This made me snicker

[craobhruadh]

I got this from slashdot, but a top Vatican official has effectively attacked the creationists and intelligent design promoters in the U.S.

From the article:

"The fundamentalists want to give a scientific meaning to words that had no scientific aim," he said at a Vatican press conference. He said the real message in Genesis was that "the universe

Comments

[avalonxq]

I'll also point out that Cardinal Poupard attended two seminaries, then got a doctorate in theology and history from La Sorbonne. Translation? Zero scientific credentials. Good thing he has "sense".

[craobhruadh]

I never knew actual scientific credentials were necessary for even a general understanding of both creationism and the theory of education. I don't have any degrees in evolutionary biology, and I don't think you have one either, but I'm willing to bet both of us know exactly what it is and can freely compare it with creationism.

[avalonxq]

First of all, compare apples to apples. We can discuss a creationist theory and a randomist theory. Or we can discuss a design mechanism and a natural selection mechanism. But you clearly don't even have a very good view of what relates to what.
The problem is, I'm betting you know very little about any of these things. You just think you know better, because you think you're backed by better experts. Nice job, Bellarmine.

[craobhruadh]

...I was under the impression that we were discussing the necessary scientific credentials to have any bearing on this debate?

[avalonxq]

Yeah, I think we can stick to that.
Incidentally, are you ready to move this off the thread and sit down with me about it?

[craobhruadh]

I might also add that while you hold me to that distinction, the people who are in charge of rewriting public school curriculums aren't held to such a level. Hence the attempts to replace "theory of evolution" with "intelligent design" in many public school boards.

Though this is irrelevant to the debate, you're free to believe what it is about our origin, and that has always been my policy. Some people choose to believe in a creator, while others (like me) prefer to withhold judgement until they see some proof of divine intervention.

[avalonxq]

The problem is that common origin through natural selection is primarily a religious, not scientific, principle. And teaching religion isn't the job of public schools.

[shadowyvern]

Why do you believe it to be a religious principle?

[punkosopher]

Same question.