The Vatican bashes Intelligent Design

[LordMune]

Because nobody likes American fundamentalism.

HE Vatican has issued a stout defence of Charles Darwin, voicing strong criticism of Christian fundamentalists who reject his theory of evolution and interpret the biblical account of creation literally.
Cardinal Paul Poupard, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said the Genesis description of how God created the universe and Darwin's theory of evolution were "perfectly compatible" if the Bible were read correctly.

His statement was a clear attack on creationist campaigners in the US, who see evolution and the Genesis account as mutually exclusive.

"The fundamentalists want to give a scientific meaning to words that had no scientific aim," he said at a Vatican press conference. He said the real message in Genesis was that "the universe didn't make itself and had a creator".

This idea was part of theology, Cardinal Poupard emphasised, while the precise details of how creation and the development of the species came about belonged to a different realm - science. Cardinal Poupard said that it was important for Catholic believers to know how science saw things so as to "understand things better".

His statements were interpreted in Italy as a rejection of the "intelligent design" view, which says the universe is so complex that some higher being must have designed every detail.

link

[psi29a]

I read that yesterday, good stuff.

This leads me to my new religion:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spa ... Monsterism

and in case you think it is a joke... (you would be right)

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 6011889705

For those not in the know:

Flying Spaghetti Monsterism (FSM) is a satirical parody religion created to protest the decision by the Kansas State Board of Education to allow intelligent design to be taught in science classes alongside evolution.

The "religion" has become an Internet phenomenon that has garnered many "followers" of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (sometimes referring to themselves as "Pastafarians," a pun on Rastafarians) who claim to have been touched by "His Noodly Appendage" and preach the word of their "noodly master" as the one true religion. Flying Spaghetti Monsterism is primarily the invention of Bobby Henderson, a graduate of Oregon State University with a degree in physics.

This is my kind of challange:
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/08/19/bo ... 0000_.html

In August 2005, in response to a challenge from a reader, Boing Boing announced a $250,000 USD challenge, payable to any individual who can produce empirical evidence proving that Jesus is not the son of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.[5] The challenge is modelled after a similar challenge issued by creationist Kent Hovind, which has been criticized by scientists as being logically flawed in design.[6] The FSM prize was soon raised by matching reward funds to $1 million US

[Loeviz]

This is my kind of challange:
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/08/19/bo ... 0000_.html

In August 2005, in response to a challenge from a reader, Boing Boing announced a $250,000 USD challenge, payable to any individual who can produce empirical evidence proving that Jesus is not the son of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.[5] The challenge is modelled after a similar challenge issued by creationist Kent Hovind, which has been criticized by scientists as being logically flawed in design.[6] The FSM prize was soon raised by matching reward funds to $1 million US

Damn, Somehow I wish I was smart enough to prove this. Easy money, or not

[Libaax]

How in the world can they let ID to be teached in school.....

[Killfile]

How in the world can they let ID be [taught] in school.....

.... instead of English.

Fixed that for you.

[Libaax]

Thanks for the help


About this subject a week ago i met a guy in the Iid dinner that said i was brainwashed cause i believed in Darwin.....

[Killfile]

See the problem is that the ID crowd has the backing of some very bright people in some very well funded think tanks -- like the Heritage foundation.

Clever use of language, talking points, and media saturation allows them to use a technique called "Framing" which basically means that by defining the language that will be used to debate an issue, they bias the debate of the issue itself.

Take what you just related as an example:

...said i was brainwashed cause i believed in Darwin...

Intentionally or not, you used the word "believed." I don't know if the person you encountered used this word or not, and it frankly doesn't matter. The language that the debate has been cast in is one of belief. You "believe" in Darwin.

The word carries connotations of religion - of thinking something is true even though you can't prove it. When you say you "believe" in Darwin you cast subtle doubt upon the very premise of evolution -- you basically are agreeing that Darwin's theories can't be proven.

The Framing issue is also present in the use of the word theory. Theory in the scientific community means the best and most upheld explanation for all observable evidence. Theory does not equate to "wild assed guess," but that's what the ID crowd would have us think. They've successfully shifted the meaning of the word in the popular lexicon towards "wild assed guess" by constantly repeating phrases like "but evolution is just a theory."

Be careful with what you say, particularly in writing. The political debates that will shape this country for the next fifty years are being played out today. The very language you use can influence the way the debate will be fought out. It is an avalanche effect, and the more people are aware of the weight of their words, the more that avalanche can be manipulated are turned to our advantage.

[Libaax]

Well i took for granted that people in this forum understand that when i say believe in darwin i meant believe that his theories are correct.


English aren't the language im best at and i was much better telling the guy that was i talked to why i think darwin theories are correct in my native langauge.


Im not bad at english but im bad in forums cause i write too fast to correct myself. I talk alot better than i write in forums.


You don't have to worry about me i don't take this ID people seriously.


I cant understand how this ID people can have enough power to let their ideas be taught in school.

It just shows how much power the conservative have in US, i don't think many other countries let would ID be taught in their schools.

[Killfile]

My previous post wasn't really targteted at you so much as the community at large. The phrasing you used isn't too far off from what is commonly batted about over dinner tables all over the United States.

As to english not being your first language: you've got my respect. I've never mastered a second language in any form, verbal or written. More power to ya.

[Libaax]

Hopefully people in us wont let ID to have their way for long.




I could speak arabic before but then i came to sweden and live in a refugee camp with kurds,slavic people,other africans etc but no arabs so i forgot the langauge due to lack of usage

[Eldo]

Hm, since I have little understanding of US events, when is Intelligent Design going to be integrated to the educational system? If ever at all?

[Brainpiercing]

AFAIK many schools already teach it as an "equivalent theory" with the evolution theory, and some schools are fighting to even preserve evolution in the schedules.

It all shows that there are a lot of small, frightened people out there who can't even begin to believe that there might as well be no purpose to life and the universe whatsoever.... except what you make of it.