I haven’t written about the intersection of science and religion in a few weeks, but as the Categories on the right sidebar indicates, I have more than just a passing interest in the topic. Interestingly enough, the current candidates for the Republican presidential nomination are providing some fodder to ponder.
Michelle Bachmann recently mentioned that God used the east coast’s earthquake and hurricane to get Washington’s attention about Washington spending. Although she is known to proclaim her theological beliefs and interpretations, she is now passing the comment off as humor. If her intent was humor, she exercised a poor choice of words. If she intended to proclaim a theological belief, she not only does not speak for all Christians, her theology does not represent the majority of Christians. After all, God did not cause of drought in Texas to warn the nation against Governor Rick Perry!
Shortly after announcing his candidacy not all that long ago, Governor Perry made an interesting statement about evolution – so I took some time to read the Texas science standards for high school. Although I can make the argument that Governor Perry’s statements about what educators teach in Texas is false, I acknowledge that cracks exist in the standards that could allow religious points of view into the science classroom – a notion that the US Supreme Court ruled against in Edwards vs. Aguillard (1987).
I know that Governor Perry does not stand for the same theology and science that I do, but reading the comments from readers after the articles about his statement was more disturbing to me than what he said. Although I disagree with some of the comments, but too many comments contained numerous misconceptions and misinformation about science, evolution, religion, and the interchange between them that reinforce my notion that too many people are either misinformed or not informed about the topic. I write about this topic because of the misinformed and the not informed.
Although I have not officially crunched the numerous myself (at least not yet), membership in Christian denominations supporting science and evolution easily outnumbers membership to the contrary. It would not surprise me if the split is at least 60/40, and maybe more – thus a larger gap than polling suggests. Then again, I also believe those numbers would support my notion that many churches are not teaching their flock about this issue – thus contributing to the misinformed.
Meanwhile, Governor Perry and Michelle Bachmann continue to rely on engaging the emotions of a misinformed public through their bamboozling rhetoric and their personal theological view. I tagged this video a few months ago waiting for the right time as the comments in this video also support the divide and the notion of the malinformed – yet giving promise & hope of the informed.
After hearing Perry’s denial of evolution, it finally hit me. The science deniers are the kids in school that didn’t want to study. And they still don’t. 🙄
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Melissa,
They are also the ones who are getting educated by the religious right .. and they are the ones all goo-goo with Gov Perry. Thanks for commenting!
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There you go again, looking for the truth, asking questions, holding people accountable, making us think–no wonder I like you!
Writechicpress makes a good point!
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Patti,
Glad you enjoyed the post … and WriteChic made a great point. Bottom line to me is how a lack of knowledge screws up the discussion. Thanks for stopping by.
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Like I asked Nonnie, if Bachmann thinks God is punishing Obama and his “liberal” government, why is Conservative-run Canada getting plastered?
Yeah, I know, why let facts ruin a perfectly good political BS fest? 😉
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John,
Great point about Canada, and as you know, examples like this could be countless. Oh my …. love the “good political BS fest”. Thanks for your continual wit!
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My “continual wit”. Half, nit, or dim? 😉
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John … yes
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the people who deny evolution are being willfully ignorant. if evolution doesn’t exist, how do they explain bacteria becoming resistant to anti-biotics?
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Or to biological changes in an animal as their environment changes.
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Nonnie,
That is a great example … of course I wonder how many opponents believe that evolution applies to all living things except humans. Thanks for the point!
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Methinks Rick Perry and all the people who have repeatedly voted for him in my state have fried brains.Has everyone forgotten he wanted to take Texas out out of the US at one point? Good grief!!!!!
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Izzie,
I appreciate your Texan insight … and also showing that Gov Perry does not represent all Texans. The succession point sticks in my head, and I can’t imagine it not being pressed as an issue sometime in the campaign. Give it time. Thanks for sharing, and glad to see you back on the circuit.
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dude, love how Bachman made it this far…yet she steals from Uncle Sam. The “farm” she has and the “de-gay” camp her very feminine “husband” runs
Perry discounts global warming and prays to Jesus in a football stadium for rain…GW Bush Jr.?
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3rd Stone,
Bachmann is entertainment for the sane. Personally, GWB is more mainstream than RP. Now that says something! Hope all is well and thanks for stopping by.
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