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Politics

Science and the GOP

Nov. 23, 2012 10:09am
Don Rasmussen is a writer and a political consultant providing campaign technology and strategic analysis to Constitutional Republican candidates. He earned  […]
Don Rasmussen is a writer and a political consultant providing campaign technology and strategic analysis to Constitutional Republican candidates. He earned his BA in Political Economy and Latin America Studies from the University of Washington before moving on to a Masters in Political Management from George Washington University. He has staffed or advised on two presidential campaigns and over a dozen congressional races as well as organizing The Rally for the Republic, the conservative counter-convention to the 2008 Republican National Convention, which helped launch the TEA Party movement. Today he lives in Austin where he is working on his first book, Diaspora: Why We Leave, a study of the economic and political motivations of Americans living abroad.
[ x ]
dar2214@gmail.com

In the wake of Marco Rubio’s recent interview in which he claimed that the age of the Earth was “a dispute among theologians,” the Republican Party’s science problem has resurfaced as an issue.

According to Rubio, “I’m not a scientist. I don’t think I’m qualified to answer a question like that (the age of the Earth).” By that logic, only a meteorologist can tell it is raining and only a chemist can tell us that the rain is made of water.

The other fallacy propagated by Rubio in that interview is the old canard that evolution is “just a theory.” Gravity is also just a theory. Shall we start pushing politicians out of airplanes to see if it’s a valid theory? The false “just a theory” argument is borne of ignorance of the scientific process. It is easy to confuse the common use of the word “theory” with the exact, specific and verifiably valid scientific process of the same name.

When this confusion forms the premise of your argument, you’ve already lost the argument by revealing your misunderstanding. Yet this premise has persisted in Republican circles for years, along with a host of other false, anti-science “facts” that form the support for some people’s view of politics, apparently including Senator Rubio.

Growing up in small town Texas, I learned that plate tectonics was a hoax, the Earth was only 10,000 years old, there are no transitional fossils, radiocarbon dating is fake and humans were created whole cloth in God’s image.

All of this was years after the US Navy sonar-mapped the oceans, Edwin Hubble observed galaxies flying apart, Penzias &Wilson found the residue radiation from the Big Bang, paleontologists began discovering pre-human hominid fossils along with hundreds of transitional animal forms, geological measures repeatedly validated radiocarbon dating and Watson & Crick cracked the structure of DNA.

It’s especially ironic when these falsehoods are propagated on the internet, a technology based on quantum mechanics, a field of science that confirms much of the scientific understanding of the universe and its origins. It is also the foundational science behind CAT scans and many other modern technologies.

In fact, if you propose that DNA technology is wrong and humans can’t be genetically tracked back to early ape-like species with which we share 90 percent of our DNA, than you must also advocate releasing every murderer and rapist convicted with DNA technology. If one is fake, then so is the other; it’s the same technology.

I don’t write this to disparage anyone’s religious beliefs, only to highlight the fact that when those beliefs bump up against foundational science and proven technology; it is easy to make those beliefs look ridiculous to a majority of Americans.  And so it is with Marco Rubio.

Despite overwhelming belief in God (92 percent according to Gallup), only 40percent of Americans persist in accepting some pre-modern views on the origins of the universe and the human species. That’s far higher than any other developed country except Muslim-dominated Turkey.  The evangelical base of the Republican Party makes up the majority of those holding those views.

Therein lies the political problem. Reporters will continue to ask these sorts of questions for this very reason. Marco Rubio’s awkward pander to the base separates him from the 60 percent and growing portion of the population that doesn’t think Jonah literally lived in a whale or that Noah managed to get to Florida to collect a pair of swamp newts.

Moreover, this basic misunderstanding of science (Marco Rubio is actually on the Science and Space sub-committee) leads to many other misunderstandings that prove politically toxic; “legitimate rape” comes immediately to mind. If you accept a magical, meta-scientific worldview, you can fall for all kinds of quack theories that follow from it and you set yourself up for scandal and mockery when those views are revealed to a skeptical electorate.

Todd Akin didn’t lose because of the TEA party; he beat two TEA party candidates in the primary who split almost 60 percent of the vote. Akin squeaked by holding his 36 percent evangelical base. But his views didn’t sell to a general electorate.  Case after case we see the same thing, media labeled TEA partiers who lost due to their religiously-motivated anti-science views…Angle, Mourdock, Akin, O”Donnell, Buck, the list goes on and on.

For all of the Democrats faults (and they are legion), they have successfully occupied the public space for objective and rational view of the physical world (setting aside climate change “science” which is infused with so much interest group politics and secular religion as to be a wholly separate case).

That leaves the GOP in a tough position representing minority views that seem increasingly at odds with scientific fact and public understanding. It also makes our legitimate criticisms of climate change seem less credible.

Apart from the cultural sensitivities that this raises; it is a political problem for the GOP. It is a political weapon so powerful that it can re-elect written off for dead senator Claire McCaskill and send an Indiana liberal Democrat senator to Washington even as the state votes for Mitt Romney by 11 points over President Obama.

Republican candidates and spokespersons must start responding to these types of questions in a fact-based manner. For every Biblical literalist they anger, there are more voters who will breathe a sigh of relief. Marco Rubio tried to have it both ways and ended up looking clueless and spineless to both sides.

The Republican Party has tried to fence sit on this issue for years, but our constantly improving scientific understanding along with an electorate which is increasingly accepting of the “science-based” view of the world make it a losing bet.  The GOP is in desperate need of a scientific reformation.  It probably starts by putting people on the Senate Science and Space sub-committee who know that the Earth is c. 4.5 billion years old and, just as importantly, why we know that is the case.

Evangelicals are an important and welcomed part of the GOP coalition, but they can’t continue to cost us election after election. If literalist rhetoric is making us politically uncompetitive and undermining our credibility among swing voters and educated suburbanites, then it is better to market to the 60 percent who don’t hold those views.

It’s not a matter of philosophy or ideology; it’s a strategic and practical necessity if we want to govern.  We should never attack people for there views, but the only reason a political party exists is to obtain or retain political power. We must, therefore, not permit those views to dominate and define the party when they are at odds with our strategic and tactical objectives.

 

Comments (287)

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  • Qoheleth
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:38am

    This is a very coherent description of the problem, though it’s a little short on the solution to the problem. I think part of the problem is the confusion between what science does and what religion does and trying to use one to do the work of the other. Science is all about mechanisms. It tries to answer the question “How?” Religion, using an entirely different set of warrants, is about meaning. It tries to answer the question “Why?” Using Genesis as a scientific model is misusing the text and doesn’t fit with the intentions of the writers. The poetic language of the creation stories isn’t so much about how it all happened. It _is_ however, about the fact that God did it, did it logically, and did it so that what was created was good. Likewise, trying to use quantum physics or evolution to disprove the existence of God is misusing the scientific method. Science cannot speak to the the existence of God because it, by design, speaks only about what is physically measurable. God, existing outside of time and space, is not.
    We have two distinct tools for understanding our world. We shouldn’t confuse them or their purposes. More to the point of the article, Republicans should learn to be able to speak on both effectively and demonstrate how the two can be understood in concert. That gives a leg up on Democrats, who tend to ignore religion as anything more than a social group.

    Report this comment

    Qoheleth  
    • utopia27
      Posted on November 25, 2012 at 4:16am

      It is only a leg up as long as Republicans stop intermingling what you aptly and correctly describe as two differing ways to approach and understand the universe. In particular, the Republican party is currently captured by a particular religious ‘social group’ – Evangelical Christians.

      Democrats take a great deal of care to avoid confusing ‘religion’ with ‘Christianity’, because the Constitution tells us that when politicians do that, it’s a violation of the Constitutional Establishment Clause.

      Report this comment

      utopia27  
  • TheSurrealTruth
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:12am

    “It’s not a matter of philosophy or ideology; it’s a strategic and practical necessity if we want to govern. We should never attack people for there views, but the only reason a political party exists is to obtain or retain political power. We must, therefore, not permit those views to dominate and define the party when they are at odds with our strategic and tactical objectives.”

    I think this is the most clarifying statement of the article. When we begin to see our purpose as merely obtaining/retaining political power, we have clearly lost our way. This isn’t some game we’re playing. Is the consultant class really so clueless?

    Report this comment

    TheSurrealTruth  
  • TheSurrealTruth
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:47am

    I typically read The Blaze to avoid elitists telling me I’m an idiot for my personal beliefs. Science and Religion are not at odds. Rubio’s answer was excellent — of course, the libs are going to spin it no matter what. The solution isn’t to act more like (narrow-minded) Democrats. The solution is to explain why none of this has anything to do with American Politics (as Rubio points out), and move on.

    If Americans can’t accept a diversity of opinions on these matters, perhaps it is the public, not the politician, who is at fault.

    Ann Coulter’s “Godless: The Church of Liberalism,” has never seemed more relevant.

    (Heads up, Evolution IS NOT a fact. You’d know that if you ever cared to listen to the opposition — oh wait, you can’t, Liberals refuse to let us SPEAK. Read Ann’s book, you might learn something.)

    Report this comment

    TheSurrealTruth  
  • lgccac
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:45am

    Only God knows the age of the earth and/or universe.

    Report this comment

    lgccac  
  • flipper1073
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:22am

    I’m a Christian worst than that I’m LDS but I try to Think
    for myself so I have some misgivings about Biblical Text
    mostly in the Old Testament.
    God created everything in 6 days ?
    Kinda depends on your definition of a day maybe God’s
    days are 100,000 yrs long .
    Adam & Eve ? Not likely, an since they had two Boys
    an one killed the other not a good plan if you’re going to
    Populate an entire Planet.
    Noah’s Ark nice story but I’m pretty sure that if all the Water
    on Earth turned liquid it still would not flood the entire Planet.
    But it’s a nice Story. also if your trying to populate a Planet.
    it’s not a good idea to wipe out all but a few people an animals.

    OK that enough tearing apart Biblical Stories.
    The Old Testament was written in a way that people 2000 yrs.ago
    would understand. An it’s been rewritten the current version being
    King James I think but I’m no biblical scholar.
    I’m no Scientist either but I Don’t believe they have all the answers
    Either “Man doesn’t know how much they don’t know”
    But those of us that keep an open mind are learning.

    Do I believe God created the Universe ? I have no Idea
    How does even a Superior Being create Everything from Nothing.
    An who created the Superior Being ?
    (which came first the chicken or the egg)
    You want to believe in a BIG BANG feel free but I question
    How the universe got crammed into the size of a pea?
    An what caused that pea to explode ?

    In just the Milky Way; Earth i

    Report this comment

    flipper1073  
    • lgccac
      Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:47am

      You need to read the Bible.

      Report this comment

      lgccac  
    • flipper1073
      Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:31am

      (Cont.)
      In just the Milky Way; Earth is but a grain of sand on a Large Beach.
      An Humans are an Insignificant Microbe on that grain of Sand.
      Kinda puts a prospective on how important we are in the
      grand scheme of the Universe.

      Back to the Question of Evolution or Creation .
      To all the Arrogant Intellectual Elites you don’t know all the answers
      Heck you don’t even know most of the questions.
      Micro-Evolution Happens Macro-Evolution does not.

      PS EGC
      I have Read The Bible
      an still do read the Bible
      Doesn’t mean I can’t Think for Myself.
      Indoctrination is Wrong Whether It’s
      Religion or (so called Education)
      The College Educated Evolutionist.
      “Question with Boldness even the Very Existence of GOD”
      I have an I Believe in GOD.
      What I Don’t Believe is that the Bible (The Old Testament)
      is a True Historical Text.
      More as Guidelines Written 2000+ years ago.

      Report this comment

      flipper1073  
    • flipper1073
      Posted on November 24, 2012 at 9:06am

      Just a side Note;
      Religion has Little to No Influence
      on My Political Viewpoints.
      If You’re looking for a Spiritual Leader
      Go to Church !
      Your Spiritual leader should not be your
      President !
      But the President should be of the highest
      Moral an Ethical Standards.

      Report this comment

      flipper1073  
  • AYearningForPublius
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 6:51am

    Mr. Rasmussen and many of the commenters to this article make the mistake that folks holding to a creationist model of the universe, including a young earth, rely almost exclusively on the Bible for such a world view. I suggest to all readers that you spend some time in reading and studying some of the creationist/intelligent design literature from scientists who do study the evidence and have come to some quite different conclusions regarding, for instance, the age of the earth and the origin of life.
    An abundance of such material can be found at http://www.icr.org/ and http://www.discovery.org/
    And don’t disquallify such material simply on the grounds that many of the researchers are Bible beleivers.
    Do you own research. Don’t simple swallow and regurgitate what the popular evolutionary and athiestic autors such as Dawkins profess as truth.
    I have put my own oar in the water with the following articles:

    http://ayearningforpublius.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/atheism/

    http://ayearningforpublius.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/the-origins-of-the-universe-simple-or-complex-your-choice-part-1/

    http://ayearningforpublius.wordpress.com/2012/06/25/the-origins-of-the-universe-simple-or-complex-part-2-the-problem-of-massively-complex-synchronicity/

    http://ayearningforpublius.wordpress.com/2012/09/05/the-origins-of-the-universe-simple-or-complex-part-3-even-more-massively-complex-synchronicity/

    http://ayearningforpublius.wordpress.com/2012/07/25/are-the-laws-of-nature-acc

    Report this comment

    AYearningForPublius  
  • southernORcobra
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 6:23am

    Isn’t this the guy that got the election so massively wrong?

    Report this comment

    southernORcobra  
  • katzkiner
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 5:29am

    Republicans are NEVER going to win as long as they chase every ball the left throws. Here Fido. Meanwhile taxes and debt go up, up, up, and the economy goes down,down ,down.
    Jan. 1 Obama begans to deconstruct our healthcare system. He already purging the military. I could care less what Rubio believes. Now pay attention.

    Report this comment

    katzkiner  
  • grayling646
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 4:04am

    If we can throw one political consultant out of the plane with every politician, I’m all for it.
    BTW, which prehistoric man have we been connected to? I don’t wanna know the one we ‘appear’ to be connected to. I wanna know the ‘without a doubt’ one we’ve been connected to.

    Report this comment

    grayling646  
  • Magwheelz
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 1:40am

    Glenn Beck: “How many people believe in evolution in this country? I’d like to see. I mean, I don’t know why it’s unreasonable to say this. I’m not God so I don’t know how God creates. I don’t think we came from monkeys. I think that’s ridiculous. I haven’t seen a half-monkey, half-person yet. Did evolution just stop? Did we all of sudden — there’s no other species that’s developing into half-human?

    It’s like global warming. So I don’t know why it is so problematic for people to just so, I don’t know how God creates. I don’t know how we got here. If I get to the other side and God’s like, “You know what, you were a monkey once,” I’ll be shocked, but I’ll be like, “Whatever.”

    They have to make you care. They have to force it down your throat. When anybody has to force it, that’s a problem. You didn’t have to force that the world is round. Truth is truth. You don’t have to force the truth. “

    Report this comment

    Magwheelz  
  • Magwheelz
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 1:34am

    Ya know what’s funny? Glenn Beck doesn’t exactly believe in evolution, either.

    Report this comment

    Magwheelz  
  • Magwheelz
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 1:26am

    The author really does need to read up at Answers in Genesis for awhile..get the magazine, Don..submit your letters arguing your points to them. I’d LOVE to see it! ;-)
    Regarding: “along with hundreds of transitional animal forms”..that’s something I’d love for you to share with everybody. Let’s see ‘em.

    Report this comment

    Magwheelz  
  • Rohawk
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 1:25am

    Its hypocritical to worry about Rubio’s science when Obama’s economic illiteracy was deemed irrelevant! I couldn’t tell you which leaders believed in a young earth or old universe, but its clear who’s policies are sound or dangerous.

    Report this comment

    Rohawk  
    • TheSurrealTruth
      Posted on November 24, 2012 at 7:53am

      THANK YOU.

      Holier-than-thou consultant class elites like Rasmussen are what’s killing us. They’re clueless. They really just don’t get it.

      Report this comment

      TheSurrealTruth  
  • FedUpWithLibs
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 12:29am

    I don’t mind people like rwinger261 his stupidity is harmless to all us with 100+ IQs, but the Liberal stupidity will affect my Liberty so that is why I side politically with idiots that believe the Bible was written by God. I do believe Christians are good people and the Republicans are pretty much right when it comes to fiscal policy, but social issues are another story. Their views on social issues, which I don’t necessarily think should matter in politics, are just killing their votes. In a way it’s their fault the country is being destroyed by the Liberals. If they didn’t believe the dumbest s**t, like the Bible should be interpreted literally or that it was written by God, then maybe the Liberals wouldn’t win any elections. To all you people out there like rwinger261: Please read a book other than the Bible. The Bible is not a non-fiction book and books written by other people that believe the same nonsense don’t count.

    Report this comment

    FedUpWithLibs  
    • OccamsSword
      Posted on November 24, 2012 at 8:21am

      Thats so sweet that you dont mind someone who is right, when you are wrong.

      Report this comment

      OccamsSword  
  • pdw
    Posted on November 24, 2012 at 12:05am

    More Republicans are or were business men and more democrats are or were lawyers. One makes money one knows how to spend your money. Theory is just that, a educated opinion which they have not found complete proof thereby making it a fact. Why people get upset with another opinion is because we condemn that which we do not understand. Scriptures speaks of evolving within each species. I do a lot of genealogy and I have found the same names, places and almost the same dates and find they are not the same, this can also be true with theories. But if man did not seek answers we would be in the dark ages still. As for faith that is all have to find for themselves. It is just one of those things no one can do for you and it requires years of thought, prayer and understanding. It requires a attitude adjustment that requires one to see why something is true then watch and see and understand what has transpired during your life time that cannot be explained by science or doctors but still took place. But most just say something is not true without any proof or effort.

    Report this comment

    pdw  
  • begreen
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 11:43pm

    if Rubio believes in evolution or a young earth? This is just a media trick to make Rubio look bad. Rubio should tell them where to go. Who cares in politics which way God did it. there is no absolute proof presently for us to know for sure. God can do it anyway He wills. Only God knows for sure and if science discovers something so what they are only discovering that which God has design.

    Report this comment

    begreen  
  • begreen
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 11:32pm

    How do we know the Bible has no errors? How do we know which books are suppose to be in the Bible? Because the church tell us so. Since the Bible does not have a list to tell us which books belong in the Bible we need to rely on a source outside of the Bible.
    For more evidence on authority let’s see Matthew 18:17″ But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
    17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a tax collector. Note what this passage does not say it does not say to consult scripture it says to consult the Church. In other words if one fails to listen to the church throw them out.
    Further, how does the Bible say we are to decide the “spirit of truth” and the “spirit of error”? Do you know? Is it by individually reading scripture? No! 1 John 4:6 which says, “We are of God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and he who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”. This is very powerful one should read and meditate on these words not just gloss over them.

    Report this comment

    begreen  
  • begreen
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 11:26pm

    The bible being a fragmentary word of God to teach only on faith and morals . John 21:25 King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
    And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Again the bible was not ment to be either a science or history book.

    Report this comment

    begreen  
  • begreen
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 11:22pm

    . For example,The bible being a fragmentary word of God to teach only on faith and morals . John 21:25 King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
    And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.It was ment to be a science or history book.

    Report this comment

    begreen  
  • adarra
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 10:50pm

    The giraffe got it’s long neck from reaching for high branches over thousands of years.
    Sounds rediculous right? That’s about as dumb as evolution. I see people saying that it’s been proven. I don’t know what world they are living in, but nothing about darwinistic evolution has ever been proven. If you think that you have believed a lie and have allowed yourself to be decieved and have become a nonthinker. Just think, how would an eye evolve. No camera can campare to the complexity or functionality of the human eye. So how would that evolve. If you lacked one part of the eye it would cease to be an eye.
    The stories of the Bible are not unscientific either. First of all Jesus himself referred to Adam and Eve, Noah and the Ark, and Jonah and the big fish( it was a big fish by the way not a whale), as factual historical events. If you believe in Jesus you can’t say those events didn’t really happen. If you think that then you don’t believe in the Jesus of the Bible.

    Report this comment

    adarra  
  • Oldmantex
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 10:16pm

    This is just another hit piece on a potential candidate. They will start now and not stop until 2016. Using the media to attack every conservative that has a potential to run and win. I dont give a rat azz if Rubio believes in evolution or a young earth. That is between him and his God.
    What I do care about is if he wants to lower the debt, cut spending, create jobs, support more States Rights, and free the American people from the progressive grasp it is currently under.

    Those of you conservatives only damage the party when you claim that he cant be intelligent, because he does not believe like me. We guess what, most of the earth is full of people that believe in a god. So I guess none of them qualify either. Dont let them separate us like this, just focus on the way a person governs and will govern and leave science and God out of it.

    Report this comment

    Oldmantex  
    • cgnick
      Posted on November 23, 2012 at 11:08pm

      Most of the earth is full of people that believe in god. There are thousands of religions that all believe that their god is the “real” god. I’m sure you think that your god is the real on too. Greek mythology, Roman mythology or modern Christian mythology they are all myth. It is common to make up stories when you don’t understand the world around you.

      Report this comment

      cgnick  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on November 24, 2012 at 12:16am

      CGNick, So you are saying that since you don’t understand diddly about Christianity or the Scriptures, you feel comfortable in making up stories about them. How ignorant is that?

      Report this comment

      Sparky101  
  • amd58
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 8:11pm

    Remember it is written: 1 Tim 6:20b ….beware of science falsely so called!
    The bigger the lie the more people will believe it! ….Joseph Goebbels
    We are all a product of our input, if all you see and listen to is evolution; what you get out is evolution.
    Read all the scientist who evaluates the evidence with a biblical worldview. Like ICR.org, and answers in genesis. Plus many others….
    The shows on PBS and NatGeo are disgusting and putrid to watch the closely related zombies they show as “humanoids”. It’s actually blasphemous!
    We are created in the glorious image of the Creator of the Universe and He created a beautiful perfect Earth! But this AIN’T it! We and the entire universe are under the curse of the fall and corruption.
    But it will all be re-created after the rebellion is subdued and expelled.
    The Bible makes perfect sense and is Inspired, Inerrant and Infallible!
    If you will turn from your rebellion against God and exercise faith in His reveled Word and faith in Jesus Christ It will start to become clear!
    It is also written Mark 12:24 You are in error because you do not know the scriptures and are ignorant of the power of God!
    The Earth was created first and the Sun Moon and Stars were created on the 4th day of creation, read it for yourself. Gen 1:14
    Jesus said Luke 24:25 “It is foolish not to believe all the prophets have written!

    Report this comment

    amd58  
    • Gourdy
      Posted on November 23, 2012 at 9:09pm

      Noah’s Ark — bam! I just proved the Bible is not to be taken literally and is therefore infallible.

      Report this comment

      Gourdy  
    • Gourdy
      Posted on November 23, 2012 at 9:12pm

      Ah, hem….fallible! Seriously, the Bible is a beautiful book of moral teachings but it’s not a scientific text. God would shake His head in disbelief if you used it as such.

      Report this comment

      Gourdy  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on November 24, 2012 at 12:22am

      Gordy, you have proven nothing, save that you are not very well educated in the Scriptures yet have a well swollen head with an ego to match. Your arrogance is appalling. Best you should learn about that which you disparage from a position of ignorance.

      Report this comment

      Sparky101  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on November 24, 2012 at 12:25am

      And Gordy, since you do not know God, you should quit pretending you know what he would do or say. That’s pure foolishness.

      Report this comment

      Sparky101  
    • OccamsSword
      Posted on November 24, 2012 at 1:39am

      Gourdy…. dont make us send you to time out !

      Report this comment

      OccamsSword  
  • katzkiner
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 8:07pm

    This is as funny as watching my dog chase his tail.

    Report this comment

    katzkiner  
  • TomSawyer
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 7:44pm

    The development of genetic information as the foundation of the creation of life has not yet been explained. A genetic code created randomly by natural events is absurd. Evolution is ridiculous from an information technology perspective. The decoder could not ever figure out how to interpret the code without design. It is statistically impossible. And then intermediate processes compounds the statistically improbability even more. Someone design that genetic code. Most biologist have no understanding of computer science.

    Report this comment

    TomSawyer  
    • utopia27
      Posted on November 25, 2012 at 4:34am

      Actually, I am a computer scientist (BS, MS). And a mathematician (BS).

      You’re choking on the probability denominator. individual events and modifications are low probability events.

      Please refocus on the numerator. Chemical reactions in bulk materials happen in staggeringly large numbers (remember Avogadro’s contstant (6.02 * 10^27). And staggeringly quickly. A few hundred years, or a few hundred million years, leaves a lot of time for a self-reinforcing system to vary and self-reinforce.

      Just for fun, and for scale, check out the following article on using selective replication of DNA to solve the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) using DNA synthesis.
      http://www.nature.com/news/2000/000113/full/news000113-10.html

      Differential chemical reactions exploit tiny fractions of advantage and process vast volumes of information incredibly quickly under favorable conditions.

      So before you dismiss the science as ‘contrary to information theory’, please actually check use of the materials and techniques in information theory, and discover that the time scales and volumes in question strongly support spontaneous generation.

      Report this comment

      utopia27  
  • LastManOut
    Posted on November 23, 2012 at 7:39pm

    Do you, Don Rasmussen still believe in Spontaneous Generation, life from non-life. That theory, that maggots are generated from moldy bread has been proven false as well as the “scientific fact” that the Earth is flat. If the religion of Evolution was a fact, we would still see the transitional forms all around us, or has the process stopped for some reason? The mathematical odds of a single, intelligent, reproducing strand of DNA forming from rocks is impossible.

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    LastManOut  
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