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Evolution Sunday

By TChris, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Sat Feb 11, 2006 at 12:15:20 PM EST
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by TChris

Justice Sunday and Justice Sunday II received widespread media attention. If a day dedicated to ridding the courts of "activist judges" who refuse to advance a narrow religious agenda deserves coverage, shouldn't the news media also publicize a day dedicated to the reconciliation of religion and science?

Tomorrow is Evolution Sunday:

On 12 February 2006 hundreds of Christian churches from all portions of the country and a host of denominations will come together to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. For far too long, strident voices, in the name of Christianity, have been claiming that people must choose between religion and modern science. More than 10,000 Christian clergy have already signed The Clergy Letter demonstrating that this is a false dichotomy. Now, on the 197th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, many of these leaders will bring this message to their congregations through sermons and/or discussion groups. Together, participating religious leaders will be making the statement that religion and science are not adversaries. And, together, they will be elevating the quality of the national debate on this topic.

Evolution Sunday has received scattered mentions in the print media, but rational conversation that "elevates the quality of the national debate" doesn't garner the same interest as a gathering of righteous evangelists who insist that judges should consult a Bible, not the Constitution or legislation, to find the rules that will govern their decisions. Stories like this one, about an evangelist who teaches elementary school kids to reject science, merit attention. But Evolution Sunday advances a mainstream point of view rather than the extreme position taken by Biblical literalists. Does that mean Evolution Sunday isn't as worthy of media attention?

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    • Evolution Sunday | 4 comments (4 topical)
    Re: Evolution Sunday (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 11, 2006 at 01:37:53 PM EST
    Oh God help!

    Re: Evolution Sunday (none / 0) (#2)
    by Edger on Sat Feb 11, 2006 at 01:56:55 PM EST
    Evolution Sunday advances a mainstream point of view rather than the extreme position taken by Biblical literalists. Does that mean Evolution Sunday isn't as worthy of media attention? Not at all. But like anything else, it's mostly the crazies, nutjobs, crimes, wars, and general bad news that sells news. The majority of people who are ordinary and sane, whio are, at least in my experience, the vast majority of christians, muslims, and all other religions, and atheists, are just regular good people living their lives without bothering anyone, and don't attract media attention because reporting about reasonable people simply won't sell papers. What can be said about them? "Wow, lookitthat!! Is that guy ever freakin' normal!!! Quick, call the cops!"? Can you imagine a headline "Unknown woman gives 30 bucks to homeless man"? I saw that happen on the street a few weeks ago. She deserves the attention, but would you buy the paper?

    Re: Evolution Sunday (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Feb 11, 2006 at 06:09:41 PM EST
    Here's a hymn to evolution, "Be Mine." Take that, intelligent designers: http://www.podsafeaudio.com/jamroom/bands/704/The_Be_Mine_Single.php

    Re: Evolution Sunday (none / 0) (#4)
    by pigwiggle on Mon Feb 13, 2006 at 11:21:15 AM EST
    These folks couldn't be more wrong. Like they say in the letter, empirical truth isn't necessarily exclusive to religious beliefs, however, some empirical truths are incongruous with some religious beliefs. Science and religion are two distinct and wholly incompatible paradigms. There is no room for reason in religion; indeed faith, a (or maybe the) fundamental tenet of religion, is antithetical to reason. Science has done so much to improve our standard of living; it's making religion look bad, like the hocus pocus voodoo it is. These folks are only paying lip service to reason and science to postpone the inevitable.

    Evolution Sunday | 4 comments (4 topical)