Karen Armstrong has an interesting article in the Guardian about the connections between the administration's actions concerning science. My perceptions of why Mr. Bush does what he does is no secret and I think that her article deserves to be read and discussed throughout the country by patriots of all political and religious stripes and whether or not agree with her theological stance.
Dr. Armstrong is an expert on religious history and I don't think her conclusions ought to be dismissed out of hand. She notes in part that:
"The fundamentalists' rejection of science is deeply linked to their apocalyptic vision. Even the relatively sober ID theorists segue easily into Rapture-speak. "Great shakings and darkness are descending on Planet Earth," says the ID philosopher Paul Nelson, "but they will be overshadowed by even more amazing displays of God's power and light. Ever the long-term strategist, YHVH is raising up a mighty army of cutting-edge Jewish End-time warriors."
UPDATE! The other Paul, Paul Nelson is not the source of the previous quote. See this discussion. The original source is here.
This misquotation has created its own controversy. More to come!!! Paul
They all condemn the attempt to reform social ills. When applied socially, evolutionary theory "leads straight to all the woes of modern life", says the leading ID ideologue Philip Johnson: homosexuality, state-backed healthcare, divorce, single-parenthood, socialism and abortion. All this, of course, is highly agreeable to the Bush administration, which is itself selectively leery of science. It has, for example, persistently ignored scientists' warnings about global warming. Why bother to implement the Kyoto treaty if the world is about to end? Indeed, some fundamentalists see environmental damage as a positive development, because it will hasten the apocalypse."
We already know from history that rejecting science for the sake of religious dogma is bad for both science and religion. I just hope we aren't about to find out first hand just how bad this can be for civilization.
Other links:
Bush's fondness for fundamentalism is courting disaster at home and abroad
Bill Moyer's Interview with Karen Armstrong
Karen Armstrong's Path to Light
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1 comment:
Fundamentalism is great for people who don't like to think, read, or question. This sums up Bushie quite nicely. Science is intimidating to them - isn't it easier not to worry because we'll all be whisked up to heaven soon anyway? Sad the terrible name they're giving Christianity in general. I seriously doubt Jesus would agree with saying "screw the planet and everyone on it."
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