Darwin's Deadly Legacy, the program that Coral Ridge Ministries is airing this weekend that supposedly links Hitler to Darwin, is beginning to look like a public relations catastrophe for the organization. First Francis Collins repudiated the show, then the ADL put the hammer down, and now another of the "featured guests" is distancing himself from the content. Andrew Arensburger wrote to Michael Behe to find out about his contribution, and got this reply:
I'm "associated" with it only in the sense that a clip of my appearance on a TV show of Dr. Kennedy's from years ago apparently is used in the film. I didn't know this program was in the works, have had no conversations with anyone from Coral Ridge about it, and had no input into it.
This looks more and more like a pastiche of generic creationist interviews slapped together to prop up a weak thesis.
32 Comments
Richiyaado · 24 August 2006
Behe's distancing himself from the CRM show the way Sgt. Schultz distanced himself from the Nazis:
"I know nothink! NOTHINK!"
(Not a bad motto for the whole ID movement.)
khan · 24 August 2006
Any idea why Coulter is no longer on the list?
arensb · 24 August 2006
As far as I can tell, she is still on the list. At least, she's on the experts page, and appeared in the preview as of a few hours ago.
bill Farrell · 24 August 2006
Behe who?
Scientifically he's insignificant, or less.
He's been disavowed by his own department.
He's not published.
Who gives a rat's ass what Behe thinks? He's still giving lectures on mousetraps? Does he have a grant from Orkin, or whar?
Note I did not play the cheap Kitzmiller card where Behe advocated Astrology as a valid scientific pursuit.
So, in sympathy, please send all your used tin foil to Behe, Lehigh University, Nut House, Penn.
Timcol · 24 August 2006
Behe is so well regarded by his colleagues in Department of Biological Science at Lehigh that they even make special mention of him on the home page of their web site (http://www.lehigh.edu/%7Einbios/news/evolution.htm)
Here's an excerpt:
"The department faculty, then, are unequivocal in their support of evolutionary theory, which has its roots in the seminal work of Charles Darwin and has been supported by findings accumulated over 140 years. The sole dissenter from this position, Prof. Michael Behe, is a well-known proponent of "intelligent design." While we respect Prof. Behe's right to express his views, they are his alone and are in no way endorsed by the department. It is our collective position that intelligent design has no basis in science, has not been tested experimentally, and should not be regarded as scientific."
Sounds like he has done a fine job influencing his immediate peers, no?
demallien · 24 August 2006
duh, it's quote mining gone video. Nothing to see here people, move along! :-)
elbogz · 24 August 2006
Ann is still listed on the website
What I don't understand is why the decent people of this country don't stand up and tell Ann Coulter ******censored******
Sir_Toejam · 25 August 2006
J-Dog · 25 August 2006
If Behe has ANY credibility and balls left he will also demand that he not appear on this show, just like Francis Collins did.
Robert · 25 August 2006
Any idea why Coulter is no longer on the list?
She's conflicted.
She knows she hates evolution, but isn't sure she's ready to give up on the Nazis yet....
RBH · 25 August 2006
entlord · 25 August 2006
Evidently, the program has already been released to Christian radio stations. Driving in today, I found Dr Kennedy's "Darwin to Hitler" program on 2 stations.
Dr Kennedy actually takes "Darwinism" past Hitler as he explains that Darwin led to situation ethics, teaching humans are just "naked apes", mere animals. He then connects Darwinism to the Columbine shootings, quoting something about natural selection, supposedly from Klebold's website.
Coulter is talking on this program about the "fraud of fossils". Dr Kennedy seems to think there were no massacres until Darwin appeared to disrupt the peaceful Christian world and his emphasis on man instead of God laid the groundwork for Naziism and is still at work in schools today as teens who are taught evolution either end up butchering their classmates or committing suicide.
The amazing thing is that people really buy into this stuff, evidently. No wonder science education has been on the skids for so long.
JB · 25 August 2006
Wait a minute!
Hitler really DID believe in the survival of the fittest, and promoted the Aryan race as superior to all others, much as the racist, sexist Victorian elitist believed the British Empire was the high point of civilization.
Mr Christopher · 25 August 2006
Based on the Behe quotes in this post it doesn't sound like he is distancing himself at all from this video, it sounds more like he was just clairfying that he was not aware of his inclusion nor was he consulted. That is not the same as putting it at an "arms length" or suggesting he did not want to be included.
Seems awful DIish of PT to suggest Behe is distancing himself from it based on the quote you give. To say "I was not aware of it" is not the same as "I am opposed to it" or "I do not support it". It seems overly optomistic of you to suggest Behe is somehow not pleased with the content of the video simply because he was not consulted or made aware.
Are there more Behe quotes on the subject that actually demonstrate he is/was opposed to being included?
Don't get me wrong, I think Behe is a wingnut and he'd be wise to publicly run for cover concerning his inclusion in this video, but you have not demonstrated anything close to Behe actually having any objections to it so stating that he is putting it at an arms length seems like something the DI would do.
Chris
Sheikh_Mahandi · 25 August 2006
To JB.
Yes much as the Romans with their empire believed that they were superior and had a right to enslave others and take their land, goods, etc. Much as non-native Americans believed that they were superior and had the right to supress, steal from, kill the natives (a process begun well before Darwin), much as Louis (St Louis) believed that Cathars should be killed en-masse, yep Charlie sure started something there (that last statement is to be treated as ironic BTW).
Mr Christopher · 25 August 2006
I went and read Andrew's piece on this and I don't see anything in the email sent to him from Behe that suggests he is distancing himself from this dihonest charade. He only states he was not consulted and was not informed of it. That is a far cry from putting something at an arms length. Someone should write Behe and specifically ask if he wishes to distance himself from it.
Again, and no offense, but based on Behe's comments in the email, saying Behe does not approve or is putting it at an arms length or distancing himelf in any way smacks of a DI pr tactic.
Perhaps I am interpretin his email wrong? Either way, a clarification from Behe would be highly appropriate I think before PT claims him as one of our own (someone who thinks the video is a stinker).
Chris
Darth Robo · 25 August 2006
JB said:
"Wait a minute!
Hitler really DID believe in the survival of the fittest, and promoted the Aryan race as superior to all others, much as the racist, sexist Victorian elitist believed the British Empire was the high point of civilization."
(yawn). If we pretend you even know or care about what you're talking about, doesn't this statement mean we can blame Hitler for Hitler's badness? You don't have to answer, I don't expect to hear anything educational from you.
Just curious though, are you the same 'JB' that was banned once from pandas HERE? :
http://www.pandasthumb.org/archives/2006/08/wherein_the_di.html
Michael Suttkus, II · 25 August 2006
fnxtr · 25 August 2006
Game, set, and match, Michael. Well done.
'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank · 25 August 2006
Peter Henderson · 25 August 2006
Wasn't there anti-semitism long before Darwin ?:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_anti-Semitism
'Rev Dr' Lenny Flank · 25 August 2006
And why is it that Hitler never mentions "Darwin " or "evolution" or "natural selection" anywhere in _Mein Kampf_?
And who the heck is this "God" and "Creator" that he keeps talking about?
Doc Bill · 25 August 2006
So, let me get this straight.
ID has no science.
ID has no scientists.
ID has lost every court case.
ID has been kicked out of school boards.
ID is taught in no university on the Planet.
ID has no research program anywhere.
ID has no publications.
ID has no current textbook since Casey says "Pandas" is old.
ID has nothing to show.
OK, so ID is at rock bottom and it's only hope is to grasp the coat tails of Nazis?
Does this mean that ID gave a pass to the Raeleans or are they next if the Nazis don't pan out?
Darth Robo · 25 August 2006
Dude Lenny wrote:
"Not to mention that Hitler's very idea of a "genetically pure master race" is, in biological terms, a monoculture --- and any dolt who understands the most rudimentary basis of evolution knows that a monoculture is the WEAKEST form of biological population , and that successful evolution demands genetic VARIABILITY if a species is not to go extinct."
Exactly. Evolution requires genetic DIVERSITY, Eugenics was about genetic PURITY. Problem is, although this has been pointed out MANY times to fundies in the past (I'm convinced they ignore the links that people have provided for them), if I remember rightly, it was Darwin's cousin who came up with the idea for eugenics, so as far as creationists are concerned, they can still blame Darwin for Hitler, even though Darwin rejected it.
Anonymous_Coward · 26 August 2006
wamba · 26 August 2006
Peter Henderson · 26 August 2006
H. Humbert · 26 August 2006
This is on CBN right now in Washington D.C. I flipped past the show as a clip of Coulter, spewing some falsehood or other, was playing. I couldn't actually stomach the program for more than a few seconds.
There should be a way to sue a program for being libelous to science.
LackOfDiscipline · 27 August 2006
I saw the program. More of the same nonsense we've been hearing for decades; no facts, no balance, plenty of unsupported assertions and fear-mongering. Plenty of holocaust imagery.
Darwin->Hitler
Darwin->Columbine
Well, as I understand it, Darwin studied theology before he became a naturalist, so I guess we can apply the brilliant logical standards utilized in the program and say
Jesus->Darwin->Hitler
or whatever.
It's amazing what you can prove when you don't need to use evidence. Especially if the target audience has been naturally selected for centuries to unquestioningly accept the babblings of religious authority.
Sir_Toejam · 27 August 2006
Peter Henderson · 31 August 2006
Here's a good review of the programme:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_walter_c_060827_crackpot_christianit.htm
Ian · 1 November 2006
Hey how come you, or most of you are so mad at Michael Behe? Maybe its because he has raised a significant issue? I thought scientists were supposed to be open minded. All I am hearing is the type of condescension i've heard all my life, "how dare anyone ever, EVER question evolution!!" Zeik Heil Dudes!