Thursday, October 06, 2005

new york times - creationists and grand canyon


the grand canyon. geology's grandest statement. or so you'ld think...




does there exist a more whacko group of individuals that no matter what evidence was presented before them, would refuse to accept anything that counters their cherished beliefs?

maybe the international flat earth society....100 years ago, they used to lock up looney people.

how about: geocentrists accept a spherical earth but deny that the sun is the center of the solar system or that the earth moves.....!

tom vail - "then i met the lord. now i have a different view of the canyon, which according to a biblical time scale, can’t possibly be more than a few thousand years old.” would have us believe that the grand canyon was carved 4,500 years ago by the great flood described in genesis as god's punishment for humanity's sin. - hm. that doesn't strike me as god being someone i'd like to meet.

let me get this right. you created us, then gave us free will, so we'd worship you. that didn't go too well, so you destroyed every living being on the planet with a great flood, apart from someone who could build a boat and some animals. why didn't you get rid of mosquitos when you had the chance? i'm sure the 2 million dying of malaria each year would have appreciated it...

punishment. repent. sin. can't get rid of sin, so just keep on punishing us. that does not strike me as being particularly magnanimous........or great, wise, or wonderful. or clever. when i kick the bucket, and should i find myself face to face with my creator, i'm going to have a fair bit to say myself! and it's not going to be of the 'bow your head and hear your fate' variety of polite acceptance!

i'll take my chances with the scientific community that looks to healthy scepticism when confronted with information, and how best to disseminate it, using intelligence, technology, and a willingness from it's members to replace a theory when it fails to stand up to critical examination and observation. even if they get something wrong, you can't argue with the logic they employ.

and more worrying, let's face it; do i really want to die only to find myself in heaven for eternity surrounded by a bunch of christian conservatives, singing hymns and full-on whackos for company?

given that the vast majority of creationists voted for bush, i have to believe they have no one's interests or agendas at heart except their own.

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