[liberallarry]

Great article.

The man really knows how to present his case. I found his statements that those who banned DDT knew they were lying to be especially interesting and worth researching, worth repeating.

And now, just to be a contratrian

Most of us have had some experience interacting with religious fundamentalists, and we understand that one of the problems with fundamentalists is that they have no perspective on themselves. They never recognize that their way of thinking is just one of many other possible ways of thinking, which may be equally useful or good. On the contrary, they believe their way is the right way, everyone else is wrong; they are in the business of salvation, and they want to help you to see things the right way. They want to help you be saved. They are totally rigid and totally uninterested in opposing points of view. In our modern complex world, fundamentalism is dangerous because of its rigidity and its imperviousness to other ideas...We know from history that religions tend to kill people...Religions think they know it all

Keep in mind he's talking about the characteristics of religions in general - all religions.

[FreedomPoster]

I did catch that, and was uncomfortable with that as well. Still, there were some times where some ugly things were done in the name of Christianity. Some of the events of the 30 Years War come to mind.

The general theme of the piece is worthwhile nonetheless.

[RadioAstronomer]

Keep in mind he's talking about the characteristics of religions in general - all religions.

With good reason.

[keithtoo]

Re: Fundamentalists (religious): "They are totally rigid and totally uninterested in opposing points of view."

I disagree with regards to Christianity. I consider myself a Christian fundamentalist, but I hear, live with and am interested in other points of view.

I've been a news and history junkie most of my life and guess who has controlled most of the news and history I have been exposed to? Libs, from my college days, to Time and Newsweek, to CBS, NBC, ABC and CNN and Hollywood. The list goes on and on.

People who dont know - or think they dont know - any Christian fundamentalists are naive about what we believe.

[gatorbait]

religious fundamentalists, and we understand that one of the problems with fundamentalists is that they have no perspective on themselves.

Crichton got this right , and damn Larry, I am agreeing with him,and you too.

I think I need to up my meds..

[Dan Evans]

From reading this it seems that Crichton believes science has no use for religion. However, he's wrong if he thinks that most religious people have no use for science.

[Ditto]

I found his statements that those who banned DDT knew they were lying to be especially interesting and worth researching, worth repeating.

Look it up. He's right-on with his facts. Rachel Carson's silly little book killed more people than Stalin, Hitler and Mao combined or all religious wars in history. And they turned her birthplace in Springdale PA into a National Historic Landmark and troop school children there every day to indoctrinate them into their pagan Enviro Religion.