Young Earth Creationists? Really believe it? Really?

[balotelli]

Cant believe that anyone actually thinks that the earth was created by a god 6000 years ago!

I have to agree with Richard Dawkins who said they are either ignorant, stupid or insane.

If you do believe it, explain dinosaurs!

Yes we can debate religion in a better way. But sometimes we don't want to, we just want to say, fuck me this stuff is bonkers. Because sometimes it plainly is.
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Most religious people are not Creationists. The whole Catholic church accepts Evolution as do most Jewish/Muslim/Buddhist/Christian denominations. Creationism really is a fringe movement, albeit a loud fringe movement.

Die-hard creationists mostly Home-educate, by the way, wouldn't want their DC's minds to be poisoned with "wrong values" (speaking of my American Creationist family, especially, and most rest of us think they're loons).

I don't know about the whole catholic church, AdventuresWithVoles. I met a rc franciscan nun a while ago who honestly believed that god put fossils in the ground to test our faith.

I meant it's the Papacy's official stance to accept the Theory of Evolution, and they are supposed to listen El Papa. . You're right, individuals can defer from doctrine, but at their peril, I guess. I just hate the way these threads degenerate into religion bashing: I don't even like religion. Still, it's wrong to equate religious with Creationist. Far from the truth.

YE Creationists have generally failed to get creationism into school science lessons so they have amended their strategy and are now promoting Intelligent Design which talks about an intelligent designer but this isn't necessarily a god oh no not at all.

Even in the UK there are organisations such as Truth in Science which lobby parliament and send bollocks-ridden information packs to school science departments trying to get them to 'Teach the Controversy'.

I think it is extremely important that everyone questions belief. Even moreso faith.

Should we not question the beliefs of the Westboro Church in the US?

The Apartheid system was fully backed up by the Dutch Reformed Church for several generations.

The Nazis looked to Christianity to support their 'beliefs'

If you really want to know I can have my DH come on here and explain. He lives that kind of stuff but me, I'm more into how Jesus can heal and save so the creationist stuff I just know I believe and concentrate on changing the hell on earth that currently takes place all around us. But genuinely I will get DH to explain, it's very scientific, head imploding stuff but I'm sure he would be willing.

I don't think MarvellousYou's DH has had time to explain yet - would be interesting to hear what he has to say that is 'very scientific'.

I think that post actually explains a lot. The poster believes creationism because it fits with her worldview and will happily believe what someone she trusts has to say about it. She probably doesn't have sufficient scientific background to discern whether its factually correct or not. If she was to google something, there would be a plethora of information... unfortunately also much misinformation published by creationists, and those would be the articles she'd probably say 'oh yes, that makes sense' to - not the ones by real scientists.

Molly, I think that when God said "let us make man in Our image" the sort of accepted theory (at least in my denomination) would be that He was Talking to the Word (Jesus).

I have a bit of a hard time getting to grips with it because of the Triune nature of God, but God, the Father, spoke the Word and all things came into being through that Word. Jesus was the Word made flesh and it was through this Word that God created everything. SO the Word is really the creative aspect of God.

it's just a bit like the Royal We

handy.

If she was to google something, there would be a plethora of information... unfortunately also much misinformation published by creationists, and those would be the articles she'd probably say 'oh yes, that makes sense' to - not the ones by real scientists.

I think this is an increasing issue on the Web, where bad informatiion is driving out good (not just in creationism).

Well if that's what they believe it's up to them. And really though I call myself a Christian there is very little (no) proof that God exists. So I don't think people can call to account what others believe without opening a can of worms.

The problem, I find, with Answers in Genesis and the like, is that it is all put across as very scientific. All the talk of nitrogen atoms trapped inside diamonds and the like. if you are already of the mindset that you take the Bible as the literal truth, then, it's very easy to be convinced by it all, especially if you don't understand enough science to actually really know what they are on about (that would be me).

I actually have a couple of the AIG books because I wanted to see what they had to say. Half of it is totally beyond my grasp of science, tbh, and if I was of the mind to be convinced, then I would be, iyswim. My eldest son, on the other hand, who is a materials chemist, reckons it's all a bunch of biased, manipulative, pseudo-science only concerned with supporting a particular world view and, therefore, not to be trusted.

The poster believes creationism because it fits with her worldview and will happily believe what someone she trusts has to say about it. She probably doesn't have sufficient scientific background to discern whether its factually correct or not.

I think that is exactly it. "Intelligent Design science is gobbledegook, but 95% of the population don't know enough to know if its is truth or bullshit, so they go with the old human expedient of believing someone they trust.

I have a pet hate of atheists constantly referring to dawkins. If you are an atheist, just be a bloody atheist like the rest of us. Dont "deify" some bloke who wrote a book. We dont need a leader for this "sect". Thats the whole idea.

People have a right to their beliefs, fine, but...

I'm gay and a parent. A child in my DD's class said to DD that gay people were perverts, a view doubtless picked up from her very religious DM. That's NOT fine and the DM can fuck right off to the far side of fuck to be eaten by cuntworms as far as I'm concerned. (Not blaming the child, not at all).

I can't stand dawkins. But if other atheists choose to quote him because he sums up their thoughts, thats up to them. He's not my leader, thanks.

I don't agree with RD on this one anyway. Most Young Earth Creationists are ignorant - in many cases wilfully ignorant, or the product of parents who have made them so. I don't see evidence to suppose they are significantly more stupid than the population in general. I don't think many are 'insane' either. Most just have this huge blind spot and the willingness to believe what they are told by their tribe.

There is some other more sinister category that needs to be identified. The people who write the psuedo-scientific crap. The people who actively perpetuate this nonsense and have enough scientific education and intelligence at least to be able to string some of the words together. I think Dawkins is letting these people off far too lightly - if they're insane they aren't culpable.

I know, Im in a really cranky mood sorry

The idea that they're consciously perpetuating is more sinister the more I think about it. Brainwashing?

Brainwashing by the brainwashed maybe. I would imagine that the perpetuators must have some nagging doubts if they are in any sense scientists, but they bury it under a huge pile of cognitive dissonance.

There is some other more sinister category that needs to be identified. The people who write the psuedo-scientific crap. The people who actively perpetuate this nonsense and have enough scientific education and intelligence at least to be able to string some of the words together.

I agree - these are the people who do know what the actual research says, and chose to misrepresent it. But sadly that sort of petrson is quite common, I find them in so many areas where woo outshouts science.

"these are the people who do know what the actual research says, and chose to misrepresent it"

Money and power?

I think there are probably many reasons for perpetuating myths.

Some people truly believe.
Some make money out of it.
Some gain power from it.
Some know that others use it as a support and don't want to kick that support away.

Probably other reasons too.

sashh, just have to say thanks for the link. I've had a good giggle!

I know a Young Earth Creationist. Who has a PhD. In Biochemistry. From Cambridge.

Now that is quite a trick. Any idea how s/he squares all the circles?