My Rant About the Worst Anti-Science Excuse: "I Don't Believe In It"

A couple of scientific issues that are continually in the headlines these days are evolution and global climate change. And the thing that irks me continually is to see the people who come out publicly saying "I don't believe in" one or the other.

You know what? We don't have the luxury of not believing in these things, because they're not belief systems. They're science. And both of them are so strongly considered to be consensuses by the scientists that study them that they're can be considered fact.

Science is a process of researching, hypothesizing, experimentation, analysis, and then the same again, over and over. It's the fact-based, empirical search for truth. Scientific consensus is not a matter of opinion. If scientists say something works a certain way, and the theory has been tested and re-tested in numerous ways the way that both evolution and global warming have at this point, then it's truly folly to say you "don't believe in them."

When you hear pundits on the radio and elsewhere talk about how these things are matters of opinion because they have the tag "theory" on them, that's not valid questioning. A "theory" is a tested and verified hypothesis, which is an educated guess to begin with. So subjective evidence supports the claims of these theories. These pundits have a misunderstanding of what a theory actually is, and have attempted to spread that misunderstanding to the world through their "outrage."

Now, if you have an actual scientific reason, based on data, experimentation, and analysis, for questioning a theory, that's a whole different issue. That's the purpose of scientists reporting their data to peer-reviewed journals throughout their discipline - to invite more research and experimentation. It's part of the scientific method - the system of research, hypothesis, experimentation, and results reporting - that all reputable scientists use.

Such concepts as intelligent design and the like, which are proposed as "competing theories," are actually nothing of the sort. If you read them, they are philosophy at best - a "what if" scenario that doesn't have any experimentation to actually back it up. And what they strike me as is the last-gasp attempt of someone, who thinks his belief system is under attack by real evidence, to hold on to something that's given them comfort.

Spiegel Online's Atlas Of World Religions

No, not that Spiegel. The one that's worth a crap.

Spiegel, the German newsmagazine, has put out an atlas of world religion. It's definitely worth a look. Also, while you're there, sign up for Spiegel's international newsletter and get the view of another country on world events.

Whacko Georgia Mother Tries to Ban Harry Potter

Yep, the deluded paranoiacs are still at it, folks...

Critic of Christian Fundamentalism hospitalized after beating

This case reminds me of the murders of Matthew Shepherd and James Byrd, Jr. In these cases, the men were killed for being gay and being black, respectively. In the above case of Dr. Mirecki, the head of Kansas University's Religious Studies department, is an outspoken opponent of Intelligent Design, the philosophy that Kansans treat as science in their attempts to supplant the actual science of evolution.

Race, sexual preference, and now opinions - all seem to be reasons for small-minded bigots and extremists to attack people. Find these guys and put them in jail now.

Novi sub backs off, baby Jesus stays put

This may surprise you, but I think this is a good thing.

Although I fervently believe that religious paraphenalia of any sort has no place being displayed on publicly-owned property, I also fervently believe that people have the right to display any thing they want on their privately-owned property. To me, that's what the freedom of religion is about. If these folks believe that Jesus was born on Christmas and want to display such stuff in their yard, then that's their right.

"And That Wheel Thing? It's Gotta Go, Too!"

The extraordinarily mind-numbingly STUPID state of Kansas just ensured that its children will get stupider yesterday when it required criticism of evolutionary theory in its classrooms. One of the religious nutcases who are on their school board, chairman Steve Abrams, who is on record as saying evolutionary theory is incompatible with the Bible's version of God's creation of life on Earth, commented that "This is a great day for education. This is one of the best things that we can do."

So, instead of preparing their children for a world in which understanding of science is taking a more key role than ever before, Kansas has ensured that those children will be wallowing in the mire of idiotic biblical teachings on science.

Dear Mr. Abrams: yes, evolutionary theory is incompatible with the Bible's version of God's creation of life on Earth. And you know why that is? BECAUSE THE BIBLE IS HEBREW MYTHOLOGY! It's a collection of stories that are meant to guide people morally, not literally!

The fact that people like this can actually get elected to public office absolutely infuriates me. If you can't tell the difference between hard science and fairy tales, you have absolutely NO business planning other people's lives.

My sister and her husband live in Kansas. I hope that for their sakes, they get out of that state before they have kids, because the stupidity flowing out of that state is mind-numbing.

This Pretty Much Sums It up

Possibly the greatest ever demonstration of how religious nutcases think:

No More Church For Me

Been months since I did anything with this blog, but I'm adding to it today.

According to an AP article, the Vatican has just started a campaign AGAINST gay marriage. Pardon me for the language, but who the hell do they think they are? How can a body made up of people who have NO idea what marriage really means make choices for the rest of us who actually CAN and DO get married?

Marriage is a bond between two people who love each other and want to support each other for the rest of their lives. How is THAT a sin? Who cares if they're straight or gay? The day I got married was the happiest of my life. Who is the Vatican, whose ruling body can't get married at all, to say that someone can't enjoy that same happiness because of some stupid rule?

Suffice to say, I will never step into a Catholic Church again (barring a funeral or some stuff). I'm done with them. This is the one that pushed me over the edge.