Refuting Evolution (from HBO's Friends of God)

[madfloridian]

Run time: 03:56 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnxQiCg9qpg   Posted on YouTube: April 17, 2015 By YouTube Member: YouTube Help Views on YouTube: 11610248   Posted on DU: February 08, 2007 By DU Member: madfloridian Views on DU: 1934

 
This was one of the most alarming parts of Alexandra Pelosi's documentary. I am a retired school teacher, and this overwhelmed me what they were teaching these small children.

Excerpt from HBO's "Friends of God: A road trip with Alexandra Pelosi"

This segment focuses on the work of a traveling ministry "Answers in Genesis" teaching Christians how to refute Evolution.

More information on Answers in Genesis can be found on their website:


http://www.answersingenesis.org/

The HBO website:

http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/friends_of_god/synopsis.html

[nosmokes]

1. wow.that's some hardcore jesusporn.

and even the teens have bought the spiel. hook, line and sinker. sadness.

[ClintonTyree]

2. The ignorance....the ignorance

I had to stop watching it about half-way through. That people are so willfully ignorant, so easily led it makes my head want to explode. Grown adults pounding propaganda into the minds of impressionable children, the new Hitler Youth. To quote one woman in the clip, "it's an easy way to explain these things to our children". Yes, by all means let's take the easy way of teaching our children. Let's cut off their curiosity and kill it early so there won't be any pesky questions later in life. Never forget the first lesson of the bible. Do not eat from the tree of knowledge. Stay ignorant and believe everything we tell you, it's for your own good. :banghead:
Is it any wonder christians call their believers, "sheep".
This is so fucking disturbing. I weep for the future of our country. I truly hate these people for what they're doing to these children. Creating another generation of brain-dead jesus zombies to further their own twisted agenda. :mad:

[Az]

3. I damn near cried

What price freedom? To watch those monsters brain washing those children... its too much.

[Gato Moteado]

4. "christian patriot missiles"

the one bonehead referred to his anti-science books as "christian patriot missiles". interesting metaphor the guy used. these guys are obsessed with war, something totally incongruent to everything jesus stood for.

[mainegreen]

5. These people have a strange view of public education.

I seem to remember studying evolution in science class and studying the bible in religion class. So, I guess my school taught both, just in their appropriate classes. I would not be surprised to find out most schools work this way.

[LunaSea]

6. "ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"

Charles Darwin



A myth is a fixed way of looking at the world which cannot be destroyed
because, looked at through the myth, all evidence supports the myth.
-Edward De Bono, consultant, writer, and speaker (1933- )

"The most preposterous notion that H. sapiens has ever dreamed up is that the Lord God of Creation, Shaper and Ruler of all the Universes, wants the saccharine adoration of His creatures, can be swayed by their prayers, and becomes petulant if He does not receive this flattery. Yet this absurd fantasy, without a shred of evidence to bolster it, pays all the expenses of the oldest, largest, and least productive industry in all history."
R.Heinlein

"Walking on water wasn't built in a day"
Jack Kerouac

"What luck for rulers, that men do not think."
Adolf Hitler




Thanks for the quote in your sig CT, a fine addition to my collection.

[eagler]

7. It's only a small # of Christians who believe this stuff

[madfloridian]

11. The largest county in Central Florida teaches creationism beside evolutionism.

I will have to find the articles, and the website is horribly slow right now. The school superintendent's name is Gail McKenzie, and she said so in an article. I got the impression the door was left open to teach it, but not required. It's a large county, large school system, though rather rural overall, mostly small cities except for one fairly large city. Where there is a heavy concentration of Southern Baptists you will find this quite often.

[JHB]

22. True, but they're the ones most likely to call themselves "Christian" first...

...and leave the exact denomination to a follow-up question, or regard to as unimportant altogether. This lets them (falsely) think that "Christian" means their way, and that all "Christians" (the REAL ones, anyway) believe what they believe, and thus to wash themselves with outrage that they aren't in charge in a country where "majority rules".

They've played on this conflation of their "Christians" with all Christians for 2-3 decades now, and the only time it falls apart is when they try to work together the biggest group of Christians in the country: Catholics. The Christian Coalition tried it, and practically fell apart: the fundies just couldn't get over their ingrained Catholic-hating.

[whistle]

8. Ignorance must be taught if it is to be maintained

[deutsey]

10. Unfortunately, they're a big chunk of Bush's base

This was in response to post #7...sorry!

Religion has always played a powerful role in the daily lives of Americans. But it has never wielded such influence in the highest levels of American government as it does under the Bush presidency. Moreover, the religious conservative movement that has come into political prominence with the election of George W. Bush views him as its earthly leader. As Washington Post staff writer Dana Milbank, puts it:

For the first time since religious conservatism became a modern political movement, the president of the United States has become the movement’s de facto leader–a status even Ronald Reagan, though admired by religious conservatives, never earned. Christian publications, radio and television shower Bush with praise, while preachers from the pulpit treat his leadership as an act of providence. A procession of religious leaders who have met with him testify to his faith, while Web sites encourage people to fast and pray for the president. <1>

Considered the leader of the Christian right, Bush is viewed by many of his aides and followers as a leader with a higher purpose. Bush aide, Tim Goeglein, echoes this view: “I think President Bush is God’s man at this hour, and I say this with a great sense of humility.” <2>

More: George Bush’s Religious Crusade Against Democracy:
Fundamentalism as Cultural Politics

http://www.henryagiroux.com/online_articles/crusade.htm

[madfloridian]

15. You are right, and he panders to them.

Openly plays to their bigotry.

[Exultant Democracy]

9. I found that watching the little children was sad, but once they hit

the teen years they started to seem just as scary as their parents.

I think one of the saddest parts is that these people are the same people who don't believe in global warming . So if we are to survive as a species we need to find a way to open up their eyes to reality and fast.

[liberal hypnotist]

12. I was on the fence...

...but after watching that Youtube, I'm convinced that this country is having serious growing pains. Those poor kids.

[DuaneBidoux]

13. The kids are victims. So many career avenues cut off before they can even think for themselves.

I love the kid that says he wants to be a biochemist. I wonder where he thinks he will go to school?

[madfloridian]

14. Do a search on Ken Ham....I think he is in demand as a speaker.

Unfortunately.

His bio from Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Ham
"Ham was born in Queensland, Australia but moved to the United States of America in 1987. He has a bachelor's degree in applied science (with an emphasis on environmental biology) from the Queensland Institute of Technology and also holds a Diploma of Education from the University of Queensland. Jerry Falwell, a Baptist preacher and chancellor of the Baptist Liberty University, granted Ham an honorary doctorate of literature in 1993.

He is married to Marilyn ("Mally") whom he describes as a "very, very submissive, supportive wife" who has "always supported me five million percent." The couple have five children.<1> Two are married, and two live with them in Cincinnati. Ham has four grandchildren.

Between 1987 and 1993, Ham worked for the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), one of the oldest and most prominent American Creationist organizations. In 1994, he set up Answers in Genesis, a Christian ministry devoted to convincing people that Genesis, and the rest of the bible, should be taken as literally true, historically correct and scientifically accurate in every detail."

He even got coverage on PBS

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/08/1/l_081_04.html

I wrote more about Pelosi's film...and my feelings while watching it.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1034

[barbtries]

16. is she related

to nancy?

[madfloridian]

17. Nancy's daughter.

Falwell gave her an interview without paying attention to who she was, when he found out he asked her to leave.

It's a powerful film, she just lets them talk.

[left of center]

18. not being taught to refute evolution

They're not being taught to refute evolution, but rather to memorize and regurgitate propaganda.

Reminds me of when I was a teenager dating this girl who attended a fundamentalist Christian school. We'd talk about subjects like evolution from time to time. Those conversations were always one sided in favor of my positions. She had her bullet points of completely claims, none of which she could articulate from a base of knowledge and understanding. She gave up arguing after a while when it became clear to her that she didn't know as much as she thought.

Incidently, what really got to her were my questions, not my statements. These people are not raised to think, so making them think really does a number on them.

[allinktup]

19. that is just scary

[madfloridian]

20. Yes, it is.

:hi:

[depakid]

21. It's pretty obvious why America's in such sorry shape

and equally obvious to me why it has such poor prospects for the future.