Daily Topics - Tuesday May 17th, 2011
By shawnt56
"Anti-Fox" Free Speech TV wants a spot on Comcast - The Denver Post
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Hour One: Should creationism be taught in public schools? Jerry Zandstra, The Genesis Code
Hour Two: Do Liberals "hate" America?! Joe Hicks, PJTV
Hour Three: Saturday 5/21...the end of the world as we know it? Tom Evans, Family Radio Worldwide / Plus, latest on the war on democracy - Cliff Schecter, Libertas llc
Comments
#2
Oh Thom! You missed a chance to skewer him on the definition of "theory!" You had me yelling at my radio :) What string theory does, and what makes it a theory, is that it makes predictions about the nature of the universe which can be tested and observed. The only "problem" that string theory has is that it's nested inside quantum and relativity physics so it's not clear if predictions made by string theory couldn't have also been made using those two theories. Quantum physics and relativity WORK, but what makes them theories is that they aren't absolutely proven. In science, a theory is just a step below a "law." These theories are tested, retested, they make predictions about what we ought to find and are right, that's why they work.
His statements about how sciences has changed over the last century (etc) is true, but it's gotten better, made better descriptions, and explained more. Newton wasn't *wrong,* you can use Newtonian physics at our quantum and it will make predictions and describe the behavior of physical bodies just fine. But it's when things get very large, very small, or very fast that we see it doesn't work.
You cannot test creationism. It doesn't do anything for us. Maybe there is a deity who started the whole thing, maybe not, but that can't tell us anything about the behavior of a quantum particle or anything about the age of the universe that can be proven or tested-- we just have to accept it.
#3
The 'hate' lable all started shortly after 9/11. Anyone who critized Bush or anyone in his adminstration, for any reason, were labled "America haters,' or unpatriotic, and the gopers have worn it out ever since. The right wing talk show hosts were always asking the 'why do you hate America?' when bashing liberals in general while on the air... They started it...
#4
The reason the Right labels liberals as America-haters, is because they can't sell their ideas in a fair market of ideas. The way they try to win in this situation is to delegitimize the competing product. If the prospective 'buyer' of ideas hears often enough that the ideas coming from liberals are ideas coming from 'America-haters', then they will be more inclined to buy the ideas coming from the Right, regardless of whether those ideas are contradictory to their own best interests; they'll buy it because there is no 'legitimate' alternative.
#5
The sure sign of a Man's Hand.........
It is interesting that in the world according to according to Evans, gay pride and gay marriage are not OK, but multiple incest is just great. Back to what I wrote in this eddy of thought yesterday: seem like it is all more about male control of breeding stock. The disobedient wife. Possession of the young daughters --- sorry, I've had my share of visions, I've seen my share of men. And that there was writ by a man.
What I ask of similar minded folk is this: How exactly did the complete and inerrant Bible get here? Via Fedex? To whom was it handed? Since the Bible, as one book, did not exist at the time of Christ, but was assembled from various leaves of papyrus over many years, by many different committees, much of it written in stages long after Christ had gone back home, by many different men (and at least one woman) -- were all the men involved infallible also? Some of the records of those meetings and those changes made to the Bible survive, and the men involved hardly stand up to the test of infallibility.
If we take the single notion of inerrancy away, then the problems associated with fundamentalism go quietly away also. You lose nothing in terms of faith, love or mercy -- you lose nothing of divine grace when you stop idolizing a piece of paper, a book. Jesus did not bring a book. He did not write a book. He did not even bother to dictate a book. He said, "Love each other."
Get it yet?
#6
Creationism? I don't think so. I don't believe the Bible supports it. Hmm. No, I theorize that the Bible does not support it especially as some currently define it and teach it. There are adequate scriptural proofs available to discount Creationism as a Bible teaching.
Good on you Thom for indicating that belief in the Bible is not based purely on superstition. Bad on you for letting two callers apply 1 Kings 7:23 as defining pi at 3.0. At the least, this application is disengenous, at the most, dishonest. A cubit (is) was not an exact measurement like pi. The measurements given in the Bible verse would be correct, with the circumference of the referenced container falling within, or very close to, the 30th cubit. The verse cannot honestly be used to teach that pi is 3.0.
The Bible contains some theory, some belief, and a great deal of fact. Many accept the theories as fact. Confidence in the Bible leads many to accept its prophecies (hope), without fully understanding how they will be fulfilled.
What the Bible actually teaches is rarely taught today. Creationism is a teaching of people, not the Bible.
Evolution contains some theory, some belief, and a good deal of fact as well. Many accept the theories as fact. I may be wrong here, but I don't believe Evolution contains prophecies (hope), although it does help us understand some things.
Accepting theory as fact in Evolution or the Bible requires a belief system. Currently, we simply do not apply the word "theory" to Bible proofs or tests, thinking that the Bible contains no accurate references to science. True, it's not a science book or a mathematical textbook, but when it touches on both subjects, it is accurate.
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