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August 27th, 2012
11:31 AM ET
Bill Nye slams creationismBy Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor (CNN)–Famed TV scientist Bill Nye is slamming creationism in a new online video for Big Think titled "Creationism Is Not Appropriate For Children." "Denial of evolution is unique to the United States," Nye begins in a YouTube video posted on Thursday. The video quickly picked up steam over the weekend and as of Monday morning had been viewed more than 1,100,000 times. Nye - a mechanical engineer and television personality best known for his program, "Bill Nye the Science Guy" - said the United States has great capital in scientific knowledge and "when you have a portion of the population that doesn't believe in it, it holds everyone back." "Your world becomes fantastically complicated if you don't believe in evolution," Nye said in the Web video. Creationists are a vast and varied group in the United States. 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. Your Take: 5 reactions to Bill Nye's creationism critique The Gallup Poll has been tracking Americans' views on creation and evolution for the past 30 years. In June it released its latest findings, which showed 46% of Americans believed in creationism, 32% believed in evolution guided by God, and 15% believed in atheistic evolution. During the 30 years Gallup has conducted the survey, creationism has remained far and away the most popular answer, with 40% to 47% of Americans surveyed saying they believed that God created humans in their present form at one point within the past 10,000 years. Survey: Nearly half of Americans subscribe to creationist view of human origins "The idea of deep time of billions of years explains so much of the world around us. If you try to ignore that, your worldview becomes crazy, untenable, itself inconsistent," Nye said in the video. "I say to the grownups, if you want to deny evolution and live in your world, that's completely inconsistent with the world we observe, that's fine. But don't make your kids do it. Because we need them. We need scientifically literate voters and taxpayers for the future. We need engineers that can build stuff and solve problems," he said. Creationists' beliefs about the origins of the Earth are often a narrow focus, based in large part on religious beliefs, and while they reject evolution as "just one theory," they often embrace other fields of science and technology. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter In "The Genesis Flood," the 1961 book that in many ways help launch the Young Earth creationism movement in the United States, the authors write: “Our conclusions must unavoidably be colored by our Biblical presuppositions, and this we plainly acknowledge." Their goal for the book was to harmonize the scientific evidence with the accounts in Genesis of creation and the flood. The idea of creationism has been scorned by the mainstream scientific community since shortly after Darwin introduced "The Origin of Species" in 1859. By 1880, The American Naturalists, a science journal, reported nearly every major university in America was teaching evolution. "In another couple centuries I'm sure that worldview won't even exist. There's no evidence for it. So..." Nye ends his video. soundoff (14,640 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 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 Next » |
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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If the Christian believe in Adam and Eve were debunked, then the idea of Jesus Christ coming to save us from the sins of Adam and Eve would also go south. I believe that's why they hold on to the whole Creationist idea.
Show me an evolutionist and I will show you a virgin. God or no God, evolution is a silly, childish concoction of myths and mysticism. Credulity at its best or worst depending on your position.
633music, not sure what you're talking about. Perhaps if you actually learned about evolution from a source other than a creatinist website, you'd understand what you were talking about. As it is, you sound like you're ranting.
Once a person has gotten the meme of "you gonna burn forever" in their head, its hard to listen to reason.
That's why religion should not be presented until a person is mature, and even then its questionable.
If Bill Nye doesn't believe in creationism and wants to make a video about it, thats fine. More power to him. He's not the first or the last to voice his beliefs online.
I believe in evolution and in Nye's video.
That's just my opinion...
geez look at the ignorance religion causes. one religious nut after another screaming their heads off. creationism is bullocks. only in backwards countries like saudi arabia, united states, and afghanistan would creationism gain any kind of foothold.
Good point sir, but your statement has nothing to do with the doctrine of evolution. It also has its zealot believers who point to their "Bible" and say, you must believe...evolution is silly and childish.
Its true. The beliefs of the parent can and WILL hold back their child from their intellectual capacity. Today, a person's ability to understand their world for what it is (meaning in the truest sence: what we have measured it to be) largely determines whether they are cut out for creating valuable effects on our world. These people, whose jobs it is to change the way we live and let us know how the universe, world, and humanity acually work, are the most valuable people on the planet. Religions around the world talk about a path of righteousnous leading to humanity's salvation. This is it, and its led by the godliness of measurable truth. Once you accept that the only way humans -know- anything is through measurement, you become humbled by all that we do not know, and more wise thanks to what you do know. For those with a need for god in their lives, you can continue investigating what you believe God has created, and learn about it by jumping aboard the world-wide invesitigation that unites peoples across nations in search of the most godly thing there is: truth.
It just so turns out that once humans know how something actually works, they have the incredible ability to change it to how they see fit, as evidenced by the amazing piece of technology in front of your face.
If Bill Nye doesn't believe in creationism and wants to make a video about it, thats fine. More power to him. He's not the first or the last to voice his beliefs online.
I believe in evolution and in Nye's video.
You want to know what is really dangerous to kids?? Spending more tax payer dollars and resources on fighting over what to teach them. How about we include both sides and tell the kids that they are free to determine in their own minds what they believe in? Then MOVE THE F ALONG AND SPEND TIME AND MONEY ON THINGS THAT MATTER SO WHEN THEY GROW UP WE DON'T LEAVE THEM A COUNTRY WITH NOTHING LEFT IN IT.
@hum: two reasons that won't work.
1) seperation of church and state; state funded public schools can't teach anything that is directly influenced by religion other than just touching on that kind of topic.
2) science is based in fact; religion is based in myth..........so one is real the other fake.
Science isn't a democracy, you don't get to vote what is taught or what is correct. Just letting someone believe what they want to believe is not how the scientific method works. Science is presenting the best known evidence and how that relates to scientific understandings and breakthroughs. There is no evidence to support the creation story and ALL the evidence to support the theory of evolution. There is no debate among scientists, only a debate among the religious. Religion has no place in the science class and the sooner the faithful can come to terms with that then the sooner taxpayer money is not wasted.
Scarlett Johansson gives me impure thoughts. I think she is a witch.
She may be the only thing that makes me wonder if there really is a god... 🙂 But the thought of evolution leading to that? The universe is perfecting itself.
Face it, America is a very backward, & violent country.
30,000 deaths per year from firearms – and a gun law allergy.
Guns are for losers.
The American Pantheon of the Sacred Unassailables: God, Guns, Mammon, Divine Exceptionalism
There are laws on the books concerning guns. I own some. I know how to use them. I respect what they can do. I've used them as well, in war and in self defense of my family. Guns protect one from the criminals and from tyranny, what our forefathers warned against, and fought for. If you are too wimpish to defend yourself, don't cry. The police are a reactive force, they cannot protect. When they are needed, the deed had been done, and you tre either dead , hurting, robbed or otherwise violated. A .44 does wonders to a criminal as he looks down that big barrel. He is very docile, especially when he KNOWS you will use it.
There are laws on the books concerning guns. I own some. I know how to use them. I respect what they can do. I've used them as well, in war and in self defense of my family. Guns protect one from the criminals and from tyranny, what our forefathers warned against, and fought for. If you are too wimpish to defend yourself, don't cry. The police are a reactive force, they cannot protect. When they are needed, the deed had been done, and you are either dead , hurting, robbed or otherwise violated. A .44 does wonders to a criminal as he looks down that big barrel. He is very docile, especially when he KNOWS you will use it.
Guns don't kill people – they just make it super easy!
Headlines of tomorrow's newspaper: "Smarter Than The Average Bear slams Bill Nye". He's an engineer, not a scientist. And who the he11 does he think that he is telling MY kids how to think? What if I told HIS kids what kind of car to drive or what kind of music to listen to...??? Of course, then he'd get all puffed up and angry and would tell me to leave HIS children alone.
Sadly, neither the creationists OR the evolutionists have any real, concrete evidence to point to that IRREFUTABLY proves their theories. And yes, evolution is still a "theory".
Free will allows us to make the choice to return affection and acknowledgement to God. If God has to put a big neon sign in the sky that says "yes, I'm still here" then the choice to believe in him is already made for you, and it isn't love or acknowledgement at all. There is plenty of evidence towards creation vs. evolution, but scientists choose to ignore it in their quest to prove evolution. Look into "radiohalos" for one, or "the speed of light changing" to see just two examples of evidence of a young earth. And if "the big bang" is true, where did all of that material come from? The previous big bang? Ok, then where did all of THAT material come from...??? It takes just as much faith to believe in the big bang as it does to believe in a God that created us.
"That's right, Ice Man...I AM dangerous" from Top Gun.
Guns forever!!!
Creationist arguments in a nutshell:
1) I believe it to be true. I believe REALLY hard.
2) Well, if I'm so wrong about my god, then disprove me.
3) You're gonna burn in hell!
4) You're calling my beliefs ignorant and the makes me feel sad.
Well Matt, seems you have a pretty low opinion of those who don't beleve as you do... And that makes you right how? Here's a theory no one seems to talk about either, the Apparent Age Theory. But that may be too deep for some... Right Matt?
I believe that no one does the math – the logic of math is in favour of creation over evolution – "random chance" aka evolution is mathematically to astounding to believe – Alfred Hoyles number don't lie....and dna is a code – random chance cannot create a code sequence nor can random chance ever improve itself...just think about it – mathmatically speaking there is a god or creator or creators of the code for life.
Children, children! Please stop fighting. I love you all, regardless of your beliefs. Regardless of whether or not you believe in me, because that is not important. What is important is to get along and love one another. I am sorry that man created a fairy-tale book with false accusations about me, spreading fear, hate and war throughout the world. Don't let it control who you are as a person or how you treat others who are different than you. Listen to scientists who seek the truth, they are not a threat. Your judgement day will be based upon your actions, and not what version of myself you believe in. I don't have feelings, I am merely just a force of nature, here to create balance in the world, in life. Good things happen to good people who believe in themselves. That is where the true power lives.
Always yours, God
Stop dad! Your embarrassing me!
Hey God! Thanks for having my back.
God, can I have another girl, I don't like this one.
It's "you're" and "embarass" for those of you who cannot spell. Jesus just embarassed himself!
Muwahahahaha! Keep trying, God. Good luck to you.
The bible warned us about you, you're a fake! IMPOSTER!!!
Also, stop dissing on my boy Mohammed. He's a good kid, just gets a bit passionate about things at times. You know kids these days.
ummm, you spelled judgment wrong... Sorry. I know that had nothing to do with the topic... But, it made as much sense as your post...
all life originated from M*A*S*H
Why all the name calling and insults that have absolutely nothing to do with the issue? If you speak with respect, others are more likely to listen to you.
Hear! Hear!
I believe in both...sort of.
I do believe in evolution and I do believe we had a creator. Is he like we describe? Of course not. There's no way of knowing, but I do reject religion. Religious wars brought on more death and violence then any other wars. Being hyoocritical in their sole beliefs. And I don't find any reason on why I should be told my sins are worse than theirs. Sin is sin. End of story.
Sin is not real.
And apparently, Mr. Nye is no good for kids! As previously mentioned, man simply cannot grasp infinity-it's not possible. BUT man's pompousness never ceases to amaze me and for him to try and tell ME what's good and not good for MY kids? Who do you think you are?
Someone more intelligent than you.
this is the exact type of sentiments that impedes primary and secondary science education
From your post, I'd be afraid of what you might teach your kids...hatred, biases, narrowminded thinking. You know, the usual stuff an uniformed parent can teach. You are probably afraid your kids will outgrow you and be smarter than you, huh?
@DAVE: man is only pompous when they believe they can understand what a "creator" is thinking and feeling.....or how the "creator" did something.
infintiy is just a word used to describe something beyond the finite. some think the sun is infinite, it's not it has a life span just as we do, however it does go out with a BANG. LOL
Dave, it seems that you and your ilk are what will eventually bring America down.
I believe in evolution but I must say that I would believe in the Christian form of creationism over the pastafarian version of it. That is just crazy.
They're not that different at root. That should concern you.
Remember christian creationism and pastafarian creationism have equal amounts of evidence backing them.
as an ex-catholic, i can assure you that the Pastafarian version is much yummier
Are you kidding? Have you tried their communtion wafers or fish they sell on Fridays during lent. Pastafarians are not nearly as good as Catholics!
They might have equal evidence but I still go with the Christian version.
Could someone retell the pastafarian creation please?
May you be touched by his noodly appendage, RAMEN.
hearty marinara > tasteless wafers
True but a lot less spiritual filling.
Also, Catholics schools teach evolution but pastfarians believe in creationism. So we win.
Let's just keep believing in sky fairies. It's worked for thousands of years, right? Sure.
These creationists are a bunch of nuts, with their heads in the sand. I hope they keep way away from me.
Reading all of these posts there is an obvious pattern in that those that don't believe in creationism seem more threatened and less reasoned than those that do. Typically the response to the creationist is to insult them on a personal level or question their intelligence. I wish that both sides could respect the others viewpoint and discuss them on the merits rather slinging insults. Despite what a non creationist believes, the creationist's views are just as valid. I personally believe that the two arguments are the same and at some point science may indeed understand how they are both connected. Until that time we all need a little "faith" and tolerance.
That's ridiculous and you're an idiot.
Sure, I believe in creationism... but it happened billions of years ago. Not 6,000 years ago. The brand of creationism that believes in the 6,000 year theory is not to be respected because it is plain wrong.
Chris' Mom,
I rest my case!
"Creationist views" are completely scientifically invalid. They wish to create a "scientific" controversy where there is none.
@Chris,
"Despite what a non creationist believes, the creationist's views are just as valid."
From a scientific stand point this is incorrect. As the article indicates Young Earth Creationism, or Biblical literalism, is inconsistent with the scientific evidence available.
Chris, The two views are not equal. Let me tell you a really good way to tell the which is the better of two points of view. Compare them both to repeated, detailed observations and measurements of the real world. The one that agrees with more observations is the better view. It takes some discipline, because the one that agrees with observation isn't always the one that makes you fell better. Still give it a try.
Still seems as if the evolutionists are the more close minded of the two opinions. I'm impressed with your knowledge and how certain you are of "your" beliefs. I keep seeing very strict interpretations of creation which is one of the reasons I feel the evolutionists get so wound up. I believe there are many creationists that also get wound up on some of the gaping holes in the evolutionist's theory that can't be explained. The truth is probably somewhere in between.
@Chris
There is a reason that actual scientists have closed off to creationism. How do you test it? How do you actually measure the asserted intervention of a supernatural being? Creationism is not science, and I will never have respect for blind assertions based on nothing more than faith and a bronze age story book.
@hawaiiguest
I believe there are some people studying what is called "The God Particle" at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. I say people because they are supposed to be scientist, but judging from what I'm reading here they can't be. I presume they are all heretics and are speaking blasphemy in the community of "scientists". Sorry if I used words from the "Bronze Age Storybook there. I still think that truth thing is still somewhere in between. Faith I tell you faith!
The god particle is a highly misleading name, and has absolutely nothing to do creationism. It's merely a term coined by someone I don't know who. The proper name is the Higgs-Boson Particle. Faith is never a path truth. If you want evidence of it, then what is it that all the 38,000+ denominations of christianity, islam, hindus, the ancient egyptians, greeks, romans, and the norse etc. had in common? The answer: faith that they were correct.
@hawaiiguest
I guess I have nothing in common with 38,000 + denominations of Christianity. I don't have faith that I'm right. I think the anti religious argument is that we all think we are right or holier than thou, sorry bronze age storybook words again. I'm very comfortable in what I believe and you certainly have a right to believe what you want to believe.
Yes you do what the minority of religious people do. Passive aggressive non-assertions with absolutely no substance. You don't seem to have a point, or a reason for saying anything, so why do you?
@hawaiiguest
[Re post] Reading all of these posts there is an obvious pattern in that those that don't believe in creationism seem more threatened and less reasoned than those that do. Typically the response to the creationist is to insult them on a personal level or question their intelligence.
@Chris
Wow, so you just restate what you already said. Gee what a surprise. If you're not going to address points or offer anything of substance, why bother even posting?
@hawaiiguest
I believe I made my original point that the evolutionist are the more close minded of the two camps because they only trust what they can see or has been proven by "scientist" Scientist or the progressives of their age once thought the earth was flat. I'm sure most evolutionists believe "man made" global warming also even though there are holes in that theory also. I love science and I think 50 years from now we will be fascinated by additional discoveries that they make. I'd be curious if evolutionists believe in love since that isn't easily measured either. Fascinating thing science!
@Chris
Wow that's a whole lot of words for saying absolutely nothing. How exactly is rejecting non-science being close minded? How would you test creationism scientifically? What would be the method? This is why creationism isn't taught. You bring up complete irrelevancies with love and all that crap. It's merely an attempt to paint "evolutionists" as unfeeling people. Your posts without points are actually very dishonest. So not only are you a passive-aggressive condescending douche, you're dishonest as well.
@hawaiiguest
You are really slipping into the abyss with the name calling. Are you stomping your feet also? I'm sure creationism is not taught more for political reasons than scientific. I do find it strange that there are some huge anomalies in the evolutionary theory that you won't acknowledge. That is why I can assume that evolutionists are closed minded. I appreciate your opinion and that you feel strongly about it and no I won't call you names. I actually believe that natural law is so strong that natural laws and God's laws are in lock step with one another. Truly if there is a God it would be very pompous of he/she to not adhere to his own boundaries. Faith comes in where we arrogant human's cannot fathom such things eternity and God. Science will get there some day I'm confident but I don't rely on just what we know now.
@Chris
You haven't pointed anything out. All you've done is made passive-aggressive non claims. How dishonest will you get Chris? How long will you go before actually saying something of substance?
"Patriot: You could go on and on on this topic but it comes down to this. Who do you think Jesus is? Was he just a good guy but a liar or is he the Son of God? Answer that question and your on your way to which direction you go with this article. Just because you believe in God does not mean you don't have an understanding or trust in science. We can create things from materials and substances we have, know of now or discover in the future but if you believe that God is who he says through his inspired word then you believe he created all things from nothing. Sometimes in our quest for knowledge we try to make ourselves God."
That's an absolutely ludicrous argument. You're begging the question and trying to defend a ridiculous belief with something that does not require proof. It's Russel's Teapot again and again and again, and those of us on the side of intelligence are tired of hearing it. Jesus is not real because the bible says he's real any more than Harry Potter is real because JK Rowling says he is in the books.
THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MOMENT
More people need to come out and say this. Bill Nye, good for you! and good for us all.
I'd like to see the creationists accept there is overwhelming evidence evolution is occuring. And I'd like to see the evolutionists stop overreaching into philosophy and theology. Many intelligent people reconcile science and religion.
could evolution be a process by which creation takes place..or why could it not be? The two are not mutually exclusive. Tehn of course, symbolic language has a way of creating issues where none may exist.