Intelligent Design, Stupid and Dishonest Fundamentalists

[major_clanger]

Thanks to muskrat_john for linking to the text of the judgment in the recent 'Intelligent Design' case in the US. It's a long read, but worth the effort in order to see how thoroughly Judge Jones dissected the 'ID' position to reveal it for the fundamentalist religious interloper into secular education that it really is. If there was a Richard Dawkins Award for kicking creationists where it hurts, Judge Jones - who, it is worth noting, is a Bush appointee - would be a shoo-in.

Without wishing to sound too snarky, I will note how several witnesses who would evidently describe themselves as born-again Christians were found by the judge to have lied repeatedly under oath in the course of their evidence. You know, the oath where you put your hand on the Bible and swear to God to tell the truth?

I have no problem with other people's religious beliefs, so long as they don't assume that they somehow apply to me (or any other innocent party). Stinking, blatant hypocrisy is another matter, though.

Comments

[feorag.livejournal.com]

On oaths, presumably the fundies know full well that the book they are swearing on tells them not to swear oaths, so why should they feel bound to tell the truth?

[major-clanger.livejournal.com]

Even if they take that line (which is more associated with Quakers than evangelicals - it centres on your interpretation of Matthew 5:34) then there is the little matter of the Ninth of those Ten Commandments that US fundamentalists are usually so keen on.

[bellinghman.livejournal.com]

Oh, but hardline fundies have always reckoned the rules apply to other people, not to them.

[orangemike.livejournal.com]

Just to keep things confusing, there are fundamentalist/evangelical Quakers as well. Indeed, if you count the sects in Africa, they may constitute the majority of Friends worldwide.

[blindpew-faldo.livejournal.com]

The only problem I see having just finished reading the judgement is that American fundie's will just retrench and attack again. Knowing some British fundie's all they will do is stick their heads in the sand and hope we go away. And keep their little minds closed.

[the-gardener.livejournal.com]

American fundie's will just retrench and attack again

And get defeated once again, because their arguments can't be made to hold water no matter how hard they try. But so what?