Darwin’s Deadly Legacy, the program that Coral Ridge Ministries is airing this weekend that supposedly links Hitler to Darwin, is beginning to look like a public relations catastrophe for the organization. First Francis Collins repudiated the show, then the ADL put the hammer down, and now another of the “featured guests” is distancing himself from the content. Andrew Arensburger wrote to Michael Behe to find out about his contribution, and got this reply:
I’m “associated” with it only in the sense that a clip of my appearance
on a TV show of Dr. Kennedy’s from years ago apparently is used in the
film. I didn’t know this program was in the works, have had no
conversations with anyone from Coral Ridge about it, and had no input
into it.
This looks more and more like a pastiche of generic creationist interviews slapped together to prop up a weak thesis.
*Shock!*
Have him explain why Discovery Institute CSC co fellow Richard Weikart, author of “From Darwin to Hitler” is on the program. Have him explain why he’s a co-fellow. Have him explain, embrace or repudiate any of the assertions of Weikart.
Given that Pluto has been declared a dwarf planet, I think you are ignoring an important fundamental question:
‘If God didn’t create our Earth-centered Solar System, how come we still have Pygmy and Dwarf planets?’
Behe smacks down these idiots. They’re going to be feeling the pain behind that.
And I laughed at that so much, I felt pain.
how come we still have Pygmy and Dwarf planets?
Jesus–H–Christ, no more reading this while drinking any liquids that I don’t want to spew.
Sometimes I wish I could inject the comments directly into my arm!
Does ‘the big tent’ phiilosophy preclude lawsuits among its residents? I’d love to see Collins and Behe sue Kennedy. Make me laugh more than a Pygmy planet.
More evidence to my theory that you shouldn’t trust people who initialize their first name and spell out their middle name.
L. Ron Hubbard
G. Gordan Liddy
H. Ross Perot
There are more, I’m sure.
I’m not really up on my sport metaphors. Would this be considered a “trifecta,” or is it more of a “hat trick?”
Somehow, I’m not surprised.
After all, Behe makes a living by proclaiming gross ignorance as a signal of divinity, whereas Kennedy makes a living through lying for divinity.
You know, backpedaling is something Behe is really good at, though.
He backed off from any previous statements while under oath at Dover to the point where I wondered if he thought random mutation plus natural selection proved intelligent design.
Then he backed off from his own testimony. He’ll back off from this back off, too. Then he’ll deny that he did either.
It’s like chasing a moving bus.
The short bus, obviously.
‘If God didn’t create our Earth-centered Solar System, how come we still have Pygmy and Dwarf planets?’
Someday, some supreme being will punish you for that joke.
Though technically, it should have read like this:
‘If God didn’t create our Earth-centered Solar System, how come we still have PYGMY AND DWARF planets?’
Now this is interesting. I thought Rabbi Daniel Lapin’s (Kennedy’s sock-puppet who has slammed the ADL for its statement on the program) name sounded familiar, so I looked it up. Paragon of virtue Lapin is one of uber-crook Jack Abramoff’s bestest buddies:
“Lapin provided Abramoff with phony credentials of religious scholarship when Abramoff requested them to help him gain membership to an exclusive Washington club. Abramoff emailed Lapin to explain: “As long as you are the person to verify them…we should be set. Do you have any creative titles, or should I dip into my bag of tricks?” Lapin then procured a backdated phony award from Toward Tradition that named Abramoff a “Scholar of Biblical and American History.”
While lobbying on behalf of the Marianas Islands at Preston, Gates & Ellis, Abramoff arranged for Rabbi Lapin’s brother, David, to receive a $1.2 million no-bid contract from the government of the Marianas. No one has identified any service David Lapin performed in exchange for this fee.”
http://jackinthehouse.org/characters/details.php?view=17
So there’s a column of shit where Michael Behe’s spine should be? Who knew?
I looked for this on World Net Daily, but couldn’t find it. Pandagon has a screen capture of a poll from WND readers as to their opinions about the relationship between Darwin and Hitler. The hardcore nuts win handily, but there are more people willing to cut Charles some slack than I would have expected.
Mark:
I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby
My understanding is that it’s a Southern habit among men of relatively genteel lineage, although Scooter Libby apparently did it because he loathed his first name.
If only CS Lewis had spelled out his middle name, it’d be a perfect trend of X. Random Asshats.
Don’t lump H. Jon Benjamin with those creeps.
PZ, in great part due to your inspiration, I have engaged my very first creationist! I’ve been reading your blog daily for months now and it’s done wonders for my off-the-top-of-my-head knowledge. The “debate” goes well so far, though I have to admit it’s a little frustrating that I take the time to type up a thoughtful response that might reference Talk.Origins or source material but is in my own words (i.e. dumbed down) and they just continue to cut and paste Behe at me…
jeonjutarheel,
That’s the essential problem. You think you’re debating but they think you’re preaching, and preach right back. They’re quoting scripture at you, essentially.
And don’t forget the mighty J. Noble Daggett. The little lawyer who stood up to Rooster Cogburn in True Grit.
J. Haploid Christ?
Don’t forget, Hitler was a cocksucker!
Coral Ridge is denying that they deceived Francis Collins about the purpose of their interview with him. According to WingNutDaily:
But according to the Baptist Press:
M. Night Shyamalan?? He’s halfway to creating his own new “religion” it seems…
Ah, but there is MORE to the story.
http://www.waragainsttheweak.com
Though technically, it should have read like this:
‘If God didn’t create our Earth-centered Solar System, how come we still have PYGMY and DWARF planets?’
I seem to remember it like this:
‘…how is it that there are PYGMY+DWARF planets???!!!??
Mark: I seem to remember a certain philosopher I took a course from who did that who is not nearly as dubious as those guys … sorry to spoil your generalization …
Hardly a smackdown. He just marks a little distance. He does not in any way condemn their efforts or their conclusions.
Kennedy made a 30 minute version of Sunday’s “documentary” and broadcast it on his radio show this morning. Collins and Behe are both featured — Collins at length — at about 20 minutes in (was still in bed so wasn’t keeping close track) on the usual ID talking point about the cell containing a whole library of information which is far too complex to have evolved naturally. Ann Coulter is also featured and even quoted the word “phyla” – I wonder if she knows what it means?
The audio link is at the top of this page.
http://www.truthsthattransform.org/
Bess,
“‘…how is it that there are PYGMY+DWARF planets???!!!??”
Clearly because there are Gas Giants.
Tacitus said, “Ann Coulter is also featured and even quoted the word “phyla” – I wonder if she knows what it means?”
I think she thought it’s a kind of Greek pastry.
“If God didn’t create our Earth-centered Solar System, how come we still have Pygmy and Dwarf planets?”
llewelly, that was lovely!!!
“where Michael Behe’s spine should be”
It came apart so fast it is obvious it was IC.
I can’t stop laughing at the whole DARWIN AND HITLER! thing. Come on, it’s pretty damn absurdist. It’s like some wingnut watched an episode of the Simpsons without a sense of humor. I hope they don’t watch “UHF” and start thinking Gandhi wasn’t really an undercover cop who likes his steaks medium rare.