Posted on 07/24/2003 1:55:39 PM PDT by Mr.Atos
I was just lisening to Medved debating Creationism with Athiests on the air. I found it interesting that while Medved argued his side quite effectively from the standpoint of faith, his opponents resorted to condescension and beliitled him with statements like, "when it rains, is that God crying?" I was reminded of the best (at least most amusing)debate that I have ever heard on the subject of Creationism vs Evolution, albeit a fictional setting. It occurred on the show, Friends of all places between the characters Pheobe (The Hippy) and Ross (The Paleontologist). It went like this...
Pheebs: Okay...it's very faint, but I can still sense him in the building...GO INTO THE LIGHT MR. HECKLES!!
Ross: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What, uh, you don't believe in evolution? Pheebs: Nah. Not really. Ross: You don't believe in evolution? Pheebs: I don't know. It's just, ya know, monkeys, Darwin, ya know, it's a, it's a nice story. I just think it's a little too easy.
Ross: Uh, excuse me. Evolution is not for you to buy, Phoebe. Evolution is scientific fact. Like, like, the air we breathe, like gravity... Pheebs: Uh, okay, don't get me started on gravity.
Ross: You uh, you don't believe in gravity? Pheebs: Well, it's not so much that ya know, like I don't *believe* in it, ya know. It's just...I don't know. Lately I get the feeling that I'm not so much being pulled down, as I am being pushed.
Ross: How can you NOT BELIEVE in evolution? Pheebs: [shrugs] I unh-huh...Look at this funky shirt!!
Ross: Well, there ya go. Pheebs: Huh. So now, the REAL question is: who put those fossils there, and why...?
Ross: OPPOSABLE THUMBS!! Without evolution, how do YOU explain OPPOSABLE THUMBS?!? Pheebs: Maybe the overlords needed them to steer their spacecrafts!
Pheebs: Uh-oh! Scary Scientist Man!
Pheebs: Okay, Ross? Could you just open your mind like, *this* much?? Okay? Now wasn't there a time when the brightest minds in the world believed that the Earth was flat? And up until what, like, fifty years ago, you all thought the atom was the smallest thing, until you split it open, and this like, whole mess o' crap came out! Now, are you telling me that you are so unbelievably arrogant that you can't admit that there's a teeny, tiny possibility that you could be wrong about this?!?
Pheebs: I can't believe you caved. Ross: What? Pheebs: You just ABANDONED your whole belief system! I mean, before, I didn't agree with you, but at least I respected you. Ross: But uh.. Pheebs: Yeah...how...how are you gonna go in to work tomorrow? How...how are you gonna face the other science guys? How...how are you gonna face yourself? Oh! [Ross runs away dejected] Pheebs: That was fun. So who's hungry?
Darn. I had great respect for him.
You are an evolutionist?
Darn. I had great respect for you.
May a thousand camels give birth on my lawn if I offended you, effendi!
Exactly right.
The idea that God created is myth. The idea that dirt created itself is "science."
The idea that God created life reveals the inability to understand science. The idea that dirt created life reveals great intelligence.
As for Evolotion... judging by the picture of the 'other' Phoebe, I'd say I got that one right.
LOL! Thanks for the critique.
Nobody... just some nobody...he he he
No change, don't support him (Bush). 90 votes - 4%
Too bad, I thought the excerp would be somewhat amusing and quite enlightening. Medved discussion was quite significant as well. He was trying to expose the agenda of the so-called 'Brights'- an athiest group that has established a goal directed at the removal of all Christian reference and iconography associated with American government. The group is currently putting pressure on the city of Everette, WA to remove a plaque with the 10 Commandments from city property. Michael pointed out that their real goal was not the "separation of church and state" but rather to deny Christianity and Christians altogether. The proof of this was revealed by the callers who resorted to condescending challenges to his faith rather than explaining why such a plaque was oppressive of their inalienable rights. The point being, that a Christian component in American government is indeniable. While the secular Aristotelian component likewise shares significance. And yet neither denies belief nor logic while both lend respect to all viewpoints. Condescension has no place in the discussion... from either side.
The debate between Phoebe and Ross as excerpted from popular television was a rare and important demonstration that the opinions need not be universal in order for individuals to share language, borders, government, and culture.
The Constitution transcends.
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