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The Statler Waldorf Balcony
RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony
(October 20, 2010 at 8:55 pm)Statler Waldorf Wrote:
(October 20, 2010 at 7:51 pm)Rev. Rye Wrote:
(October 20, 2010 at 5:08 pm)Statler Waldorf Wrote: Sweet I called it! You did use the "Primitive Egyptians were smarter than modern Egyptians" argument! You're getting very predictable. Since these primitive Egyptians were so smart in your eyes why did they also believe in gods and the super-natural? Or were they only "smart" when they agreed with you?

Well, "primitive Egyptians" were certainly smarter about the time period they lived in than their descendants were about that very same period by virtue of having lived in it. And quite honestly, I, as somebody with functioning brain cells, tend to defer to primary sources when it comes to matters of history.

And they believed in the super-natural because it was in ancient times and there wasn't much in the way of alternate explanations of how the world came to be that were any more sensible than a giant goose laying an egg into the Nile River.

So then you believe in the historical claims of the Bible since it is a primary source? Or do you only follow this rule when the primary sources agrees with your pre-conceived ideas about History?

Not exactly; it's an anthology of sources, the vast majority of historical parts of which were only written down around the 5th or 6th century BC. And, I have to ask about your last question: Are you sure you don't do the same with the Bible? After all, even I am willing to take historical sources (especially pre-Gibbon) with a grain of salt, especially when they talk about the supernatural. After all, even the Ancient Greek historians tended to insert their Gods into their histories. And for that matter, Ancient Egyptian sources have been backed up by a wealth of historical evidence and archaeology; and the earliest part of the Bible that has ever been backed up by any credible sort of archaeological evidence is the reign of King David and even there, there's significant room for doubt. So, simply put, I do follow the rule when there's some evidence backing up its stories. With the flood, there's just none of that, and like I said, if you take the Ussher chronology, there's actually a lot of evidence against it, most clearly, the pyramids of Giza. For that matter, historians believe that Egypt been inhabited continuously since 5400 BC, approximately a millennium and a half before Ussher claims the Earth to have been created.
Comparing the Universal Oneness of All Life to Yo Mama since 2010.

[Image: harmlesskitchen.png]

I was born with the gift of laughter and a sense the world is mad.
RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony
(October 20, 2010 at 6:50 pm)Synackaon Wrote: First off, in my defense, asking for names is ridiculous.

I don't disagree and I know it was not you that asked.

(October 20, 2010 at 6:50 pm)Synackaon Wrote: Second, I noted that Kurt Wise has made a statement equating to placing ideology over science, thus showing him to be a poor scientist.

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Here I disagree. Just because one holds to a certain ideology does not mean that they cannot practice science well. I think Kurt Wise was a Christian and a Creationist when he studied under Gould. If that is the case, then clearly Gould (and whoever else was on Wise's PhD defense board at Harvard) thought Wise could practice good science and have such an ideology.

(October 20, 2010 at 6:50 pm)Synackaon Wrote: Thirdly, I note that the people involved hold questionable motives, thus placing them under scrutiny.

And certainly no evolutionary scientist has questionable motives, right?

(October 20, 2010 at 6:50 pm)Synackaon Wrote: Saying that you'll deny facts and evidence because your magic man said so is plainly ridiculous - especially ridiculous to hear from a scientist.

I don't think Wise said he would "deny facts and evidence". I think he said exactly the opposite. I think he said that he would be able to practice science based on the facts and evidence even if it goes against his ideology and even if he still holds that ideology.

(October 20, 2010 at 6:50 pm)Synackaon Wrote: Also, I gave out examples to combat the "He has a PhD and that makes him worth listening too" with actual examples of wing nuts who also happen to be educate.

No problem here. That argument is ridiculous on either side. It is much more productive to discuss the actual issues.

(October 20, 2010 at 6:50 pm)Synackaon Wrote: To conclude, yes, the objective facts matter in the YEC debate. But one must keep in mind that those who clearly state they will ignore science, and thus the objectivity, to match their beliefs, will clearly contribute misleading information if need be. Thus the science is poisoned. It's called "poisoning the well"

As I said above, I think you are misconstruing Wise's statement.

(October 20, 2010 at 6:50 pm)Synackaon Wrote: Go suck an egg, you troll.

Brilliant, Syn. (Yes, you can read "sarcasm" here.)

Do you not have the capability of discussing issues with someone who disagrees with you without attempts at belittling them personally?
RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony
Of course, Francis Collins is an evangelical Christian, and he doesn't let it interfere with his observations of reality, unlike Wise.
Comparing the Universal Oneness of All Life to Yo Mama since 2010.

[Image: harmlesskitchen.png]

I was born with the gift of laughter and a sense the world is mad.
RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony
(October 21, 2010 at 9:04 am)Zen Badger Wrote: So what you're saying is that since bats aren't plants they must be birds.
Yes, I'm sure it takes quite a bit of imagination to be able to classify a bat as avian, it really does.

Zen, you asked me to come up with a classification system such that what we call "birds" would be classified with "bats". I did that. What is the problem? How was my classification system "wrong"?

(October 21, 2010 at 9:04 am)Zen Badger Wrote: By what astounding feat of mental gymnastics can you arrive at the conclusion that the the bible is in fact correct? When a BAT IS NOT A BIRD!!!

Actually, the Bible doesn't really even say that the bat is a bird. The Hebrew word translated as "bird" can merely mean "flying creature". So, why not substitute "flying creature" for "bird" in Leviticus 11:13 for whatever translation you are reading. Seems pretty clear to me that is what that whole passage means anyway. You just seem to be stuck in thinking that the only classification system possible is the one currently in use.
RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony
(October 15, 2010 at 5:10 pm)Statler Waldorf Wrote: There is no biblical teaching that women are inferior to men.

So when Timothy 2:11-12 tell us "Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man, but to be in silence.", you don't see that as teaching that a woman is inferior to a man?
Science flies us to the moon and stars. Religion flies us into buildings.

God allowed 200,000 people to die in an earthquake. So what makes you think he cares about YOUR problems?
RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony
(October 20, 2010 at 9:13 pm)Statler Waldorf Wrote: Well last time I checked the degree B.S. stood for Bachelor of Science, so I am pretty sure that still counts as a Science degree, not an arts degree. As for the M.A.- the universty was originally going to make it an M.S. but they realized that GeoScience is better served by final research projects not a research thesis. So that is the only difference. Nice try at belittling my education, but fail.
I for one couldn't care less what your supposed qualifications are - they're irrelevant to the rationality of one's argument in any debate.

I'm still waiting for you to explain to me why you think the Earth is a mere 6,000 to 10,000 years old.
RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony
(October 21, 2010 at 9:23 am)rjh4 Wrote: Here I disagree. Just because one holds to a certain ideology does not mean that they cannot practice science well. I think Kurt Wise was a Christian and a Creationist when he studied under Gould. If that is the case, then clearly Gould (and whoever else was on Wise's PhD defense board at Harvard) thought Wise could practice good science and have such an ideology.

No. Just no. The scientific process requires objectivity or the closest approach to it possible - an ideology overriding that process damages or removes that objectivity. Claiming that ones ideology will not be reigned in even if all of evidence was against it shows that one is actually willfully and knowingly being decidedly non-objective.

In that case, we have a person whom society has trained to be a scientist not being one.

(October 21, 2010 at 9:23 am)rjh4 Wrote: And certainly no evolutionary scientist has questionable motives, right?

Non-sequitor. You've no evidence to back up your claim for generic evolutionary scientist. Attempted strawman noted.

(October 21, 2010 at 9:23 am)rjh4 Wrote: As I said above, I think you are misconstruing Wise's statement.

No, you're intentionally trying to change Wise's statement into something it is not.

".. if all the evidence in the universe turns against creationism, I would be the first to admit it, but I would still be a creationist because that is what the Word of God seems to indicate"

He'll admit there's evidence then embrace a disproven conclusion. Gee, a lot of objectivity there.

(October 21, 2010 at 9:23 am)rjh4 Wrote: Do you not have the capability of discussing issues with someone who disagrees with you without attempts at belittling them personally?

That would require the one who was belittled to not say things that invite ridicule in the first place.

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RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony



Ok, let's make an agreement, since I am kind of getting tired of this. How about we agree to both use our own sources and we will discuss their validity based on the material given? So I won't make fun of your youtube videos and you won't make fun of things just because they are from ICR or CMI? Deal? I think this will be much more productive and we will get more accomplished. Fair?

RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony
(October 21, 2010 at 2:55 pm)Statler Waldorf Wrote: Ok, let's make an agreement, since I am kind of getting tired of this. How about we agree to both use our own sources and we will discuss their validity based on the material given? So I won't make fun of your youtube videos and you won't make fun of things just because they are from ICR or CMI? Deal? I think this will be much more productive and we will get more accomplished. Fair?

Your sources are ridiculous beyond the most lax standard of credibility, and failure to give them their due ridicule would give them a completely false air of some minimum of respectability. If your concept of discussing validity is based on using one piece of shit from your few favorite "creation scientists" to justify another, then I must decline to refrain from making fun of each link in your circular chain of shit.

You can reply with something vaguely similar sounding about ours. I have no doubt you will do that since aping serious arguments by substituting scientific facts with creationist bullshit is your primary tactic. But that reply would nonetheless reflect a more fundamental divide between us then your choice of tactic, which is you consider a myth from a rather repulsive band of desert nomades to be infallible absolute truths around which all must to made to conform, while we've found the myth to be in complete disagreement with what we’ve found and is therefore a complete piece of fictional garbage. The divide between us is as wide as any could possibly be. There is no need to waste time trying to bridge the unbridgeable. So long as you deem bible for some fundamental reason to be absolutely true and therefore are not honest open to critical review of just how good it is, we can not really discuss anything.

RE: The Statler Waldorf Balcony
(October 21, 2010 at 2:55 pm)Statler Waldorf Wrote:



Ok, let's make an agreement, since I am kind of getting tired of this. How about we agree to both use our own sources and we will discuss their validity based on the material given? So I won't make fun of your youtube videos and you won't make fun of things just because they are from ICR or CMI? Deal? I think this will be much more productive and we will get more accomplished. Fair?


Only if your equating the quality of "science" from the ICR on the par of youtube.

From the NCSE:
Quote:The Institute for Creation Research suffered a significant legal defeat in its lawsuit over the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board's 2008 decision to deny the ICR's request for a state certificate of authority to offer a master's degree in science education from its graduate school. A June 18, 2010, ruling in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas found (PDF, p. 38) that "ICRGS [the Institute for Creation Research Graduate School] has not put forth evidence sufficient to raise a genuine issue of material fact with respect to any claim it brings. Thus, Defendants are entitled to summary judgment on the totality of ICRGS's claims against them in this lawsuit."

As NCSE's Glenn Branch explained in Reports of the NCSE, "When the Institute for Creation Research moved its headquarters from Santee, California, to Dallas, Texas, in June 2007, it expected to be able to continue offering a master's degree in science education from its graduate school. ... But the state's scientific and educational leaders voiced their opposition, and at its April 24, 2008, meeting, the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board unanimously voted to deny the ICR's request for a state certificate of authority to offer the degree." Subsequently, the ICR appealed the decision, while also taking its case to the court of public opinion with a series of press releases and advertisements in Texas newspapers.
REF: http://ncse.com/news/2010/06/legal-defeat-icr-005583

How can we not make fun of a joke institution being struck down in ultra conservative Texas? I guess being dishonest will always hurt.






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