Interesting Messages from the Vatican

Interesting messages from the Vatican this week, dealing with the interface between science and religion: Evolution fine but no apology to Darwin.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican said on Tuesday the theory of evolution was compatible with the Bible but planned no posthumous apology to Charles Darwin for the cold reception it gave him 150 years ago. …

Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, the Vatican’s culture minister, was speaking at the announcement of a Rome conference of scientists, theologians and philosophers to be held next March marking the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s “The Origin of Species”. …

“Maybe we should abandon the idea of issuing apologies as if history was a court eternally in session,” he said, adding that Darwin’s theories were “never condemned by the Catholic Church nor was his book ever banned”.

(hat tip:Our #1 Contributor Charles)

Charles Johnson supports the Catholic Church now because it supports Evolution

As a Catholic I’m happy that Charles approves my version of Christianity. He is the one that decides which faith is correct. Thanks Charles!

/Sarc

Vatican Evolution Congress Excludes Creationism, Intelligent Design

The Vatican is sponsoring an international conference on the evolution debate, and “intelligent design” creationists like the Discovery Institute are not invited.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Speakers invited to attend a Vatican-sponsored congress on the evolution debate will not include proponents of creationism and intelligent design, organizers said.

The Pontifical Council for Culture, Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University and the University of Notre Dame in Indiana are organizing an international conference in Rome March 3-7 as one of a series of events marking the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s “The Origin of Species.”

Jesuit Father Marc Leclerc, a philosophy professor at the Gregorian, told Catholic News Service Sept. 16 that organizers “wanted to create a conference that was strictly scientific” and that discussed rational philosophy and theology along with the latest scientific discoveries.

He said arguments “that cannot be critically defined as being science, or philosophy or theology did not seem feasible to include in a dialogue at this level and, therefore, for this reason we did not think to invite” supporters of creationism and intelligent design.

I’m glad to see that the Catholic Church has taken a stand against promoting creationism as science. For more details: The Panda’s Thumb.

Is Charles a sciende nut now?

LGF fumbles the ball

…. according to the Discovery Institute

Palin Has Not Pushed Creationism as Governor, who Cares!

Palin now has Charlie’s approval

One of the smears being circulated against Sarah Palin is that she is in favor of teaching creationism in public school science classes, but as I pointed out last week this simply isn’t true. Apparently, she has a rather confused attitude toward evolution (an attitude she shares with about 50% of the US population), but when asked explicitly whether she would support teaching the pseudo-science of “intelligent design,” her answer was “No.” And today even the Associated Press has to admit that Palin has not pushed creationism as governor.

And by the way, John McCain is also on the right side of this issue.

Palin said during her 2006 gubernatorial campaign that if she were elected, she would not push the state Board of Education to add creation-based alternatives to the state’s required curriculum, or look for creationism advocates when she appointed board members.

At a GOP presidential debate in May 2007 in Simi Valley, Calif., McCain said he believed in evolution. “But,” he added, “I also believe, when I hike the Grand Canyon and see it at sunset, that the hand of God is there also.”

Palin’s children attend public schools and Palin has made no push to have creationism taught in them.

Neither have Palin’s socially conservative personal views on issues like abortion and gay marriage been translated into policies during her 20 months as Alaska’s chief executive. It reflects a hands-off attitude toward mixing government and religion by most Alaskans.

“She has basically ignored social issues, period,” said Gregg Erickson, an economist and columnist for the Alaska Budget Report.

UPDATE at 9/3/08 9:17:07 am:

On the other hand, another rising GOP star (who has signed a bill in Louisiana designed to sneak creationism into classrooms) has a much more problematic attitude: Questions for Bobby Jindal – The Convert.

Did you always want to be in politics? It was not something I anticipated doing. I always thought I’d go to medical school. I got accepted into medical school and did not end up going.

Where were you accepted? At Harvard.

Wow. Why would someone with so much knowledge of biology sign a bill allowing the biblical story of Creation to be taught in science class? I don’t think that schools should be run by bureaucrats. I think these decisions need to be made by local school boards. In terms of teaching my own kids at home, I do believe there is a Creator. Catholicism doesn’t teach authoritatively on evolution or the origins of life, but we do believe that God is our Creator.

There’s an interesting point here. The proponents of the Louisiana “academic freedom” stealth creationist bill have loudly insisted that it has nothing to do with the teaching of creationism — but Jindal doesn’t even deny it.

(Hat tip:Charlis@LGF)

Dhimmiwatch debunks Creationism leads to Terror

Raymond over at Dhimmiwatch totally debunks the Creationist-Islamic allaince threory the Cult Leader Nacy@LGF is spewing.

Creationism leads to terrorism?

Raymond debunks Charles with this:

Interesting observation, though based on a flawed correlation. First of all, so-called Christian “fundamentalism” has absolutely no connection to Islamic fundamentalism — even if they both believe in creationism. Christianity is not “throbbing with suicide bombers” simply because the concept of killing oneself to kill others is antithetical to Christian doctrine, whose central figure accepted death in order that others might live. So this concept that, Christian and Muslim literalists are both prone to violence and intolerance, and that the former have not been engaged in that sort of thing is evidence that Christianity is going the way of the dodo, is wrong.

Charles, I know you read this site and go to the link. You are anti Judeo-Christian and are being exposed. There is no link between Creationists and Jihadists. It’s a fantasy you have invented to cover up your bigotry towards people of faith. You do a dis service to the anti-Jihad movement.

Charles,

You are a fraud!

(Hat tip: Bar)

Charles continues his Jihad against God Believers

Charles continues his attacks against anyone who doesn’t with evolution. He know attacks students who believe in creationist.

On the Front Lines of the Evolution Wars in Florida

Charles, let it go. There are differences of opinion, America isn’t LGF and follow what you believe. You can’t ban people in America unlike your cult.

Obama and McCain at Saddleback Church Tonight (Charles turns this into Christian Bashing)

Tonight at 7 pm ET, Barack Obama and John McCain will share a stage with Pastor Rick Warren in Orange County, California: McCain, Obama to face off with popular pastor. We’ll be liveblogging and comment swarming it, of course.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The political spotlight will shine on Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama on Saturday night when the two candidates are expected to face tough questions on personal values, presidential leadership and international affairs.

The Rev. Rick Warren, author of the best-seller “The Purpose-Driven Life,” will spend an hour interviewing each candidate at his 20,000-member Saddleback mega-church in Southern California.

On CNN’s “The Situation Room” earlier this week, Warren said he won’t play the role of a political pundit or ask “gotcha” questions, but rather tackle four areas of interest: the role of the presidency in government, leadership, the candidates’ worldviews and America’s role internationally.

In case you were wondering ( Chucky, No one care!), the Saddleback Church promotes hardcore creationism, and I suspect Warren may raise the topic (He’s not!).

Is evolution part of God’s plan?

Question: Why is it not OK for evolution to be part of God’s plan? I don’t understand what the problem is: couldn’t God have used the process of evolution as the way that he created the earth?

Answer: When I was a new believer in Christ, I had some very strong feelings about the issue of evolution. Much as you have expressed, I believed that evolution and the account of the Bible about creation could exist along side of each other very well. I just didn’t see what the big argument was all about. I had some friends who had been studying the Bible much longer than I had who saw it differently. But they didn’t push me or argue with me, they simply challenged me to take some time to look into the facts and study the issues carefully. I’ll always appreciate them for that, because this was an issue that I had to really think through. Eventually, I came to the conclusion, through my study of the Bible and science, that the two positions of evolution and creation just could not fit together. There are some real problems with the idea that God created through evolution.

Charles, why do you bash Christians now? Your bigotry is there for all 2 see.