The Duluth News Tribune is supposed to be the number one newspaper in the Northlands of Minnesota. Or at least, that is what they say. Over 4 million people visited their web site in August 2011. That’s a lot of visits. Earlier today, the Duluth News Tribune, ironically (go look up “Tribune”) posted a letter to the editor chastising an earlier run piece from the Washington Post that confused Presidential Candidate Rick Perry’s belief in creationism with a belief in “Young Earth Creationism.”
The letter written by Dan Erickson says:
… Parker insisted that because Gov. Rick Perry believes in creationism he has abandoned reason. Parker’s argument seems deficient in just that. She acknowledged Perry’s statement that he “is not sure anyone knows how old the Earth is,†but then she implied that because Perry is a creationist he thinks the Earth was created only 6,500 years ago. She seemed ignorant of the debate between young-Earth and old-Earth creationists. The latter believe the Earth may indeed be 4.5 billion years old, as Parker apparently does, while the former are convinced it is less than 10,000 years old.
OMG Duluth News Tribune! Are you actually giving space to an argument over whether Old Earth or New Earth creationism is more real? Do you also have any column inches dedicated to the age old question of whether Bigfoot and Yeti are the same species or two different species? About whether the aliens that abduct humans and perform experiments on them are the same ones that fly around in saucer-shaped craft or a different group?
The opinion piece is here. It does not seem to have a comment section, but you can express your opinion as to whether or not supposedly mainstream newspapers should stoop this low to get material to the Editors. Please do!
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“Whether Rick Perry would make a good president is something I am still pondering. I prefer, however, to have a president who is convinced human beings are created in the image of a good and gracious God rather than to have one who believes we are nothing more than a cosmic accident. I don’t think I’ve abandoned reason to reach that conclusion.”
Mmmm. So many thought-threads to pick at…A thread-rich environment….I’ll take:
Straw Man #1:
“ …rather than have [a president] who believes we are nothing more than a cosmic accident.” Yes, excellent point. Who wants a president who thinks we’re all just cosmic dust and random explosions and science reason logic publications peer-review? The fact that we’re here, thinking deep thoughts must mean that this couldn’t have happened accidentally, during four and a half billion years of ‘evolution’. Clearly, if we were made accidentally we would have accidental thoughts. So, it must have happened the other way, with the invisible, man-made, imagined, magical Creator. And so, also, the non-existent cosmic atheist president is a nitwit for thinking accident thoughts.
Deep Reflections:
“Whether Rick Perry would make a good president is something I am still pondering.
Understood! Let us know when you have Reached A Decision! Your Faithful Creationist World Awaits!
Unintended Humor:
I don’t think I’ve abandoned reason to reach that conclusion.
Well, now, let’s check your work. Careful explanations about the developing school of creationist thought; diplomatic portrayals of the logic of young v old: an avid, spongey purposefulness in sopping up whatever brain-puke is nearest (reason uninvited). Describing a non-existent entity/thought experiment as a ‘good and gracious God’: alliteration functioning as a ‘thought-stopper’ (environment hostile to reason). Preferring the ‘good’ God you just made up to that crappy, other God you just made up: consistency of magical thinking (reason hostile to environment). Correct, you did not abandon reason to reach your conclusion.
Truly entertaining many thanks, I do think your trusty followers might probably want more blog posts like that continue the good effort.