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  • I CALL BULLSHIT!

    Filed at 6:29 am under by dcobranchi

    Sam Brownback, creationist:

    IN our sound-bite political culture, it is unrealistic to expect that every complicated issue will be addressed with the nuance or subtlety it deserves. So I suppose I should not have been surprised earlier this month when, during the first Republican presidential debate, the candidates on stage were asked to raise their hands if they did not “believe” in evolution. As one of those who raised his hand, I think it would be helpful to discuss the issue in a bit more detail and with the seriousness it demands.

    The premise behind the question seems to be that if one does not unhesitatingly assert belief in evolution, then one must necessarily believe that God created the world and everything in it in six 24-hour days. But limiting this question to a stark choice between evolution and creationism does a disservice to the complexity of the interaction between science, faith and reason.

    OK, so far so good.

    The question of evolution goes to the heart of this issue. If belief in evolution means simply assenting to microevolution, small changes over time within a species, I am happy to say, as I have in the past, that I believe it to be true. If, on the other hand, it means assenting to an exclusively materialistic, deterministic vision of the world that holds no place for a guiding intelligence, then I reject it.

    This is classic creationist claptrap. There is no difference between microevolution and macroevolution other than the time spans required. He’s set up a false dichotomy. Microevolution is possible with God’s guidance, but macroevolution and all that entails for the origin of species, is not.

    Fortunately, Brownback has as much chance of winning the presidency as I do, but still…

    UPDATE: Digby has more.

    UPDATE II: I’m in really good company. P. Z. Myers:

    If I had a nickel for every creationist who says “I believe in microevolution, but…”, I’d be rich enough to run for president. This is a false dichotomy between micro- and macroevolution, as used by creationists (it has technical meanings beyond what people like Brownback argue, though); it’s really simply an admission that a large part of modern science has been driven home enough to them that they can’t argue against it anymore (progress!), so they’ve invented this other category of things they don’t understand, called it “macroevolution”, and used that as an excuse to avoid accepting any more conclusions.

    2 Responses to “I CALL BULLSHIT!”


    Comment by
    Nance Confer
    May 31st, 2007
    at 9:00 am

    Doncha just hate it when it is sooooo obvious a pol has gone home after answering some question or other and consultants have informed he him ticked off one or another demographic and they give him his new tailored argument.

    A better, clearer, more truthful argument — no. Just a smarmier “appeal to the base” attempt to gain a point in the next poll.

    Bullshit indeed!

    Nance


    Comment by
    Gem
    May 31st, 2007
    at 6:04 pm

    As someone who believes both in evolution and in creation by God, I would formally like it to be known that this guy does not represent all Christian conservatives, thank God!!! If what he believes is in any way actually endorsed by Brownback, that guy is 100% whackjob!!!