A Misconception that should be rooted out

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by JWsleep

Hmmm... and I thought this was going to be a debate over the nature of scientific theories, the role of experiment and simplicity in the defense of a materialist ontology, etc. You know, fun stuff!

But as a liberal who voted against Bush, I find this whole line of debate unproductive. Crazyhorse, this debate is just the one that Karl Rove wants you to be having. So long as it's atheist liberals against religious conservatives, we are playing the wrong game. Stalinist Russia was largely atheist, and even the most ardent liberal no longer supports that "enlightened" regime. And many great liberal thinkers have been religious--Locke, John Adams, Lincoln. It's a red herring.

The reason that many Americans do not believe in evolution is that it is tied up with a North-South post-Civil war split. Evolution was widely seen as a Northern cultural invasion, and it is wrapped up with that, and with the rise of pentecostal fundamentalism that has swept this country since the late 50's (Billy Graham) and beyond to today. The Scopes trial was not about science; it was about politics and culture.

Criticize Bush by criticizing his policies--Iraq, Stem cells, the trade gap, the budget deficit, the lack of affordable health care, the suspension of Habeas Corpus and the gutting of our basic constitutional protections, Alberto Gonzales, Scooter Libby, etc., etc., etc.

Bringing in evolution is like bringing in gay marriage--it rallies social conservatives and clouds the issues: Liberals= anti-God. That is a debate better left to liberal arts classes in college. To the extent that it gets brought into today's current debate, Karl Rove is pleased. And that is very displeasing to me.

(PS Criticizing Bush does not equal criticizing the USA as the greatest nation on Earth--in fact, being able to criticize Bush is WHY this is the greatest nation on earth. That, and the other rights guaranteed by the constitution, if Bush stops taking a scissors to it!)

Great post, and I especially agree with the last statement. I am sure many of us take that freedom for granted. I am highly critical of our leadership, but I am still grateful I have the right to be critical.