Creationism: God's gift to the ignorant (Religion bashing alert)

Times Online UK ^ | May 21, 2005 | Richard Dawkins

[PatrickHenry]

I'll let you have the leftover of the one I bagged earlier. want me to nuke it, or is cold all right?

That's okay. They're all mine anyway.

[VadeRetro]

Maybe you'd like to comment on this section here. It's about the creationist love of ignorance.

The creationists’ fondness for “gaps” in the fossil record is a metaphor for their love of gaps in knowledge generally. Gaps, by default, are filled by God. You don’t know how the nerve impulse works? Good! You don’t understand how memories are laid down in the brain? Excellent! Is photosynthesis a bafflingly complex process? Wonderful! Please don’t go to work on the problem, just give up, and appeal to God. Dear scientist, don’t work on your mysteries. Bring us your mysteries for we can use them. Don’t squander precious ignorance by researching it away. Ignorance is God’s gift to Kansas.

I'll throw in my two cents. What he does not address is how creationists literally bludgeon with their own abismal ignorance (usually of science and/or logic but in some cases even history). Militant ignorance. The most relentlessly and militantly misinformed arguments around come from the creation/ID camp.

[King Prout]

You're just a good ole southern blowhard.

cute. factually erroneous, but from you that is no surprise.
Nor is the fact that you neglected either to refute the analysis to which you replied or show the grace to admit you just got #wn3d.
Instead, true to your long-established form, you oozed out from beneath the anvil with the following:

I've debated you before Prout, you ended up crawling off mumbling about Downs Syndrome not being a mutation.

I have forgotten the technical name for this form of argumentative deflection. PH, VR... what is the above dodge called?

[King Prout]

and of seven.

[VadeRetro]

Proud of being an internet hero who uses foul language and makes stupid assertions behind the anonymity of the keyboard?

BTW, you're projecting here. You're anonymous. I'm not. You're the coward.

[King Prout]

and a gold mine they are, too.

[jwalsh07]

Ignorance is God’s gift to Kansas.

Wonderfully scientific.

I don't have a problem with evolution. I have a problem with guys like you who exhibit faux concern for conservatism on the evo threads and never show their face on the threads concerning conservatism having to do with conservtaism and the constitution.

[VadeRetro]

501 / 3 = 167.

501 / 7 = 71.57142857.

;)

[VadeRetro]

I don't have a problem with evolution.

That answers my question on what night it is.

[AntiGuv]

I'm unsure exactly when and how stellar parallaxes were first observed, but my recollection is that it was not until the 19th century. That would've been very close to the invention of early photography so that may very well have been the prerequisite. Hmm..

[AntiGuv]

I didn't give you advice. I made an observation.

[VadeRetro]

jwalsh07 to you: You're just a good ole southern blowhard.

The guy is projecting, and it ain't pretty.

[jwalsh07]

Your reply wasn't worth replying to. Dawkins views on religion obtain when Dawkins speaks of science and religion in the same breath. When he does, his views are subject to criticism. Preety simple, nothing ad hominem about it.

If you want to see ad hominem, just look at Retros posts, he's an expert.

[King Prout]

exactly! it's PRIME, baby!

[VadeRetro]

A PatrickHenry prime, yes. Out for the night.

[Junior]

You'd be surprised what threads we appear on. Do a search on Poster and plug in any of our names.

[jwalsh07]

BTW, you're projecting here.

Right, in OZ.

You're anonymous.

No, I post under my real name. My first names John, presumably your's is Vade right?.

I'm not.

Yes, you are, you post using an pseudonym.

You're the coward.

:-}

[King Prout]

"his views" do not equate to the points he raised in this article.
"criticism" requires address to the points raised in the subject matter at hand.
ad hominem dismissal does not equate to criticism.

[jwalsh07]

OK, gotcha.