Reflections on Creationism: Dr Dino

I wrote the following a few years back:

I was introduced to young earth creationism in the rudest manner possible. A local high school teacher in Indiana told me that a ‘famous’ creationist was going to speak at his school. Furthermore, this person was going to rally the community to teach a ‘balanced approach’ via a 3-day seminar at a local Baptist church. I had heard that there were still people (long after the Scope’s trial) who still found fault with evolution, but I thought these were a small fringe group that perhaps suffered from isolation during reproduction. Thus, I walked into the church with mild curiosity and in good humor.

What I heard over the next three days was overwhelming. The speaker, one “Dr.” Kent Hovind, harkened me back to my 18th birthday when I went to buy my first car. The car dealer talked so fast and was so convincing that I started into a contract to buy a mustang convertible with pinstripes, rust-proofing, decals and a whole bunch of other unnecessary stuff while working a minimum wage job. Fortunately, my credit was so bad that financing could not be arranged. Hovind was even smoother than the car salesman and far more successful at selling his ‘product’ to a captive fundamentalist crowd. The people attending that conference were called to arms and for the next few months, I was involved in efforts to stop book banning in Terre Haute Indiana and a constant battle with creationists that I’ve been fighting ever since.

I hope to give you a glimpse inside the crevo (creation-evolution) debate and a glance into how, like the immortal cells of Henrietta Lacks, the debate never dies. Florida is about to undergo revision of education standards and the demons of fundamentalism are stirring!

---Surprisingly, nothing has changed since I first went to battle with ye-creationism. There are no new arguments though there are new faces making the old arguments and for the most part, creationists prefer to politic their cause rather than bring it to the scientific literature (no surprise there!).

Cheers

Joe Meert

Obama wins Nobel???

I'm sure many people will blog on this topic. Here's my little rant. Whenever he is critized for not getting things done, his defenders say 'Give him a little more time he's only been in office a few months'. Now he wins the Nobel Peace Prize? I don't buy it. Perhaps in a few years when things are settled in Iraq and Afghanistan. Perhaps when Iran stands down her nuclear ambitions. Perhaps when Obama's actually done something to earn the prize, I'd be the first to congratulate him. Right now, it makes a mockery of the prize and I'm quite sure there were some other (more worthy) nominees. Oh, and don't forget, the nominations were due in February of this year? So he had been in office for less than a month???

My suggestion? Have Obama turn down the prize or offer the money to more deserving nominees.

Joe Meert

Searching for God

I love local news coverage. There's always something to learn about my community. Just yesterday I found out that during the commission of a bank robbery, both the Alachua County Sheriff's Department and the Gainesville Police department were answering to a higher call......Read on

from WCJB TV 20

Gainesville Police are on the trail of a thief who robbed a bank Wednesday afternoon in Northwest Gainesville.
It happened at the Sunstrust Bank on the corner of Northwest 43rd Street and 39th Avenue.
Authorities say a man walked into the Suntrust Bank around 4 p.m.
He handed the teller note demanding money. he said he had a gun but the teller never saw it. She gave him the money and he left on foot. No one is hurt but he is still on the loose.
The suspect is a white man about six feet tall, 180 lbs. he was wearing glasses, a flannel shirt and blue jeans. He has brownish gray hair. Authorities say he left the bank heading south toward the business complex behind it.
Helicopters from both the Alachua County Sheriff's Office and the police department were searching for the man in the sky.

If you have any information call the Gainesville Police Department.

No reports of any sighting and I have no information for helping GPD find god.

Cheers

Joe Meert

What was God's judgement on Dino Adventure Land?

Today is August 31, 2009 the day that the Hovind family was to come up with funds to save DAL or turn it over to the feds as payment for Kent Hovind's criminal activity. At one point earlier this month, Eric Hovind asked donors to send cash to support DAL. There was a quick early support for the effort, but then Eric went tripping around the lights of Holywood in awe of Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort. For those who don't know Kirk is a former actor cum 'evangelist' who knows little about the bible and even less about science. Ray Comfort is the penultimate con-artist who uses religion more as a weapon than a tool for salvation. Anyway, the question of the day is whether or not Eric raised the cash to prevent the takeover. I guess either way 'god's will' has been served. If they raised the money, then God saw fit to protect the ministry and if they did not raise the money, then God is using them in a new fashion. Doncha just love prayer? Always answered and therefore impossible to test. My bet is that DAL is dead. It died while Eric kissed up to a former childhood actor and a man who's con game is selling bananas to streetwalkers in Hollywood?

Cheers

Joe Meert


PS: I'll bid $1.00 on the leap of faith swing at DAL

More Wackiness from a local 'Christian' Church

They are at it again. The cult "Dove Church" just up the road from our house is now forcing the children of the church to send a message of hate by wearing "Islam is of the Devil" t-shirts. The good news is that no local t-shirt company would print the shirts and the schools are kicking the kids out for dress code violations. The "Reverend Jones" who runs the church is becoming increasingly strange. One can only wonder if this is a prelude to another religious tragedy. The church is very, very strange.



Link to the News story in the Gainesville Sun

How about this for a rambling note

about how I should view evolution??

I am narrow minded. I did say you should be open minded, but challenged you to Biblical. Jesus Christ said that Adam was in the beginning. Do you know the limiting factors. Just from a scientific perspective that are lots of facts that do limit the age of the earth.

I will not and can not be open minded when it comes to God and His word. I am fundamental in my believes. And see evolution as a faith that has no scientific origin.

The fact that we see changes in the different kinds of animals does not make a elephant out of a mouse. Cosmic evolution is a faith just as Creation is. Consequently when men start making God in to a monkey, for said He let us make man in our own image (Genesis 1:26) , it is clear that they became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart are darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.(Rom 1:19-23)

Jesus said: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
(Matthew 7:13-15)

So if you are by own admission broad 'open-minded' surely you are on a way that leads to destruction. The Word of God will be our guide and not some philosophy of unbelievers.

Again is point out to you that death came after Adam sinned, not millions of years ago in some primarily soup. Death came in the garden of eden. (1Co 15:21-22)

I don't know it all, but my God does. You don't know it all and certainty not those who think themselves to be wise.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18-24)

I could give you a thousand video clips to look at, but O what will it profit you if all you find is the opinions of man.

Seek God! http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=bff5711d9b63cec5077b

Ahh, I so appreciate love notes. This was sent to me after I suggested he watch the following youtube video:

open-mindedness

Cheers

Joe Meert

Eric Hovind starts facebook campaign

In order to save Dinosaur Adventure Land. He has 30 days to come up with $380K or turn over the land. I'm no tax expert, but can funds donated to the ministry be transferred to pay a tax debt? I guess if he comes up with the money, we'll find out.

Anyway, there probably are 380,000 fools who are willing to part with their money, so I'm not sure I'd bet against it. One can always have hope that one blight on the Pensacola community can be removed. I'd love to say good-bye to Dino Adventure Land.

Eric claims 'with God all things are possible'. I like the quote attributed (incorrectly) to PT Barnum "There's a sucker born every minute".

Kent Hovind Dr, Dino's Park Taken by the Feds

Creationist preacher cum Federal convict, Kent Hovind was dealt another blow this week. His 'Dinosaur adventure land' is being seized to cover debts related to his conviction for tax fraud. Dinosaur Adventure land is a rather low-tech, low-budget amusement park made especially for people who read the bible as a scientific text rather than a book about the history of the Hebrew people and the story of salvation from the christian godhead known as Jesus.

Hovind's ministry is currently being pushed by his son Eric Hovind who seems to be operating a scaled-back lecture circuit that largely mimics what his father presented on a series of videotapes. Like most creationists, Eric is mainly about preaching long-ago discredited arguments against evolution in the name of his peculiar religious viewpoints. The good news is that a few suckers will save some cash should they happen to stumble upon the soon-to-be defunct dino adventure land.

Cheers

Joe Meert

Michael Jackson Dead

Of course, he eclipses Farrah Fawcett who fought a brave fight against cancer. I truly enjoyed his music. I was appalled with his views toward young people.

Ahh Field Camp

I've been out of the loop for the past three weeks teaching field camp in New Mexico. Of course the good news is that UF decided to limit the damage to CLAS and thereby saved geology. Unfortunately, cuts were made elsewhere and there are faculty going through the same problems as might have happened to us. I wish all those who are having problems can find new possibilities that will improve their lot. I also remember that sage this year means nothing for future years.

Cheers

Joe Meert