I'm gonna be in Tampa tonight!

[geologyrox]

I finally decided that I've got to make an appearance at this thing, if only to spread the word of the FSM. Pasta afterwards, anyone?

Event info here but the text was too good not to steal: "Two imminentscientists, Dr. Michael Behe, biologist and author of Darwin's Black Box, and Dr. Jonathan Wells, biochemist and author of Icons of Evolution, will debate the relative scientific merit of of the intelligent design movement and Darwin's macro evolutionary theory." The bolding is mine, but the spelling is not - does noone else think that's the greatest wrong-word usage ever?

While the sponsoring group (about 200 physicians who 'dissent from Darwinian macroevolution as a viable theory') is still calling this a debate, the University of South Florida coordinator for the event (currently attending Southeast Baptist Seminary) has taken to calling it an Intelligent Design conference. He probaby felt harassed into doing this, because they didn't actually get anyone who supports evolution for the debate.

Seriously. Apparently, they had hoped to (even sent out their flyers saying that Dr. Donald Duh of Whatever State University would be coming) but since the participating scientists all back out of debates that have real rules, real scientists didn't want to waste their time on one without them.


I'm having fun printing up a bunch of critiques of these folks' work, copies from the court cases, and brochures for the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I'll be the short redhead in the pirate shirt if anyone wants to join me! 7:00-10:30 at the SunDome =)

[ScottY]

This is so upseting that we have to debate over this...

What the heck... it's Friday, have fun there~! Spread the gospel of FSM!

[Alric]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(geologyrox @ Sep 29 2006, 11:14 AM) [snapback]325614[/snapback]</div>

I finally decided that I've got to make an appearance at this thing, if only to spread the word of the FSM. Pasta afterwards, anyone?

Event info here but the text was too good not to steal: "Two imminentscientists, Dr. Michael Behe, biologist and author of Darwin's Black Box, and Dr. Jonathan Wells, biochemist and author of Icons of Evolution, will debate the relative scientific merit of of the intelligent design movement and Darwin's macro evolutionary theory." The bolding is mine, but the spelling is not - does noone else think that's the greatest wrong-word usage ever?

While the sponsoring group (about 200 physicians who 'dissent from Darwinian macroevolution as a viable theory') is still calling this a debate, the University of South Florida coordinator for the event (currently attending Southeast Baptist Seminary) has taken to calling it an Intelligent Design conference. He probaby felt harassed into doing this, because they didn't actually get anyone who supports evolution for the debate.

Seriously. Apparently, they had hoped to (even sent out their flyers saying that Dr. Donald Duh of Whatever State University would be coming) but since the participating scientists all back out of debates that have real rules, real scientists didn't want to waste their time on one without them.
I'm having fun printing up a bunch of critiques of these folks' work, copies from the court cases, and brochures for the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I'll be the short redhead in the pirate shirt if anyone wants to join me! 7:00-10:30 at the SunDome =)
[/b]

Wait a minute here! The ID movement has resorted to mock debates. Both of these guys are notorius ID'sts! The levels they stoop to..

Go and spread the Gospel of the Noodly Appendage!

[daniel]

I'd love to be there with you, but only to help spread His noodly Word. However, even in my Prius, that's a long drive. Have fun!

[geologyrox]

Well, aside from the excellent stuffed shells I made for dinner beforehand (oh, and getting to see an old friend) the evening was sort of a bust.

I knew going in that it wasn't going to be a debate, so I didn't expect anything terribly new or fascinating to be covered. I did NOT adequately prepare my husband, who finally left and went to the car to sleep after the ninety-eleventh slide followed by the statement "...and Darwin's theory can't explain ANY of that!" and a stretch of applause. I guess he thought ID was an actual theory or research, instead of just another god-of-the-gaps argument presented ad-nauseum.

I was unprepared for the scale of the event - I knew they were big names, and that they were inviting local churches, and that they had arranged use of the Sun Dome - but I did not expect a full parking lot. I was momentarily thrilled at the turnout, until I saw the church buses. All 429 of them. I probably should have called Will and asked him to meet us at a bar instead, but we went in and listened anyway. I took some notes I remember being amusing, I'll look for them in the morning.

Anyway, it was as bad as I thought it could possibly be, mitigated only by good company, and we did get to give away quite a few FSM brochures. Wells declined to sign a copy for me, but he did ask to keep one. The scientists did an awesome job of summarizing some of the processes that we don't currently understand very well, and while they wouldn't have gotten any points in an actual debate, they scored plenty with this group. Seriously, at one point afterwards, we were talking with a girl about why she supported ID, and she said "Because there's *so* much more evidence for Intelligent Design than evolution!"

Positively brilliant.

[daniel]

As I've said elsewhere, it's not about providing evidence. It's about giving the faithful a rope they can hold onto as the ship of creationism sinks.

We have much to be thankful for, though: If the church still had the political power it had a couple of hundred years ago, they'd be burning us at the stake (after pulling our fingernails out) for daring to believe in the evidence of the rocks.

The one good thing capitalism did was to shift political power from the landed gentry to the commercial class, substituting greed for religion and money for god, thereby creating freedom of religion and stripping the church of the political power to torture and kill people for disagreeing with it. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, Greed is a vile religion, but all the others are worse.

[Mystery Squid]

ahahahah, that's GREAT!

If I had more ambition and motivation ( ) I'd somehow get involved, and make sure to tie in the evils of liberalism against the Darwin/anti-ID folks, and present giant larger than life images of conservative candidates to vote into in office. Might as well make good use of such mobs, and shape it into voting power....!

[geologyrox]

You'd have totally fit right in with these folks!

=)

[tbstout2]

"Religion convinced the world that there's an invisible man in the sky who watches everything you do. And there's 10 things he doesn't want you to do or else you'll to to a burning place with a lake of fire until the end of eternity. But he loves you! ...And he needs money! He's all powerful, but he can't handle money!"

George Carlin

[Mystery Squid]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(geologyrox @ Oct 2 2006, 09:20 AM) [snapback]326802[/snapback]</div>

You'd have totally fit right in with these folks!

=)
[/b]

Man, I have such delusions of rallying a big crowd like that.... Fist pumping frenzy, then pointing out into some direction and yelling, "ATAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!!" As they all pour out of the convention center like angry ants turning over cars setting crap on fire, that sort of thing, while Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the name of" is blasting!!!!