Zimmerman: Writer (Wells) missed point of Evolution Sunday

Posted 8 February 2007 by PvM

In the Yale Daily news, Michael Zimmerman responds to some of the more outrageous misunderstandings by Discovery Institute's Jonathan Wells, author of the infamous (and wrong) Icons Of Evolution. In a historical repetition it seems that Wells got few of the details right. Seems that the DI is truly concerned about the impact of Evolution Sunday and the Clergy Letter.

11 Comments

k.e. · 8 February 2007

Seems that the DI is truly concerned about the impact of Evolution Sunday and the Clergy Letter.

...well of course. When funding for your nice comfortable job as paid culture warrior is dependent upon market share, anything that clearly demonstrates your failure is bound to cause heartburn. Funding may decide to get someone who can make more headway. The very last thing the DI wants to be talking about is how they successfully brought tens of thousands clergy out on the street and mention Darwin in a positive light. OR WORSE made Darwin and evolution into a religious festival proclaimed from the pulpit! What a success story,spend ...I estimate about $2,000,000 to $3,000,000 PER YEAR since 1990 or around $40,000,000 give or take a few percent and all they achieved was getting creationism laughed out of the big tent and Darwin on the lips of everyone left inside. Can you imagine the Annual General Meeting? ...ah sir...... the graphs are one their sides...oh yeah (blush)

Jedidiah Palosaari · 8 February 2007

Wells states in his letter that the vast majority of Americans reject "Darwinism" because it's scientifically false and because it doesn't fit with the "central tenets of Christianity". While that statement is blatantly inaccurate, it's good to see once again Wells and the DI stating their true agenda and making their motives explicit. If a theory doesn't fit with Christianity (or one's interpretation thereof), it must be false.

Joe McFaul · 9 February 2007

What does Jonathan Wells care about what Christians do? He's a moonie isn't he?

Sir_Toejam · 9 February 2007

Joe, think "big tent"; in this case the moonies want to paint themselves as being in the same tent as the YEC's.

still, it's always good to remind readers exactly what specific lunatic fringe Wells hails from.

...and that the good Rev himself funded Wells stint as an MCB grad student at Berkeley.

I seriously wonder (among many like myself who were there at the time), whether Wells ever would have been accepted without that huge monetary backing.

Bob Cornwall · 9 February 2007

Thanks Michael for offering such a cogent response. Too bad that this is necessary!

RB · 9 February 2007

Toejam,
I am not sure Wells' stint at Berkely was funded my Moon. I thought if anything it was his stint at Yale theological seminary.

ben · 9 February 2007

I am not sure Wells' stint at Berkely was funded by Moon. I thought if anything it was his stint at Yale theological seminary.

From wikipedia:

Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church funded Wells' graduate studies
"Father's [Sun Myung Moon's] words, my studies, and my prayers convinced me that I should devote my life to destroying Darwinism, just as many of my fellow Unificationists had already devoted their lives to destroying Marxism. When Father chose me (along with about a dozen other seminary graduates) to enter a Ph.D. program in 1978, I welcomed the opportunity to prepare myself for battle." --Jonathan Wells, Darwinism: Why I Went for a Second Ph.D.

Sir_Toejam · 9 February 2007

Toejam, I am not sure Wells' stint at Berkely was funded my Moon. I thought if anything it was his stint at Yale theological seminary.

Actually, Wells himself made a point of saying who funded his various tenures in bits of autobiography he has put up about the web. I'm sure I have the link somewhere, but it shouldn't be too hard to google up if you were interested. Now, of course, Wells COULD be lying about that, but why would he? Moreover, I was there, at Berkeley, at the time, and do recall the stink his mere presence generated, although I wasn't fully aware of the reasons at the time.

Ed Darrell · 10 February 2007

What does one have to do to get a Moon grant? Does it involve selling one's soul?

Sir_Toejam · 10 February 2007

What does one have to do to get a Moon grant? Does it involve selling one's soul?

probably. also requires the recognition of Rev. Moon as the second coming of Jesus Christ. no, I'm not kidding.

Joshua Zelinsky · 13 February 2007

Regarding the Wikipedia matter, if you look at the history of the page and the talk page there is some question as to what part of Wells's education was funded by the Unification Church. There seem to be somewhat conflicting sources.