Chapter Eleven; CONGRATULATIONS CHARLES DARWIN part forty

2009 was the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin birth and also the 150th anniversary of the publishing of On The Origins of Species In 1859. In The United Kingdom the Royal Mint has issued a commemorative two pound coin with the struck pose of Darwin on the right facing across from a portrayal of chimpanzee. On the front of the coin is, of course, the portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The coin is issued in a limited edition and you may be able to order on from the website listed below. xxxvii

I also have a Darwin 2009 t-shirt that I wore the last time I saw Richard Dawkins at Queens College in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 14, 2009. I got the t-shirt when I first saw Dawkins at The University of Oklahoma in Norman, OK on March 6, 2009. It has been good to see so many positive commemorations of the publication of Darwin's pivotal work. I have yet to get the ￡2 coin from the UK or the ￡10 pound note. I would like to get them both and have them mounted in a display case. But I digress.

However, when I last saw Dawkins, he mentioned something about the commemoration of the 150th year of On the Origins of Species that intelligent design or creationist Ray Comfort was publishing. This seemed rather odd to me. Ray Comfort has printed the keystone work of Darwin. A person that in almost every thing I have seem him produce is in polar opposition to this work of Darwin and evolution. Not to mention the scientific method as well.

The book has a nice cover on it and has a beautiful picture of Darwin on it. It says it is a 150th anniversary issue of the book and at the bottom it says with a special introduction by Ray Comfort. I find this odd but I have not yet read Mr. Comfort's text so I will not comment on that. But what I will say is that Comfort has took ever opportunity he possible can to try to make evolution seem less than factual. The ID advocate has failed in every example he has tried. I am not sure if Comfort is actually convince by these stories he is telling or that he doesn't understand the basic concepts of the science involved in the continual support of the Theory of Evolution or if he really is mentally sick and needs medication, what ever the reason it has clouded his ability to reason and process factual information. It is strange that the person that is one of the most opposed to the ideas and concepts of Darwin's natural selection would spend the money and time to publish the book, according to his website, word for word with only an addition to the beginning of the book.

Adding his comment to the beginning of the book may be to keep Comfort from actually reading the work Darwin put out 150 years ago. I have a feeling there are not going to be many reference such as “refer to page such and such for an example”. But I may be wrong about that. It seems a diluted mind never goes to waste. When the launch date for the book was set on April 22, 2010, I went to Washington University to try to get my hands on the free book. I figured I should be able to have one just as much as the other people around there. But after several contacts in the biological sciences I found out that the book had been distributed the day before, ahead of the announced date for the distribution to occur. Seems that Ray Comfort was willing to add his words to Darwin’s work but was not willing to keep his word to the public as to when the books would be passed out.
xxxvii http://www.royalmint.com/store/BritishBase/D09E.aspx

Coming Next Time;

MORALITY AND MANKIND part forty-one

Chapter Five; WHAT GOOD IS CHURCH THEN? part fifteen

Many skeptics, including atheists, agnostics or other non-believers , have found themselves asking, if God is not real, what is the purpose for churches in the natural world. Some non-believers don't really care. But, it is a question that must be addressed. Churches do exist and have a purpose, as I discussed earlier.

One of the most compelling uses for a church is a s an indoctrination center for the children. A church community can help form like experiences, to draw on for spirit de corps and motivation to adhere to certain mores and conditions. It also provides a point of communal identity. I am a Lutheran, I am a Methodist, I am a Pentecostal, I am Catholic, so on and so forth. It provides a sense of identity among other believers and the community at large.

Recently, I took a tour of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina and the Graham family home. It was a nice facility and set on the Billy Graham Parkway as one would make ones way to the airport in Charlotte. As one drives into the area a security guard greets you and hands you a parking pass and says, “We've been expecting you.” which of course I find odd as I didn't even know I would actually be going there for sure. But what can you say about a gimmick.

I drove in and parked near the front. Most of the day and during the week, the weather was misty, so not many people were visiting. I took a brief, outside tour to look at the different signs. I also took a short walk to his wife Ruth Graham's graveside. It was at the graveside that I discovered that she was born in China. I found that interesting. At the time she was born, her parents were missionaries to China.

At the main entrance, a vast atrium inside the building welcomes the visitor and it was built to resemble a barn. It did indeed have a big ceiling. A gentleman greeted me and asks if I had been to the library before. I told him I had not. He said I should watch a short video, and then follow the automatic doors for the rest of the tour. Before the video, I encountered a talking cow. I just had to get a picture. A talking cow was in line with the impossible things that religious adherents seem to believe. As I slowly perused around the library, I noticed recreations of Graham’s work; a tent revival in the late 1940s to his early work on the radio and then television. There was also an area dedicated to his wife and her participation in his work. The Library was much more a museum than a library as it had many items on display and the rooms were set up like exhibitions I really doubt that an average person could come in and handle an item much less check something out to take and return with them.

Finally, the depictions progressed to the world wide tours and crusades that were more well known. Television increased Graham’s visibility in the world. By this time, Graham was spending time with celebrities, and presidents. He grew in popularity and prominence. One room held awards that he received, such as: the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the Congressional Medal of Honor, not to mention a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. I found these particular items most distressing, since Graham had done little to help people, but become more self deluded with a fairy story of the sand people of the Middle East. I couldn't image what he had possibly done for my country or for the United Kingdom to deserve such awards. I did, of course, read the citations. The awards really did nothing other say show Graham made a contribution to improving the nation or human condition. I guess you don't turn down such honors, even if you don't deserve them.

We see that from President Obama and his Nobel Peace Prize. At least President Obama is in the position to be able to make effective change to earn his award. I would say, Billy Graham should have to spend the rest of his days taking care of the needy or helping to encourage educational opportunities for those that are in need. And leave the work of God, to God.

With Billy Graham being one of the most respected persons in the Christian realm one would think that his focus would have been upon the needs of the people instead of the growth of his "empire." If the people that follow Jesus do not even "Feed my sheep" as Jesus says, What good is the church anyway? It shows no reason for purpose other that to self perpetuate their own venial agenda.  What purpose would a none believer have to turn toward this religion if the only thing they are concerned about is their own religious perpetuation? When the human good versus the self serving efforts, there is little room for doubt that churches and religious adherents do little to serve the good of humanity. Without the tangible proof of the existence of any supernatural being, the agenda of the adherents should be to show this proof, conclusively and to care for humanity, regardless of their beliefs.

When I think about what good church is I see wasted opportunities, the teaching of ignorance as fact and the immoral indoctrination of children for starters. Religious person are intolerant and blame their dogma, they are exclusionary and blame their faith, they are vindictive and blame their ignorance of their own spiritual text. By blame I mean they rather say they are tolerant yet say God doesn't want this or the Bible says that about persons that do not share their dogmatic belief.

These feelings are encouraged by popular speakers such as Sarah Palin, Glen Beck, Dick Armey, Michelle Bachman and others that continue to spray their ignorance and intolerance about people that they have no concern with yet turn their backs on their fellow American and human. This mix of politics and religion has always proved to be a dangerous mix throughout human history.