Re: [asa] On Darwin the secular saint

Agreed. It's no disresepct to Darwin as a scientist, or just as a human being, & to the importance of his work to note that a lot of this year's Darwinfest is in the same spirit as his contrived burial in Westminster Abbey - significantly, against Darwin's own wishes.

Shalom,
George

---- Ted Davis <TDavis@messiah.edu> wrote:
> I do think that the Darwin thing can be more than a bit overblown. For
> example, I don't see the churches' Darwin celebrations as anything more than
> strict political correctness. Most churches of whatever theological flavor
> don't have special days to celebrate Lincoln's 200th, e.g., even though
> Lincoln actually helped to a lot more for Christians than evolution ever
> did: he helped convince Christians of the evils of slavery and racism (even
> though by our standards today he was a bit of a racist himself). This whole
> idea of praising Darwin for helping us theologically is just weak and silly,
> IMO. You won't find my name on any clergy letters celebrating Darwin and/or
> evolution.
>
> Just to make the point more fully: Darwin is being celebrated by a lot of
> secularists as if he were a saint--except that in those cases it was
> traditionally the death date that counted since no one knew exactly when
> anyone was born in those days. Right outside of Dover, PA, e.g., someone
> just erected a billboard featuring Darwin's visage as part of "freedom from
> religion" day. We are all to "evolve beyond belief." With friends like
> these, Mr Darwin doesn't need enemies.
>
> http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/02/darwin_billboard_brings_back_d.html
>
>
> If I were to get involved in anything commemorative--and I agreed to speak
> at one such event in Dayton later this month--it will be an academic
> exercise, not the equivalent of a religious or political celebration.
>
> Ted
>
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Received on Fri Feb 13 09:31:12 2009