Uncommon Descent Indeed
While “The Intelligent Design Weblog of William Dembski, Denyse O’Leary and Friends” continues to allow moderator DaveScot [the charmer means Rubenesque, and he's talking about me] to post more conspiracy theories about how global climate change is a “hoax” [nothing Rubenesque about Patrick Buchanan!], now comes the news that the White House “eviscerated” the testimony of the director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before Congress in order to downplay the effects of global warming on the spread of disease.
You may view the transcript of the unedited climate testimony here.
Well, I’ve also figured out how to finally drag answers out of William Dembski (after considerable effort and rebuffs) regarding his view of the link between HIV and AIDS. (Dembski continues to champion the “research” of Moonie Jonathan Wells, who denies that HIV causes AIDS, but refused to answer my questions as to Dembski’s personal views on the subject.) Just look at who else he quotes: Tom Bethell, the author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science, a book sure to be filed on the shelf with Mein Kampf and The Bell Curve:
The AIDS epidemic in Africa: how it has been trumped-up (requiring the imputation of Hollywood lifestyles to rural Africans) to support the media’s myth of heterosexual AIDS and exponential increases in funding for AIDS research [emphasis mine]
"Myth of heterosexual AIDS"? So, no children are getting raped in South Africa due to the superstition that sex with a virgin cures AIDS? There is not even one case of children contracting AIDS from an infected and untreated mother, nor even one case of children being spared the disease when the mother is appropriately treated? This is all a conspiracy by liberals, too? Are you $%&#@ kidding me?
Not a proud moment for either Tom Bethell or William Dembski.
When I see people pushing this stuff because of their religious beliefs (and it's always because of their religious beliefs) I have no clue what religion is (other than nonsense), what it means to them, and what it should mean to me. I look at this behavior; then I look at what scientists have to say. There’s just no bridging this gulf. I see "how the actors act."
They act irrationally, and in my mind, selfishly. What's the purpose? What's the point? What am I supposed to learn from their example? It's just meaningless!
This is a gulf between people, too - of all shapes. And it’s one that will be finally resolved when the young people take control of the workforce – these same 16-29-year-olds who, according to a recent study, are now so turned off by the anti-gay Christian furor that they refuse to call themselves Christian even when they are.
Majorities of young people in America describe modern-day Christianity as judgmental, hypocritical and anti-gay. What's more, many Christians don't even want to call themselves "Christian" because of the baggage that accompanies the label.
I doubt they’re going to look with admiration at the global warming deniers in the future, either.
(Recommended reading: "Distinguishing Science and Pseudoscience")
UPDATED: Oops. Ben Stein and Bill O'Reilly publicly call Intelligent Design "the idea that a deity created life," prompting the ID folks to send out a clarification (because intelligent design is supposed to just be "science," you know). What a flipping mess.
Shimmies to Pharyngula. May these shimmies keep going long after someone's lips stop moving.
You may view the transcript of the unedited climate testimony here.
Well, I’ve also figured out how to finally drag answers out of William Dembski (after considerable effort and rebuffs) regarding his view of the link between HIV and AIDS. (Dembski continues to champion the “research” of Moonie Jonathan Wells, who denies that HIV causes AIDS, but refused to answer my questions as to Dembski’s personal views on the subject.) Just look at who else he quotes: Tom Bethell, the author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science, a book sure to be filed on the shelf with Mein Kampf and The Bell Curve:
The AIDS epidemic in Africa: how it has been trumped-up (requiring the imputation of Hollywood lifestyles to rural Africans) to support the media’s myth of heterosexual AIDS and exponential increases in funding for AIDS research [emphasis mine]
"Myth of heterosexual AIDS"? So, no children are getting raped in South Africa due to the superstition that sex with a virgin cures AIDS? There is not even one case of children contracting AIDS from an infected and untreated mother, nor even one case of children being spared the disease when the mother is appropriately treated? This is all a conspiracy by liberals, too? Are you $%&#@ kidding me?
Not a proud moment for either Tom Bethell or William Dembski.
When I see people pushing this stuff because of their religious beliefs (and it's always because of their religious beliefs) I have no clue what religion is (other than nonsense), what it means to them, and what it should mean to me. I look at this behavior; then I look at what scientists have to say. There’s just no bridging this gulf. I see "how the actors act."
They act irrationally, and in my mind, selfishly. What's the purpose? What's the point? What am I supposed to learn from their example? It's just meaningless!
This is a gulf between people, too - of all shapes. And it’s one that will be finally resolved when the young people take control of the workforce – these same 16-29-year-olds who, according to a recent study, are now so turned off by the anti-gay Christian furor that they refuse to call themselves Christian even when they are.
Majorities of young people in America describe modern-day Christianity as judgmental, hypocritical and anti-gay. What's more, many Christians don't even want to call themselves "Christian" because of the baggage that accompanies the label.
I doubt they’re going to look with admiration at the global warming deniers in the future, either.
(Recommended reading: "Distinguishing Science and Pseudoscience")
UPDATED: Oops. Ben Stein and Bill O'Reilly publicly call Intelligent Design "the idea that a deity created life," prompting the ID folks to send out a clarification (because intelligent design is supposed to just be "science," you know). What a flipping mess.
Shimmies to Pharyngula. May these shimmies keep going long after someone's lips stop moving.
Labels: global warming, pseudoscience, religion
posted by Kristine | Wednesday, October 24, 2007
17 Comments:
(1) The HIV/AIDS BS is nothing but pure, unadulterated racism. Period.
Back in the '80's the great evangelists opined that AIDA was "God's punishment for homosexuals" (kinda missing the fact that Lesbians don't have anything like the incidence of AIDS in the general public) - then Ryan White came along.
There is only one thing left to do - yep, turn the Right-to-lifer's against the IDiots and let them face off somewhere like the Mohave. The winners get to STAY in the desert.
Speaking of the desert:
Global Warming Could Scorch Some U.S. Regions, Flood Others.
Global Warming Hates South Texas.
But what's the use? As Glenn Beck (apparently born with the "halo and wings" that he lambasts scientists for not having) will tell you, "scientists are arrogant." (And apparently, scientists are never women.)
OH, hi... Hey, what's that buffalo doing over therer?
Ha, gotcha:
http://gregladen.com/wordpress/?p=1589
You're it!
You're it!
Auuugghhh!
Okay, I'll deal with it after class tonight.
“The best [subgenre] [medium] in [genre] is...”
“The best [way to move out of your former house] [by Halloween, while working full time and going to grad school] [without losing your mind] is...”
“The best [way to move out of your former house] [by Halloween, while working full time and going to grad school] [without losing your mind] is...”
Explosives
No, no, no! ;-)
What would Martha Stewart think?
(See, I'm a nice person, a plug for the ex and everything.)
Would a bulldozer be kinder and gentler?
Scotius
OK, then have Martha do it. Isn't she still doing "community service?"
Why, I'd bet that she could have you moved, your dissertation completed and a nice four-course dinner with two wines and dessert knocked out in under six (6!) hours.
Of course, you would have to endure the catty remarks about the decor you had......
Would a bulldozer be kinder and gentler?
Now, come on, you guys! ;-)
This thread is about UD anyway.
And I don't have to write a dissertation! (Although I've tried my hand at a scholarly article - my survey turned out to be rather unfocused, so I gave that up. Oh, boy, random sampling. I shall conquer it someday!)
Uncommon Descent describes moving, where I come from.
A descent into grossly disorganized hell, followed by about a year of finding my stuff.
So, we're still on point.
Martha could do a makeover for you instead of the dissertation and you could give her dancing lessons. Solo dance: what Martha was made for!
Back in the '80's the great evangelists opined that AIDA was "God's punishment for homosexuals"...
Interesting typo.
Da dee (ta ta-ta ta)
Da da da daa (ta ta-ta ta)
...
Bob
Yes, we commentors have drifted away from the thread of the discussion. Thirty, forty years ago, I was poking fun at creationists and fundamentalists in letters to the editor, but since then, I've gotten out of the loop. Other fish to fry, that sort of thing.
Scotius
I made that comment re Davey's "Rubenesque" comment (bigger fish to fry). No one got it. :-)
You're just being shellfish.
http://www.thelastoldmaster.com/index.php?p=biography
Hey, Kristine, speaking of "Rubenesque", my sister and I are gaining back a considerable amount of the weight that we lost when we were dieting at my blog.
With the holidays coming up, we were thinking of getting back on the wagon.
Obviously, you're not overweight, but I wondered if you'd want to join us. Every gal in their 40's is trying to stick with healthy meals, and there is always that dratted 10 lbs. or so that we'd like to peel off.
It would be kinda fun having an evilutionist join us...keeps things interesting.
How about it? Do you think any of the people who comment here might want to join us?
Just a thought...
Okay. Yay!
You want a grouch like me? You know what you're getting into, right?
Here are my tricks:
1) Olive oil (except I don't use it for making popcorn).
2) Run errands without a car instead of exercising. We did not evolve to run toward nowhere on treadmills, but we have evolved to just want to get the heck home while laden down with the groceries that we wrested from the raw hands on the checkout clerk. Let's face it, I hate both, but if you have a goal (like getting home) you'll get exercise - otherwise, you won't. (Of course exercise isn't any fun! There's nothing wrong with you if you think it's no fun.)
3) You may as well eat butter instead of margarine, they have the same fat content (of course butter tastes better! There's nothing wrong with you for wanting butter). Have it on cooked veggies.
4) All the diet books are wrong.
5) Lentils. Don't like them? Add some chicken/beef stock and/or some butter(see rule number 4).
6) Deviled eggs are better for you than you think! ;-)
Great, I'll tell you when I get it up and running again...hopefully next week. My sister was actually the one who reminded me to ask you to join us. We had talked about it before we shut down a while back, but summer was just to busy a time to keep up with it.
Both she and I have acid reflux disease, so we're trying to be careful of what we eat because of that as well. Caffeine is my killer and I've got to get a handle on it.
I'll be back in touch...
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