonsense.

    Now, where in the bible does it say that the speed limit is 55 mph, Bob?

    You always were an fierce debater.

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  9. "Yes people really take the literal interpretation of the Bible seriously, and they all live in the South."

    Huh, and when I Googled it, the Creation Museum is in Kentucky, right outside of Cincinnati, OH. Never thought about that as being the South. How far up North does the South go? The literalists I've had conversations with live in Upstate New York. Did you mean South of Canada?

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  10. kaveman said, "Nice friends ya got MikeB. Very telling."

    I do consider Mud_Rake a friend, as I do you. He asked you a loaded question and you answered "No." I believe you.

    But the loaded nature of his question, I surmise, means that some gun owners do get off on their weapons in ways that are not healthy or spiritual. You said you're not one of them, that's good enough for me.

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  11. There is nothing in the Bible pro or anti weapons ownership. The Bible also has nothing against armed defense of life, and some (not I) would say it even mandates it. If it seems like many Christians are pro-self defense or at least not actively anti-gun, it is mostly because we recognize that evil is a result of what is in the heart of a man, not what he holds in his hand.

    But the types of weapons one can own in a given society ... that is a matter of politics, not faith. Personal Self Defense I would call a human right, but the weapons available for that self defense are up for debate (my own position is obvious, of course).

    From the comments and your own attitude I'll just say that history is words written in books and archaeology/creationism is history written in what we find buried in the Earth. Man writes the former and if there is a God/Creator he can write the latter. If he chooses to. Whether he did or not I don't know, but I've found the "New Earthers," "Intelligent design" people, etc. to be twisting around a whole lot of bad science to try and rationally prove there is a God. On the other hand, I see evolutionists assuming rather large chunks of data,which at least to date they have no hard evidence for -- not to say they won't one day, of course.

    But if there is a God powerful enough to be creator of the Earth and all living things, then he is certainly powerful enough to make sure his word is known to his people. Christians believe that word is the Bible. As to how to reconcile the early history of the bible with that which we find in the world ... I'm not too concerned. If Genesis is a teaching story or has been improperly dated by biblical scholars, it doesn't cancel out the rest of the wisdom and truth there.

    The importance of the creation story is in the message, not in the historical timeline.

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  12. Mud,

    It doesn't say anywhere in the Bible that the speed limit is 55.

    What it does say is to obey the earthly rulers because everything created has been created by God. If the earthly leaders are evil, then each person has a responsibility to set it right. See Moses and the Pharaoh for example.

    As an example of the 55 mph limit, the phrase "Render unto Caesar what what is Caesar" comes to mind.

    MikeB said it was pathetic that I looked to the Bible for whether or not I should defend myself. Of course, he doesn't explain why or give any counter examples that I didn't cover. Of course, neither do you. I posted the detailed examination of what the Bible had to say about self defense on my blog....I use that text as the basis for my life.

    If you choose not to use it, fine. That is your choice. If you want to continue to throw out straw man arguments (55 mph limit) instead of talking about what the Bible does or doesn't say about self defense, go ahead. I actually encourage you to do so, it bolsters the evidence that your side (definitely pro-ignorance) is not willing to debate the issue.

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