Re: [Geology2] Vestigial digit gives Creationism the finger

I think this is a good way to take this article.. in America people tend to be overly sensitive with regard to issues regarding creationism and evolution and small wonder when you take into account all the nonsense that goes on. In my homeschooling group for example.. organizing a field trip to certain venues was problematic because we had so many fundamentalists who didn't believe in evolution and were quite vocal about it. It was very irritating...but then again.. both sides should maintain good manners, like Lin said..Allison --- On Sat, 1/29/11, Peter Land <peter@pland.org> wrote: From: Peter Land <peter@pland.org> Subject: Re: [Geology2] Vestigial digit gives Creationism the finger To: geology2@yahoogroups.com Date: Saturday, January 29, 2011, 11:48 AM   I'm with John. Could I put this article in context? Firstly bear in mind that it is taken from the website of the Geological Society (of London) - where Darwin was Secretary, and where one would not expect any sympathy for creationism. Secondly, look at the website as a whole. The 'Geoscientist Online' section has a series of news stories listed, each with a **jokey** headline which invites you to have a further look: "Vestigial digit gives Creationism the finger", "Mrs T gives evidence in sex case", "It's cheese Gromit - but not as we know it", etc. The next (rather boring?) headline "Ancient Urine Gives Climate Insight" is rendered as "Urine, Year Out" in the marginal summary menu. Fair enough, maybe the jokes are not to everyone's taste, but they are jokes. In this case the article is there because Xu Xing (the leader of the team) is an (honorary) Fellow of the Geological Society. Thirdly bear in mind that the Society is British. In Britain even the church-going minority don't in general take creationists seriously. I was brought up in the Church of England in the 1960s and it never occurred to me that Genesis should be regarded as anything other than an ancient origin myth. The headline should be seen within this context. Peter From: Rick Bates <HappyMoosePhoto@gmail.com> To: geology2@yahoogroups.com Sent: Friday, 28 January, 2011 17:08:52 Subject: RE: [Geology2] Vestigial digit gives Creationism the finger   John,   Then you should also take in data that refutes your beliefs.  That too may alter your beliefs or reinforce them but you will have a wider perspective regardless which empowers you to make bolder statements and stronger arguments.   Rick  (who has never approved of sensationalizing simply to push the sales up, commonly used by newspapers, lawyers . . . it presents a weak argument from the git go)   From: John Rasmussen Lin, I must open my mouth.  Of course I will take data that is published to support my personal beliefs.  That is the purpose of experimentation and publishing results.  Now because of the results, my personal beliefs may change.  John

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