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October 10th, 2012
12:01 PM ET
Congressman draws fire for calling evolution, Big Bang ‘lies from the pit of hell’By Dan Gilgoff, CNN.com Religion Editor Washington (CNN) – A U.S. congressman is attracting attention and criticism for an online video that shows him blasting evolution and the Big Bang theory as “lies from the pit of hell” in a recent speech at a church event in his home state of Georgia. “All that stuff I was taught about evolution, embryology, the Big Bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of hell,” U.S Rep. Paul Broun said in an address last month at a banquet organized by Liberty Baptist Church in Hartwell, Georgia. “And it’s lies to try to keep me and all the folks who were taught that from understanding that they need a savior.” Broun, a medical doctor by training, serves on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. Speaking at Liberty Baptist Church’s Sportsman’s Banquet on September 27, he said that “a lot of scientific data that I’ve found out as a scientist that actually show that this is really a young Earth.” Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter “I don’t believe that the Earth’s but about 9,000 years old,” Broun said in the speech, which Liberty Baptist Church posted on its website via YouTube. “I believe it was created in six days as we know them. That’s what the Bible says." Scientists say that the Earth is roughly 4.5 billion years old and that the universe dates back 13.7 billion years. In his speech to the church group, Broun called the Bible the “the manufacturer’s handbook. … It teaches us how to run all of public policy and everything in our society.” “That’s the reason, as your congressman, I hold the holy Bible as being the major directions to me of how I vote in Washington, D.C., and I’ll continue to do that,” he said. A spokeswoman for the congressman, Meredith Griffanti, said that Broun was not available for comment on Wednesday and that the video showed him “speaking off the record to a large church group about his personal beliefs regarding religious issues.” The congressman’s remarks about science have drawn attention online, with critics taking aim at his role on the science committee. Bill Nye, the popular science personality, told the Huffington Post in an e-mail that "Since the economic future of the United States depends on our tradition of technological innovation, Representative Broun's views are not in the national interest." "For example, the Earth is simply not 9,000 years old," said Nye, a mechanical engineer and television personality best known for his program "Bill Nye the Science Guy." Broun "is, by any measure, unqualified to make decisions about science, space, and technology." Talking Points Memo reported on the church video over the weekend after being tipped off by the Bridge Project, a progressive group that tracks conservative activity. Most creationists believe in the account of the origins of the world as told in the Book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories In the creation account, God creates Adam and Eve, the world and everything in it in six days. For Christians who read the Genesis account literally, or authoritatively as they would say, the six days in the account are literal 24-hour periods and leave no room for evolution. Young Earth creationists use this construct and biblical genealogies to determine the age of the Earth and typically come up with 6,000 to 10,000 years. The Gallup Poll has been tracking Americans' views on creation and evolution for 30 years. In June, it released its latest findings, which showed that 46% of Americans believed in creationism, 32% believed in evolution guided by God, and 15% believed in atheistic evolution. – CNN's Eric Marrapodi contributed to this report. soundoff (5,881 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 Next »Post a comment |
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Evolution and The Big Bang Theory are just that, unproven theory. They are a best guess based on considerably little evidence given the enormity of their subject. It may one day be proven, until then, those of you blasting religion and praising this unproven science have the same blind faith you belittle others for having.
At least scientific theory is peer reviewed and revised when new evidence arises, rather than just accepting a manmade and edited book as fact without any evidence.
Scientific theory is not man made?
It's more than just a "best guess". It's more like having a criminal case where you have all kinds of evidence supporting the theory that the accused is guilty. I mean: Finger prints, DNA, video surveillance, eyewitness testimony, and everything else you've ever seen on CSI and more. You have all that evidence against the accused, but if creationists were on the defence all they would have are character witnesses from those who love the accused.
That's all creationists have in reality. Their whole case is based on their love of God and faith that the Bible hasn't lied to them. If you were on a jury, would you acquit somebody just because they have character witnesses saying that they wouldn't lie?
I'm not trying to prove anything to you. All I'm saying is the jury is still out. Theories have changed immensely in our history. Believe what you want, it doesn't make it fact. Sound familiar?
Oh but some big invisble guy created it all, huh? Then sent out his flying men, demons, and talking bushes.
Sorry, the jury is not out, except in your mind. Even Answers in Genesis (Google it) warns against using your "just a theory" argument. Gotta do better than that.
Lmerr
No, the jury is not still out. Evolution has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt. All you have left is unreasonable doubt, the assertions of God's loyal fandom who use the equivalent of conspiracy theories to reassure themselves that the Bible is still accurate.
The jury is certainly still out. See, if you just said that you think this stuff could be a true explanation that would be one thing. But the certainty with which you believe it to be true is only a further indication of a belief system not based on certainty. We are the same in that regard.
There is a mountain of evidence for evolution – DNA alone makes an incontrovertible case. Plus fossils; simpler organisms in older rocks; etc.
Lmerr has made it clear that he/she is scientifically ignorant and does not understand the word theory, nor any theories such as evolution or the big bang. The solution to this is better science education and getting rid of congressmen like the one featured here who clearly are not capable of making a better future for the country's education system.
Lmerr
The "jury" in this case is the scientific community that peer reviews research and is the only body qualified to judge. What you're talking about is the court of popular opinion.
Wake up scientists! When a creationist doesn't agree with you, they don't choose to be humble or study. THEY REPLACE YOU.
How would they replace a scientist?
Broun is NO scientist and unfortunately, I do not see him being "replaced".
You pressure Congress not to fund their research, that's how.
@ Missy, Broun does no research, he reads the bible. Research requires rational, unbiased adherence to the scientific method; those who close their eyes, cover their ears and yell "nah, nah, nah" cannot conduct or understand research.
farside6262
I was just saying how ordinary creationists, as untrained in science as they are, can hamper scientific research in this country. They actually do replace scientists by choosing to believe evolution deniers over the professionals who are actually doing real research. They also do it by homeschooling their kids instead of having them educated by qualified teachers with science degrees.
Now, now... All these comments about this guy's medical creditials are a little over the top. I'm sure he's cured many horses in his day.
That's an insult to veterinarians.
Lol. Isn't it weird, though, how some doctors won't take care of their own health? This one needs to go to the OR and get that Gullible's Travels book out of his a**.
My great great great great granddaddy was a dinosaur herder. He would wake up every morning to milk the triceratops and gather raptor bird eggs to feed the family. True story.
It may be obvious to most here, but Triceratops were not mammals, and therefore could not be milked.
An example to show the absurdity of things in the Bible is the number "666". The Book of Revelation was written hundreds of years before the digits 0 thru 9 from Hindu/Arab number system. The number systems at the time used letters from their alphabets to represent things; e.g., DCLXVI is 666 in Roman numerals.
Another example is the so-called "Bible code", where people look at the Bible and pull out words and phrases from letters horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. There are numerous problems with this approach. It all depends on exactly how one prints the Bible, i.e., the number of letters per line & the number of lines per page. It depends on the language. One place pulled the word "assassin", yet printed in a different language, the same letters might spell a word that is not the word "assassin" in the language. The whole thing is just silly.
Of course it's silly. It's the great book of pick-n-choose. It's like a book "kit" write it yourself, make it mean what YOU want it to mean.
Is it the "word of god" or not???............ "well, some of it is, and some of it's not"..... we'll be hearing that pretty soon.
It's constantly being adjusted in a lame attempt to fit reality.
A weekend ago I was with my Brother-in-law watching a program on the science channel, a young college guy, don't remember the name but he was doing all kinds science stuff and he talked with a guy he identified had been working on the Grand Canyon rock formations all his life, he asked him how long it took the amount of water necessary to carve the exposed rocks into the formation we know as the Grand Canyon and he answered a day or two.
Scary!
If he is "...a medical doctor by training, serves on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.", things are looking bleak for this country.
Yep. And Michelle "I can cure the gays" Bachman is on the Intelligence Committee. We are without hope. No even Obi Wan can help us now.
"a lot of scientific data that I’ve found out as a scientist " He is a scientist!? Sorry but his words automatically discount him ever being a scientist. Scientists require rational thought ... something is does not have.
As a Christian who believes in evolution let me say somenthing.
The BIble is not, not, a science book nor is it a history book. Science and religion can coexist. It's amazing to me. The more we understand about our universe the more questions we have.
Also, god is not a Democrat or a Republican. He is not liberal or conservative.
If you don't think that the Bible is a history, or science book do you trust it's opinion on the existence of God? If so, why?
So, science and religion can be friends according to the son-worshippers, hey? Hmmmmm, let's see.
Science – Hello Religion, I'm science. I am about 3,000 years old.
Religion – Hello Science, I am older than you. As far as we can tell, I go back about 40,000 years or more. There is even evidence that Neanderthals practiced me.
Science – Really!! How do we know that, Religion?
Religion – Because of you.
Science – So, Religion, what do you do?
Religion – Well, in the USA, I give comfort to not very smart people by letting them think that a being powerful enough to create the entire Universe and its billions of galaxies will cause them to live happily ever after in heaven after they die if they follow some rules laid down by ignorant farmers and herders in the Middle East 2,000 years ago.
Science – You're kidding me. They buy that?
Religion – You'd be surprised. Not only that, but in poorer, less educated parts of the World, I can actually convince people to hit themselves until they bleed, starve themselves, bob in front of a stone wall for hours on end, wade into filthy rivers and, in some cases, to kill other people or even themselves.
Science – Oh my goodness, I'm not sure I want to be your friend. Do you do any good?
Religion – I sell a lot of books. And what about you science, what do you do?
Science – I relieve pain and cure disease. I also extend lives, allow travel, communication, and people to understand and control their environment. I allow humans to explore outer space, the bottom of the oceans and subatomic particles. In short, I have allowed humans to live longer, more informed lives, and with a degree of knowledge and comfort once never dreamed of.
Religion – Wow, they buy that?
Science – No, of course not. Unlike you, I have to deliver. I cannot claim something and avoid skepticism by alleging that it only happens after you die, or that my claim is "beyond understanding" or otherwise exempt from critical analysis or proof.
Religion – That's gotta suck.
Science – You get used to it. Anyway, I need a friend I can rely on. One of substance, not dreams. One of proof, not spoof and one of intellectual discipline, not flakey promises. I don't think we can be friends. Please go away.
Religion – Now we both know that's not going to happen.
I liked what jim said
So anyone who believes in religion is not very smart? WOW
If you only believe in things that you can see or 100% verify that is pretty sad.
Colin, you're cool
Jim, is their history in the book, yes. But it's not a history book. Just like a biography has history in it, but it's not a history book.
I don't believe in God just because the bible says god exists.
If you really read and understand what Jesus said and what he did and you understand how absolutely revolutionary it was you'd believe in him too.
Men simply did not do nor think about doing, 2000 years ago, what he did.
You cannot think about Jesus's actions 2000 years ago and put them in our modern day and western world.
If you actually do some research on life back then you'll see that what he did was mind blowing.
That someone, or some people, could just make all this up. The things he did and said, completely lacks credibility.
Ross
What you're describing is the difference between the Davy Crockett of dime books and Walt Disney who wrestled bears and the Davy Crockett that can be proven through historical means. First you say that you believe despite what the Bible says and then you reference what the Bible says to back up what you believe. Don't you see the problem here, how circular your reasoning actually is?
Then you say that Jesus' actions are out of context in our modern-day. Why follow his example, or teaching then?
Have you read many other ancient myths? What those characters did were even more mind-blowing than Jesus' deeds yet there are very few people who would even consider the possibility that any of them are literally true.
Another Congressional jerk.
Bible literalism is wrong, but some make their idol from print,and don't look for truth.
Note that there are TWO different creation accounts in Genesis, each has much to teach us, but neither should be taken literally, as "fundamentalista" do for the first account, and they ignore the second one. Both are poetry.
What the heck is wrong with this guy, and what idiot put him on the Science Committee?
Speaker of the House, The Honorable John Boehner
mre2, that explains a lot. Thanks.
CNN just doesn't want me to point this out, blocked twice. Let's try it this way...Akins is on the same "Science" Committee. He coined the term "legitimate ra*e" recently. Hope this one passes the censors, Americans do need to who is making laws and actually appointed to the Science and Technology Committee.
Have the guy debate someone who is actually qualified. It only need to be a few minutes. Have him fail at defending his beliefs and make a fool of himself. It's scary that these are the people who hold office in this country.
Want *truly* scary? This guy is on the House Committee for Science and Technology. ..near as I can tell, he's the example of why it's important, lest we churn out students as dumb as he is.
Monarchos. Has science been able to tell how earth came to be and where humans came from?
Yes. And folks who paid attention in junior high science can explain it to you.
Striker, you are getting ready to launch into a god of the gaps fallacy. Science does not have all the answers, no. But that does not automatically mean God did it. Even if it did, it doesn't prove that your god did it. Might've been Odin for all you know.
Yes and yes.
Earth formed over many years (Google it for the specifics) and humans came from a process called evolution by natural selection (Google that too for the specifics).
Chemistry and physics.
@Primewonk :: Awesome
This is so sad... comically sad. The Republic is failing my friends. Rome burns and these idiots play the fiddle and sing stupidity to their uneducated, self-righteous and bigoted pulpit.
We've always had young Earth creationists, evolution deniers, and other primatives in positions of power. I consider it a mark of progress that Broun is actually under scrutiny for this. Not too long ago, a congressmen trumpeting this kind of ignorance would've garnered a few praise-the-Lords from the audience and there would've been no story to report.
How can he dispel The Big Bang Theory? It's one of the best shows on TV!
It's not funnier than 30 Rock.
What about the Zeppelin movie?
What is Rep. Broun taking this nonsense for? God created the world on Tuesday along with all the evidence of 6,000 years of existence, including the Bible, the dinosaur bones and rock layers. Rep. Broun, prove that wrong.
It's scary that there are people like Representative Broun who are still living in the Dark Ages. The universe is, within a few decimal places, 13.6 billion years old, the earth 4.5 to 4.6 billion, and there is fossil evidence of life on earth as far back as 3.4 and possibly 3.8 billion years.
thank God you're in the light...now steer this ship aright!
Wow, just wow - I will think very differently about the state of Georgia going forward – had no idea they were THAT inbred and religiously brainwashed
yeah....that whole state should be leveled into a parking lot since us intelligent others know better
WHO IS OBAMA TO CAST A STONE AT THE RIGHTEOUS AND GOD SUPPORTED WORKS OF MITT ROMNEY?
OBAMA IS THE DESTROYER OF THE GREAT WORKS CREATED BY THE LORDS PEOPLE UNDER REGAN
WHY SUPPORT THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL HIMSELF?
IT'S BETTER TO DEVOUR THE FLESH OF YOUR OWN CHILDREN THAN TO VOTE FOR THE KENYAN SATANIC MUSLIM
ROMNEY WILL BRING PROSPERITY AND JOY TO THE EARTH WITH HIS GREAT WORKS, APPROVED BY THE LORD!
OUR ROMNEY
WHO ART IN HEAVEN
HALLOWED BE THY NAME
THY KINGDOM COME
THY WILL BE DONE
ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
GIVE US THIS DAY RELIEF OF TAXES
AND FORGIVE US OUR MISTAKES OF VOTING FOR OBAMA FOUR YEARS AGO
AND LEAD US NOT TO SOCIALISM
AND DELIVER US FROM SATANS DEMOCRATS
FOR THE GOP WILL DELIVER THE KINGDOM
AND THE POWER
AND THE GLORY
FOREVER
AMEN
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND GOD BLESS HIS CHOSEN ONE MITT ROMNEY!
YOU ARE A DELUSIONAL RETARD
Romney is not a Christian. Mormons are not Christians.
numbskull.
people like you are just plain scary - I really wish someday that this country can purge the uneducated and mentally challenged (chrisitans)
0/10
Sounds like someone needs to stop living in a fantasy and start living in reality. Where your dear and fluffy friends in your imagination have no sway over man.
Wake up you delusional fools.
Does this need the sarcasm enclosure tags or are you ?
wow...all that uppercase made me blind.
It is typical of someone who favors the side he "seems" to be critisizing. This fellow is a democrat, and will surely vote for Obama. Mind, I am European, so I have nothing to do with this
I wish you Americans the best with whoever gets elected.
Jimmy Page for President !
Even in the worm that crawls in the earth there glows a divine spark. When you slaughter a creature, you slaughter God.
Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882)
Bold Faced Lie!!!! (you will go to H.ell for that)
Even in the worm that crawls in the earth there glows a divine spark. When you slaughter a creature, you slaughter God.
—Isaac Bashevis Singer, writer and Nobel laureate (1902–1991)
you believe in hell? Wow