Category: Culture
How Smithsonian Institution Pressured the California Science Center
In my previous post in this series about the California Science Center (CSC), we saw that the CSC might not have rented its facilities to a pro-intelligent design (ID) group like the American Freedom Alliance (AFA) had they known about “the nature of the groups involved.” At the same time that the CSC learned that a pro-ID group had booked its facilities, on the other side of the country, head staff at the Smithsonian Institution were outraged that one of their affiliates was allowing a pro-ID event. The Smithsonian’s Chief Spokesperson, Linda St. Thomas, was so upset about CSC’s rental to a pro-ID group that she asked the Smithsonian’s Director of Affiliates, Harold Closter, to send a “cease and desist” Read More ›
Reading Never Let Me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro’s book, Never Let Me Go, is now a film. The book is an excellent narrative that forces the reader to ask “What does it mean to be human?”
Are God and Darwin Compatible?
Can you be an orthodox Darwinist and an orthodox theist? The plain answer is “no,” according to God and Evolution, an important new book coming out this fall. The book provides a thorough examination of the conflict between belief in God and Darwin’s theory of unguided evolution. In the century and a half since Charles Darwin first proposed his theory, Christians, Jews, and other religious believers have grappled with how to make sense of it. Most have understood that Darwin’s theory and materialistic theories of the origin of life have profound theological implications, but their responses have varied dramatically. Some have rejected evolutionary ideas outright; others, often called “theistic evolutionists,” have sought to reconcile materialist theories including Darwinism with their Read More ›
Actions Speak Louder: Exposing Kirk Fitzhugh’s Denial of Suppressing Freedom of Thought on Intelligent Design
After reviewing the severe misconceptions that Natural History Museum of LA County (NHMLAC) scientist Kirk Fitzhugh has about the theory of intelligent design, we come to the California Science Center and its decision to cancel the screening of Darwin’s Dilemma. In that decision, Kirk Fitzhugh played no direct role but he did participate in the correspondence surrounding it. On October 15, under the subject heading “DI spin,” John Long e-mailed Fitzhugh about attending the rescheduled American Freedom Alliance event on October 25. He wrote: “I enjoy reading your commentary on the ID issues. Will catch you feeding the leeches on Sat night.” Kirk Fitzhugh replied — without protesting John Long’s description of ID proponents as “leeches” but merely pointing out Read More ›
Darwin’s Legacy: Scientific Breakthrough or Breakdown?
On Thursday, October 28 the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History will host a panel discussion exploring the impact of Darwin’s theory on eugenics and scientific racism: Darwin’s Legacy: Scientific Breakthrough or Breakdown? Currently the museum is exhibiting LUCY: The Story of Human Origins, which explores the use of anthropologic findings and fossil casts, and The Genographic Project Exhibition that explores the use of genetic/DNA scientific techniques in understanding the origins of humankind. The Wright Museum describes itself as the world’s largest institution dedicated to the African American experience. So, because the exhibit pays homage to Darwinian evolution, it shouldn’t be surprising that they would want to also look at the impact Darwin’s theory has had over the Read More ›