Darwin and the Pythoness

No U.S. distributor for Charles Darwin movie because of fear of fundamentalists

Many of you will remember the Xtian angst that ensued when the Monty Python movie "The Life of Brian" was released in the USA. At that time, I was friendly with a married couple who ran the a 'mom & pop' size theater in my college town. They were fans of Python, and dearly wanted to show the film. But they had received a very pointed threat against them on their answering machine, if they decided to show the film. They agonized whether they should show the film. In this case, this threat of terrorism had the desired effect. One of the owners told me that although someone defacing one of their movie screens would be covered by insurance, the loss of revenue would ruin them. (This was before studio owned megaplexes dominated the market). They decided not to show the film.

Well, it looks like the factually challenged have won the day again. The 'good' news is that theater owners will not have to sweat the decision to show the film or not, as the film now has about zero chance of finding a distributor in the US. From Crooks&Liars:

...Good God, what is this country coming to?

It seems the film Creation, a major-production biopic about Charles Darwin starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly, won't be seen in the United States because no distributor with the guts to stand up to the religious right in this country can be found...

The producer said:

"...The film has no distributor in America. It has got a deal everywhere else in the world but in the US, and it's because of what the film is about. People have been saying this is the best film they've seen all year, yet nobody in the US has picked it up.

Day at the Museum

Scientists study foes' ways at Creation Museum

Scientists are visiting the 'Creation Museum' in order to learn how they are portrayed:

...The real purpose of the museum visit is to give some of my colleagues an opportunity to sense how they're being portrayed," said Arnold Miller, a professor of paleontology at the University of Cincinnati, which is hosting the conference. "They're being demonized, I feel, in this museum as people who are responsible for all the ills of society...


I'm glad he used the term 'demonized'. That's the way most Dominionists and Eliminationists characterize anyone who does not subscribe to their myopic world view.

Happy Birthday, Darwin!

Of Darwin, Dover And (Un)Intelligent Design

In order to honor Darwin's birthday, I'd like to post some snippets from the latest issue of Church & State Magazine, the zine of American's United. Please check out the above article, which is an interview with Kenneth Miller, who was a star witness in the landmark 'Kitzmiller v. Dover' case. Dr. Miller is one of the heroes who helped prove--in court--that 'intelligent design' is nothing but a scam:

Q. Religious Right activists would have us believe that all evolutionists are atheists. Is this true?

A. Of course not. Theodosius Dobzhansky, one of the great evolutionary geneticists of the 20th century, was a professing Christian, as are scientists like Francis Collins, who directed the Human Genome Project. The tired stereotype of science vs. religion is often used as a weapon against the teaching of evolution in our schools, but it makes no logical sense. A recent survey of the members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the largest scientific organization in the United States, showed that fully 40 percent believed in a God to whom one could pray, expecting an answer.

Q. As a Christian, do you ever find there is a conflict between your religious beliefs and your scientific work?

A. Certainly not in my own work. If faith and reason are both gifts from God, they should complement each other, not provoke conflict. To a person of faith, science is the activity of applying human reason to explore the work of God, and religion should support it completely.

Q. Are you optimistic that this battle can be won?

A. If I wasn’t an optimist, I wouldn’t be a scientist. Science is built around hope and faith – the hope that new discoveries and new ways of understanding are possible, and the faith that the world will be a better place as a result of that. If we apply those values to politics and popular culture, I am convinced that the American people will choose science every time. The outcomes of recent elections in states like Ohio and Kansas convince me that we can win the contest for public opinion – but only if we take our case directly to the people.

Well said! But it'd be nice if some Pagan scientists would speak up from time to time.

Deep in the Heart of...

Questioning “Intelligent Design” in Texas? You’re Fired.

Science bloggers let out a collective scream today. It seems Dominionists are up to their old tricks trying to subvert the education system of the USA (In Texas, no less! Who'd of thunk? Heh!): Bluegal at CrooksandLiars covers it well:

...Comer was put on 30 days paid administrative leave shortly after she forwarded an e-mail...announcing a presentation being given by Barbara Forrest, author of “Inside Creationism’s Trojan Horse,” a book that says creationist politics are behind the movement to get intelligent design theory taught in public schools. Forrest was also a key witness in the Kitzmiller v. Dover case concerning the introduction of intelligent design in a Pennsylvania school district...

Of course, the person responsible for this latest stink is a Bush crony:

...The call to fire Comer came from Lizzette Reynolds, who previously worked in the U.S. Department of Education. She also served as deputy legislative director for Gov. George W. Bush. She joined the Texas Education Agency as the senior adviser on statewide initiatives in January...

Josh over at Thoughts from Kansas says it best:

...Horrors! The state's science curriculum supervisor supports … science!
Indeed, Comer was fired for exactly that radical interpretation of her job responsibilities...

Do check out Josh's post above, as he's posted Comer's original email.

Bluegal makes an interesting side observation:

...Update: Some commenters are taking offense that this post is anti-Christian. I wrote it. I’m a Christian (believing Quaker). A great many members of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State believe as I do that intelligent design is a specific attempt by Fundamentalists to inject religion into the public schools, and some of us also believe that if the State teaches the Bible they will misinterpret it for our children. Religious freedom requires freedom from anyone’s individual religious beliefs being force taught in the public schools as scientific fact...

Bravo Bluegal! As a fellow member of Americans United, I fully embrace the fact one can be spiritual yet support science. It's funny, but I sometimes get flack coming in the opposite direction, as some of my deep science geek friends can't fathom how I can be Wiccan.

Explore your genetic history for $100!

Through the National Geographic Society's Genographic Project, you can submit a sample of your DNA and receive a report on your genetic history:

...Your results will reveal your deep ancestry along a single line of direct descent (paternal or maternal) and show the migration paths they followed thousands of years ago. Your results will also place you on a particular branch of the human family tree. Some anthropological stories are more detailed than others, depending upon the lineage you belong to. For example, if you are of African descent, your results will show the initial movements of your ancestors on the African continent, but will not reflect most of the migrations that have occurred within the past 10,000 years. Your individual results may confirm your expectations of what you believe your deep ancestry to be, or you may be surprised to learn a new story about your genetic background.

What a great deal for only $100 US! You also have the option of submitting your results to their database.

Monkey Trials, again

Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial

Get out the popcorn! Tonight, in the USA on PBS, a special 2 hour NOVA
concerning the Dover decision.

From a review in Variety:

...Through the expert testimony as well as interviews with the actual scientists, the production drives home that whatever one’s religious beliefs, incorporating an untestable theory based on faith into school curriculum bastardizes the long-held definition of science as something that can be challenged, examined and proven...
Finally, there’s even a kind of “Perry Mason” moment, where researchers expose intelligent design advocates using the term interchangeably with “creationism” in published materials, despite their insistence that the two are not directly linked...

SUNY-New Paltz offers Evolution

College to offer new minor in evolutionary studies

I am so proud of my Alma Mater:

...The State University of New York at New Paltz is pleased to announce the approval of an 18-credit interdisciplinary evolutionary studies minor. According to Glenn Geher, chair of the Evolutionary Studies Program Development Committee, the new program includes classes from many departments and will provide students with an education regarding evolution that is both deep and broad in scope. "In addition to requiring multiple courses that focus on the essentials of evolutionary theory,” said Geher, “the curriculum includes courses that apply evolutionary principles in varied areas – such as anthropology, literature, and psychology – as well as courses that address gross misapplications of mischaracterized evolutionary ideas, including a course from the history department, titled ‘Crime and Punishment in American History’..."

Bravo New Paltz! New Paltz is the town that garnered a bit of fame when Mayor West officiated over a plethora of gay and lesbian marriages. Not only that, New Paltz is where my coven meets (Witches of the Crossroads), and near where my whip club has it's crack fests. (Yup, I'm addicted to crack!)

The chair of Evolutionary Studies adds:

“...Ours is the second such program in the nation,” said Geher....For more information about the evolutionary studies minor, which begins this fall..."

New Paltz is a cool place. I majored in Anthropology. Cut my eye teeth in the Archeology Field School. From the bathroom wall in the Anthro House:

I dedicate these flatulent mists
to all you Anthropologists
And if you don't dig it George
kiss my Olduvia Gorge

(Thanx to Green Ghost for rubbing my nose in this link)

Jesusic Park

Test tube Jesus
Who cares about Cameron's smelly box of bones! Thanx to scientific and investigatory powers of Dr. Zaius, we have a more important story:

"...He feels right at home here," said bible scholar and paleobotanist graduate student Ellie Sattler. "When Jesus was growing up, there were dinosaurs all around...That's right, it says so in the scriptures," said her colleague paleontologist and GOP stratagist Alan Grant...

We got Jesus back! Now the Hand-o-God will settle you Intelligent Design deniers once and for all! This is humongous news--and of course the MSM is ignoring it.

Hysterical--Zaiusnation is a work of genius.

Burning Times--Good or Bad

Introducing "Conservapedia"--Battling Wikipedia's War on Christians, Patriots


The entire community seems to be rejoicing at the arrival of Conservatedia. And who can blame us? Rarely has such a rich assemblage of mind-numbingly stupidity been so self righteously displayed. The good folks at Scienceblogs have performed a superior job in documenting it (For example 1,2,3,4,5,6,7). My suggestion is to check out this wiki quickly, before it crashes and burns.

Over at Huffington Post, Shelly Lewis's (who has an excellent book, Naked Republicans: A full frontal Exposure of Rightwing Hypocrisy and Greed , ) does an excellent job summing it all up:

..As for the liberal biases of Wikipedia, Conservapedia has a whole page of examples, including:

"On Wikipedia, many of the dates are provided in the anti-Christian "C.E." instead of "A.D."

I especially liked the lively Conservapedia debate over whether there should be an entry for the word "homosphere," a term which sounded both too unproven-sciencey and also gay. (Note-The discussion is gone, but the word is still there. Yay!) There are also excellent debate topics, like "Crusades--Good or Bad."

Kewl! How'bout "Inquisition--Good or Bad"?

...Also, don't miss the unbiased definitions like this one for Stem Cell Research:

"Embryonic stem cell research is the manipulation and destruction of human life shortly after conception in order to divide in a laboratory culture and produce specialized cells supposedly to treat disease.

I love Conservepedia's entry for Pagan, "A pagan is someone who believes in false gods. The First Commandment is, Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Most pagans are ancient, like the Greeks and Romans, but there are also modern pagans like witches and Muslims, who do not believe in Jesus." Wow! I bet all you Atheists out there did not know you were also Pagans! Welcome to the club. :) But Shelly goes on, touching on the 'it's all a new age religion' charge, which seems to get leveled against anyone with a logical thought in his or her head:

...I had not heard of this particular form of wingnutty goodness until one of Texas' finest state legislators, Warren Chisum, sent around a memo urging his colleagues to ban the teaching of evolution....The memo suggested checking out fixedearth.com, a website that says it's the "non-moving earth and anti-evolution web page of the Fair Education Foundation, Inc." There, you can learn all about the Kabbalist Albert Einstein, the Kabbalist Carl Sagan....

Wow! Most of us joked that one day, these loonies were going to be pushing 'equal time' in the classroom for a geocentric Aristotelain or 'flat earth' theory. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this would come true! You have to hand it to these people, they seem to be committing ritual suicide--right before our eyes--for their Dominionist cause.

Anti Sagan Blog-a-thon

Hedonistic Left and Global Warming

Now where the hell was this article for the Carl Sagan Blog-a-thon? What a pleasantly twisted surprise to find my favorite Carl Sagan quote--the one that inspired my blog--vilified over at Human Events!

...Note also that the elitists who make the most noise about the "purity" of nature never apply that concern to human nature: they have made careers out of corrupting it. The self-appointed prophets of an environmental apocalypse from Hollywood and New York are the forces most responsible for engineering a secularist culture which is remarkable in the history of all cultures for its moral obviousness and its utter indifference to the future, much less the moral welfare of children...

Damn, and I thought we had everyone fooled when we shed crocodile tears over Polar bears drowning in the mud:

...Their faith in global warming is so strong they find themselves demanding the sorts of duties and sacrifices they discount in any other area of life. The pushy and judgmental piety of relativists on environmental issues is bottomless, amounting to a quasi-pantheism. It appears that what pop scientist Carl Sagan once said is coming to pass: "A religion old or new, that stressed the magnificence of the universe as revealed by modern science, might be able to draw forth reserves of reverence and awe hardly tapped by the conventional faiths. Sooner or later, such a religion will emerge..."

So that's what Carl Sagan was, a "pop scientist"! I suppose that means he got mail-order degrees from paper institutions, just like the charlatans who run Creationist and Intelligent Design "institutes". You gotta hand it to the author--he manages to demonize all the loony right's favorite targets: environmentalists, investigative journalists, concerned politicians, the majority of the world's scientists, plus intelligent and tolerant people the world over. It comes as no surprise he thinks we are the ones hell-bent on destroying the world as-he-knows-it, with our Hollywood-hyped Greenhouse propaganda! It's such a shame we were found out! We were all having such a good time laughing all the way to the Rapture, while enacting the real Apocalypse inducing threats to our planet: decadent lifestyles, abortion, secular humanism, and that final civilization leveling ace up Satan's farting hole--gay marriage!

I can't help noticing how much the Global warming deniers, Intelligent Design advocates, and other Dominionsts keep claiming the growing mountains of evidence of evolution, and increasing record breaking temperatures, is not proof of anything--but just some sort of New Age religion. I'm pretty sure everyone who follows such stories (and believe me, you have my sympathies for the patience to wade through such muck) has seen an up-tick in this technique. Most times I feel pieces like this are just hysterically funny, but it's frightening so many people actually believe such brain-dead crap. I suppose we can find comfort in the fact that the writer is so terribly wrong about everything. It's nice to be on the opposite side of the fence from such twisted people.

Let's also take comfort in the fact there are many heroic people, giving their all, helping this planet and its inhabitants. Yet we must keep in mind how others love nothing more than to demonize such people. It reminds me once again of the great comment in Margot Adler's Neo-Pagan masterpiece, Drawing Down the Moon:

"Life celebration is always a threat to those bent on destruction".

Twilight of the IDiots

The Collapse of Discovery's ID Frame

An important post over at Red State Rabble about the collapse of the ID/Creationist movement. I don't know if I'd be that optimistic. I think there's still some fight in these rascals yet, but some very good points are made:

...In an attempt to keep their "evolution is incompatible with Christianity" frame alive, Evolution News and Views was reduced to hyping a letter to The Yale Daily News urging churches not to participate in Evolution Sunday by Moonie Jonathan Wells.

That the Discovery Institute was forced to rely on a member of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church -- who believes that that Jesus was not put on earth to die, and that the "Lord of the Second Coming" must be a man born in Korea -- to counter the message sent to people of faith by Evolution Sunday, may also help to account for the increasingly frantic tone there...

Evolution Sunday/Darwin Day was a big success, in spite of much-hyped countermeasures by ID proponents.