Tyson Praises Scientist Who Knew to Check His Religion at the Door; Creationists Go Apoplectic

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/belief/its-funny-soon-neil-degrasse-tyson-brings-religion-creationists-dont-want-him-talking-about

Creationists want religion out of Cosmos, unless of course it favors them. Each week Neil deGrasse Tyson has been attacked by creationists and the religious right for anything he says that makes religion look bad. In this week's episode about electricity, Tyson discussed a Christian scientist, brushing off the importance of religious belief while engaging in scientific inquiry. Naturally, creationists don't like that.

Michael Faraday was introduced this week to millions around the globe for his contributions to science, many of which benefit us all today in our everyday lives. Faraday was a devout Christian, and Tyson mentioned this, but as David Klinghoffer of the Discovery Institute points out:

“Faraday's faith is mentioned at the beginning but implicitly dismissed as having anything to do with his science. Cosmos shows us his impoverished family saying grace at the dinner table and explains that he 'took [their] fundamentalist Christian faith to heart. It would always remain a source of strength, comfort and humility for him.' That's it—nothing more than a warm blanket on a cold night.”

Tyson is not lying or misrepresenting Faraday here. Faraday was a great scientist who knew how to check his faith at the lab door and study the actual data in front of him.

This upset Klinghoffer to no end. He goes as far as to mention his 12-year-old son, a fan of Cosmos, who is not allowed to watch any episode because of the content. You have to love the open mindedness of raising your kid to only believe what you believe.

[66 dmhlt]

1. Time for the "Religion Is a Lot Like a Penis ..." analogy

Religion is a lot like a penis.
It's nice that you have one.
It's nice that you're proud of it and enjoy it.

But you shouldn't whip it out and try to force it down other people's throats.

[Orrex]

6. My religion is huge.

[postulater]

10. Mine is huger than yours and its the only real one god made.

[JoePhilly]

2. I get a kick out of the fact that they want creationism taught in the schools.

They hate public schools teachers. But they want them teaching religion to their kids.

[Ilsa]

15. I couldn't help but wonder if they believed

That the tv series Bad Teacher was reality tv. I'm glad it got cancelled.

[Orsino]

3. Department of Knowing Stuff under attack again. Still.

By the Department of Not Knowing Stuff.

[hobbit709]

4. I remember reader a short story once about in the future when space travel was possible.

all the smart people left Earth and the yahoos stayed behind. Everything was kept running by a few technicians until one day they got fed up and left.

[Gothmog]

5. NDT and Cosmos are great

The fact that the religious nut cases are upset makes me smile

[Orrex]

7. Klinghoffer lacks the capacity to understand Faraday.

[xchrom]

8. understated and well put. nt

[callous taoboy]

9. What the hell does this Klinghoffer want? Help me here.

I watched this episode, brilliant as always, and I thought Tyson did fine by acknowledging Faraday's faith. But what the hell do the hard-core religious folks want? This is a science show, not a biography of scientists' lives. When Faraday began having memory issues, for example, was Tyson expected to go off on some tangent about Faraday asking god to spare him his great mind? Would that have appeased the likes of Klinghoffer? Does Klinghoffer attribute Faraday's discoveries to divine intervention? Seriously, these folks don't get this series just as much as they don't seem to grasp scientific endeavor. I believe this run of Cosmos is one of the best science shows to ever be produced.

[FiveGoodMen]

11. Fundies all want total control. Total obedience.

Last edited Tue May 13, 2014, 03:16 PM - Edit history (1)

Like the god they worship who kills by the hundreds, thousands, or millions whenever he's in a bad mood.

You know ... the god they made in their image.

[LanternWaste]

12. I certainly hope no one tells us that Tyson's being needlessly confrontational...

I certainly hope no one tells us that Tyson is being needlessly confrontational, or could pick his words better-- which seems to happen on more than a few occasions when rational facts confront the deep-rooted, traditional beliefs of those who tend to deny the obvious.

[TCJ70]

13. The thing is, NDT stopped after saying good things

about Faradays faith and credited some respectable aspects of a person to it. I'm not sure what this guys problem is.

[MisterP]

14. mmmmm, what biography of Faraday is this based on?

Last edited Tue May 13, 2014, 05:42 PM - Edit history (2)

remember, since the 60s they've been admitting that scientists can have motives and axioms like everybody else (and it's not Lacanian to claim so)

decoupling theory and experiment only ends up lurching awkwardly between the two and heavily distorts science's actual practice

and total denial of context or subjectivity as some sort of "opposite" to objectivity? oh boy...

[eppur_se_muova]

16. Faraday belonged to a tiny, splinter Protestant sect with very rigid rules ...

they died out because no one beyond the original few families wanted to join, and the group split in a disagreement over dogma (of course). None of this seems to have had the slightest connection to Faraday's work -- after all, there's really nothing in the Bible that either agrees or conflicts with modern science re chemistry or electricity, so no martyrs to the Inquisition among chemists and electricians.

I actually read this biography:

While rising in society, Faraday steered clear of politics and the seamy machinations of the material world, staying obedient to a higher authority. Though disdainful of “useless passion” and devoted to his wife, he found a confidante in the bright, liberated, and flirtatious daughter of Lord Byron. Trying to reconcile his severe religion and his demanding work, he eventually suffered a mental collapse.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2247317.A_Life_of_Discovery

Is there some deep lesson from religion there that would make Klinghoffer happy ? He might well be disappointed to get what what he wants.