According to yesterday’s Washington Post, there seem to be some ties forming between the Turkish creationists, headed by Harun Yahya (aka Adnan Oktar), and the Disco ‘Tute. This is truly an unholy alliance, reminiscent of the collaboration between fundamentalist Christians and Israeli Jews to breed a perfect red heifer, whose appearance is deemed by some essential for both rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem and the second coming of Christ. This alliance is pretty bizarre, for both parties surely realize that though they’re united in opposing evolution, they differ in far more fundamental ways about their plans for the world.
To many Turkish scientists and educators, this [the spread of creationism] is a worrisome development. The founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, was an advocate of science, education and, some say, even evolution. Turkish science has been especially strong in the Muslim world. If Turks close their minds to evolutionary thinking, advocates say, it won’t be long before religion and politics shut off other scientific pursuits.
To John Morris, president of the Institute for Creation Research in Dallas, however, the news could hardly be more encouraging.
“Why I’m so interested in seeing creationism succeed in Turkey is that evolution is an evil concept that has done such damage to society,” said Morris, a Christian who has led several searches for Noah’s Ark in eastern Turkey. Members of his group have addressed Turkish conferences numerous times.
The Discovery Institute of Seattle, which researches and promotes intelligent design as an alternative to creationism and evolution, also sent speakers to Turkey after being invited by the Istanbul municipal government in 2007. President Bruce Chapman said the institute helped bring Turkish evolution critic Mustafa Akyol to a 2005 Kansas school board hearing on teaching critiques of evolution.
h/t: Hempenstein
It is not surprising the malicious and lying people seek each other out.
Hey, if you’re looking for backward-thinking science denial, you just have to go with whoever agrees with you.
Anyway, which is worse, the DI consorting with the likes of Yahya, or Islamists picking up dishonesty tips from Stephen Meyer and Jonathan Wells?
Fortunately, it doesn’t look good for either side, and, if YECs exit the “big tent” for good, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were due to such unholy (literally in this case) alliances.
Glen Davidson
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p
And in the near future, scientists might also have to be wary of the Roman Catholic Church. There are at least some very disquieting signs that the current pope is closer to supporting ID than his predecessor. And then, I stumbled upon this:
http://headlinebistro.typepad.com/headlinebistro/2009/10/a-upcoming-scientific-conference-plans-to-defeat-darwin.html
So, a Vatican university is preparing to host a “scientific conference” with the goal of “defeating” Darwin… What does it remind us of, again?
🙁
Yeesh! In Pittsburgh, at least, Duquesne University, whose full name is Duquesne University of the Holy Ghost, has no such agenda and is active in sponsoring Darwin Day each year. They’ve been doing double duty this year, having had events in the Feb timeframe as well: http://www.sepa.duq.edu/darwin/index.shtml
Good for the Duquesne Uni! And it seems that the catholic creationists who are holding the conference in Rome are actually a bunch of kooks with too much money, not really affiliated with the RCC, even if they are trying to look like they are:
http://sendaianonymous.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/i-am-the-queen-of-links-all-shall-love-me-and-despair-catholic-church-and-evolution/
Funny how they keep saying ID is about science, but they keep making slip-ups like these that show how much their problem with evolution is religious.
As Isaac Asimov might have said to Kurt Vonnegut: “It’s a match made in Heaven!”
Actually, Disco institute tried to work with one of Yahya’s former disciples, Akyol. However Akyol now seems to have backed away from ID (he is now a fine-tuner). Yahya on the other hand hates ID – partly because of his early messy split with Akyol. He even links ID proponents with the free masons (hey – why not?). But Uncommon Descent’s Denise O’Leary, nevertheless, likes the intellectual quality of Yahya’s work.
Irene, yikes, that conference looks scary!
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