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Is Young Earth Creationism Destroying Science?
Are the young earth creationists destroying our faith in science? I have been having this discussion with a few friends of mine, lately. It is a question with serious implications, for science completely supports our current civilization. We cannot become Luddites and return to a more agricultural existence, at least not everyone. The world will not support the current population level without the benefits of science. With our current problems (global warming, over population) we need science now more then ever.
Yet, the YECs have made it their primary duty to convince the world that science is wrong and a bronze age work of fiction is right, and they are gaining countless adherents. Science is entering into a stage of disrepute with the American Public. Funding is getting harder.
I know several of YECs. They are very serious, and not to be taken lightly. I feel a tremendous danger lurks ahead for our civilization.
I cover this much more thoroughly at http://blessedatheist.com/ in my Rant against young earth creationism.
Do you think we have much to fear? How do we fight this?
Tags: Young, creationism, earth, science
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jason Spicer on -
YEC has long been a virulent strain of anti-science, but at the moment, I'm more concerned about global-warming denialism. It's nothing but science bashing, if not outright conspiracy theory nutjobbery. It's one thing to be unconvinced, but those who are openly contemptuous of the science of anthropogenic global warming are simply eroding popular support for science. They have a lot in common with young-Earth creationists, but seem to be more numerous and active.
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Permalink Reply by Jez Smith on -
No you'll find that the people who are able to think for themselves and actualy do understand why the 'science' of global warming does not stand up to scrutiny have a lot more contempt for people who swallow the global warming story hook line and sinker, they are the truley dangerous people.
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Permalink Reply by Jason Spicer on
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Ah, the "think for yourself" canard. Actually, Jez, thinking for oneself is exactly how the YEC gang perpetrates their nonsense. Don't pay any attention to the experts! Think for yourself! Sound familiar? Your ignorance of climate science is much on display in other threads, Jez. You think you are thinking for yourself, but you're just parroting the drivel of science bashers. "Think for yourself!" is the battle cry of those who don't trust experts, who don't value education, who think that "common sense" is superior to in-depth knowledge and sophisticated analytical methods, in short, of anti-intellectuals and anti-science rubes.
The parallels between YECs and AGW-deniers are striking, and telling. There's no difference between denigrating the vast body of scientific evidence for an old Earth and denigrating the vast body of scientific evidence for anthropogenic global warming. You simply don't want to believe AGW is real, because it might have an impact on your pocketbook. Just like the YECs don't want to believe that the Earth is 4.5 billion years old, because it impacts their holy book. You start with your faith-based conclusion and dismiss anything that disagrees with that. That's not science.
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Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on -
I love it when someone uses "think for yourself" to get people to agree with them.
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Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on
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Please explain the danger in believing that global warming is happening.
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Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on -
Oh, it's the ALIENS! They stole the Snows of Kilimanjaro and the polar ice cap ... and they're coming for YOU NEXT!
And if you believe THAT one....
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Permalink Reply by Tom Thompson on -
Creationism can have no affect on the progress of science but it seems like it does have a deleterious affect on people's perception of science and scientists. I am often forced to cringe and defend science to my family members when they often suggest that scientists are nothing more than opinionated activists with an agenda of destroying faith.
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Permalink Reply by Jez Smith on
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Yep it is a very real problem because people are not taught to think for themselves anymore, people don't read they don't talk to each other and the standards of general education are getting lower and lower so you are going to have problems.
The good news is it only seems to be happening in the States at the moment, possibly because Americans have this strange idea that no matter how insane someone is they should be allowed to explain their insanity on their own half hour television show.
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Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on
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Young earth creationism still isn't accepted in the scientific community, and I don't think they ever will be. Still, professionals like doctors, teachers and others can graduate college while still believing in creationism. Their beliefs will have an effect on their work and on others.
Also, this isn't just America. I was just reading about Muslims pushing creationism in England. With the fundamentalism going on in Europe, I'm surprised there isn't more bullying coming from creationists (I do view them as bullies, trying to push their way into science when they don't belong).
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Permalink Reply by ryan cameron on -
Well, the problem for YEC proponents in "high places" is anti-science is not profitable. If you are dead set against teaching good science in schools, for example, and you are a politician, your state or region will suffer as no inventions, no advancements, no profitable new high tech businesses will start up in your region/country/state whatever, and you'll be forced to import them and have a difficult time competing.
YEC's are their own worst enemy, because they do not come up with innovation, they just sit there criticizing evolution. That means they are parasitic, and they cant survive without a theory to bash because they dont contribute at all to general science. That only becomes increasingly obvious as time goes on.
So, long story short, the best way to fight them is to innovate, create, support good science, support education, and let entropy take care of the rest I guess :)
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