Entries for October 2009

In this post, Eugenie C. Scott, executive director of the National Center for Science Education, critiques creationist Ray Comfort's new, antievolution version of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species. The NCSE is the leading group promoting and defending the teaching of evolution in public schools. This is part of a debate in which I've asked Comfort and Scott to give me their perspective. And just a reminder: Neither God & Country nor U.S. News necessarily endorses their views. -Dan Gilgoff

By Eugenie C. Scott, Ph.D.

Ray Comfort and I agree that "science is a wonderful discipline, to which we are deeply indebted." We agree that it would be nice for students to get a free copy of Darwins best-known book, On the Origin of Species. I'll even go further than he might: The Origin —like Shakespeare and the Bible—should be on every educated person's bookshelf. If you don't understand evolution, you can't be considered scientifically literate. And we agree that students should read the Origin thoroughly.

Unfortunately, it will be hard to thoroughly read the version that Comfort will be distributing on college campuses in November. The copy his publisher sent me is missing no fewer than four crucial chapters, as well as Darwin's introduction. Two of the omitted chapters, Chapters 11 and 12, showcase biogeography, some of Darwin's strongest evidence for evolution. Which is a better explanation for the distribution of plants and animals around the planet: common ancestry or special creation? Which better explains why island species are more similar to species on the mainland closest to them, rather than to more distant species that share a similar environment? The answer clearly is common ancestry. Today, scientists continue to develop the science of biogeography, confirming, refining, and extending Darwin's conclusions.

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

A policeman removes crime scene tape from the entrance to the underground parking garage at the Adat Yeshurun Valley Sephardic Orthodox Synagogue in Los Angeles's North Hollywood, where two men arriving for morning prayers were shot and injured yesterday. The men were hospitalized and are in good condition. Police say that there is no evidence the shooting was a hate crime but that the motive is still under investigation.

When I blogged recently about a new, pro-creationism edition of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species—complete with a rebuttal to the theory of evolution—the responses poured in. "I'm a little concerned," the communications director for the National Center for Science Education wrote me in an E-mail, "that some stuff—such as Ray Comfort's version of On the Origin of Species—gets coverage but no critical commentary."

So I invited the head of the National Center for Science Education, the leading organization promoting and defending the teaching of evolution in public schools, to debate Ray Comfort, author of the new Origin, here on God & Country.

Here's the first post from Comfort, explaining his new book, which he plans to distribute in the tens of thousands on college campuses. I'll post a rebuttal from NCSE Executive Director Eugenie Scott later today. Next week, I'll put up a follow-up post from each. And just a reminder: Neither God & Country nor U.S. News necessarily endorses their views. - Dan Gilgoff

Why I Published a New Origin
By Ray Comfort

When I discovered that the famous On the Origin of Species was public domain, I decided to publish it myself and write an Introduction and give away copies of the book to university students, in honor of the book's 150th year of publication.

But when Kirk Cameron (my TV cohost on The Way of the Master) and I produced a short video clip explaining what I wanted to do and posted it online, we kicked a hornet's nest. A big one. 

Why are many atheists so angry? Why are they talking about book burnings, threatening to resist the giveaway and rip out the Introduction, etc.? Why was richarddawkins.net encouraging people to collect copies and rip out the Introduction? Professor Dawkins himself said that even though "a lot of people seem to be very worried about this," he wasn't at all worried. Why did he then tell Toronto university students to tear out the Introduction? There have been more than 140 different editions of On the Origin of Species, many with special Introductions, so what's the big deal with this one? If I am (as Professor Dawkins says) "an ignorant fool," why are so many feeling threatened by what I've written? Surely, the Introduction will be ignorance and foolishness, and simply confirm the students' presuppositions that intelligent design isn't worthy of even a first look.

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

Though J Street is dismissing a Jerusalem Post story on the group's college arm deciding to drop "pro-Israel" from its slogan, the newspaper is standing by its story.

In a follow-up to her original story, the newspaper's Washington bureau chief changes her tune slightly, asserting that the group has decided to exclude "pro-Israel" from its messaging, not from its official slogan, as she originally reported:

Following controversy in some quarters of the Jewish community over the decision of the J Street U student board not to include "pro-Israel" in its messaging, J Street sent out statements this week affirming the organization's commitment to Israel.

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

"They believe that they have all the answers and the rest of us who are people of faith have none. Let them make that case in the political arena and see how far they would get."

—Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, addressing the perpetrators of this week's deadly bombing in Pakistan during her visit to Islamabad.

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

(AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano)

Pope Benedict XVI meets Ali Akbar Naseri, Iran's new ambassador to the Vatican, earlier today. The pope is calling on Iranian authorities to let Catholics freely practice their faith. Roman Catholics and other religious minorities in Iran reportedly face government intimidation.

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

The most interesting bit I picked up about J Street in reporting on its inaugural conference this week: The liberal Jewish group is not seeking to influence President Obama's Middle East policy. Rather, it wants to give him the political cover to pursue strategies in the region that he has already articulated, including restarting Israeli/Palestinian peace talks, insisting that Israel freeze settlements, and negotiating with Iran.

"Our primary mission is to open up political space," Jeremy Ben-Ami, J Street's executive director, told me yesterday. "There has not been a political base of support for these positions, and our mission is to open space for policymakers to pursue what they know is right for America."

Translation: J Street wants to give the Obama administration Jewish political cover as more-hawkish Jewish groups voice skepticism or outright opposition to the president's approach to Israel. Ben-Ami and his supporters want to counter the impression that all American Jews endorse everything Israel does.

Remind you of anyone?