"The materialist explanation of the creation has nothing to offer - if we came from nothing and go into nothing, then that encourages people to lead reckless and materialistic lifestyles.
"Evolution is a world-view that leads to futility. It's no wonder people are dissatisfied with it."
This is essentially the heart of Rev Dr Malcolm Brown's view of evolution. In just 3 sentences he states enough idiocy to demonstrate the problems of creationist thinking.
The biggest flaw in creationism, which is also one of the most obvious clues of a psuedo science, is assuming an end (which is usually a belief) and then cherry picking your way through the evidence to satisfy your unchanging bias. Let us deconstruct:
"The materialist explanation of the creation..." Here he is assuming nature as we know it was created. "...has nothing to offer,..." Here he is dismissing the evidence and techniques which have emerged from scientific inquiry outright. It is safe to assume that he puts it this way because the logical conclusion of the evidence ("materialist explanation") is in direct conflict with his belief.
"...if we came from nothing and go into nothing, then that encourages people to lead reckless and materialistic lifestyles."
Here he is assuming a teleological argument as being inherently true while simultaneously assuming (by assume I really mean believe, but I'll be nice) that the implied purpose of people being full filled is the only way to keep them from falling apart at the moral seems, as it were. Also, it is truly an insult to human beings on the whole to assume that 'reckless lifestyles' are synonymous with 'materialistic lifestyles.' If the only thing keeping this man from living recklessly is his belief in duality and creationism, then perhaps we ought not to convince him his beliefs are false. It is remarkably absurd to think that the only reason people are or can be moral and altruistic is if they too drink the creationist kool-aid. There really isn't any time to get into the specifics of this, but there are many people who do not believe in a god/gods, creationism, or Rev. Brown's religion who are not living 'reckless lifestyles.' Since it is apparent this fact of life is not obvious to him lends an explanation to why he believes so many ridiculous things in the first place...
"Evolution is a world-view that leads to futility. It's no wonder people are dissatisfied with it."
Who are these dissatisfied people? I'm assuming creationists, and not 'people' as in people universally. The fact and subsequent theory and hypotheses of evolution are of the highest degree of scientific inquiry and human achievement. The theory of evolution ranks with, at least in terms of certainty, the theory of gravity, electricity, electromagnetism, relativity, chemistry, and medicine. Unfortunately, the phrase 'it is only a theory' is perpetuated by men such as these and by poor science education. To dumb down scientific education (as the Rev. advocates) all the more with creationism will only worsen this further. Also, it will only further allow religion to proselytize in public schools, where the freedom of religion is currently protected. To put it another way, this is one religion seeking to take away religious freedom to further its own cause.
The reduction of intellectual honesty and the violation of the standard of religious freedom is something that I truly find appalling.
I'm not trying to be such a downer about this, but these issues are serious and are already stirring things up.
Word,
David
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