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brayton_headshot_wre_1443.jpg Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of Michigan Citizens for Science and co-founder of The Panda's Thumb. He has written for such publications as The Bard, Skeptic and Reports of the National Center for Science Education, spoken in front of many organizations and conferences, and appeared on nationally syndicated radio shows and on C-SPAN. Ed is also a Fellow with the Center for Independent Media and the host of Declaring Independence, a one hour weekly political talk show on WPRR in Grand Rapids, Michigan.(static)

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« Beck Babbles Incoherently to Couric | Main | Dumbass Quote of the Day »

Dembski Doesn't Like Blasphemy Day

Posted on: September 30, 2009 9:02 AM, by Ed Brayton

The Center for Inquiry has declared Wed, Sept. 30 to be Blasphemy Day and one of the things they're doing in relation to this day is a blasphemy contest. You can submit a poem, statement or phrase that would be considered blasphemous. Frankly, that doesn't interest me much, though I'm sure there will be at least a few clever, thought provoking entries. And I am amused that it's got Bill Dembski's panties in a bunch:

Since Darwin is their god, it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes.

It's just such an impotent and idiotic claim. No one worships Darwin, for crying out loud. I don't know of a single person who accepts or advocates evolution that treats Darwin as anything but what he was - a great scientist who developed one of the most important theories in the history of science. No one prays to him or thinks he has the power to heal. No one designs creeds or considers him infallible.

As for blasphemy day, the purpose is not merely to offend the righteous. The point is to celebrate free speech and the importance of challenging religious claims rather than accepting them on blind faith. Historically, a great many people have died and been imprisoned for the fake crime of blasphemy. Shining a spotlight on the idea can only be a good thing.

Bill Donohue doesn't like it either. Good. If either of them were okay with it, it would hardly be worth doing.

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Comments

1
Since Darwin is their god, it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes.

This quote highlights how impotent the religious are in responding to blasphemy. Blasphemy offends them to no end, but there isn't anything they can do in response. They can't blaspheme back, because they're the only one who even recognizes blasphemy as an offense.

Posted by: Wes | September 30, 2009 9:10 AM

2

If God is so powerful, how he always ends up with such ridiculous people to watch his back?

Posted by: diegopig | September 30, 2009 9:22 AM

3

"Since Darwin is their god, it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes."

Darwin was an ordinary, mortal man! Darwin made mistakes! Darwin had sex! The stories about Darwin's miracles are all lies! Darwin died and did not come back! Darwin is, even now, continuing to rot away in his grave!

... blaspheming Darwin doesn't seem very satisfying, tbh.

...... are there any stories about Darwinian miracles?

......... can we make some up?

Posted by: mad the swine | September 30, 2009 9:24 AM

4

You want it, you got it, Dembski.

Posted by: James Sweet | September 30, 2009 9:31 AM

5

There's a dumbfuck, Bill Dembski by name.
Whose evidence for GOD is quite lame.
His GOD must be happy,
cuz' when Bill's life's crappy
He gets all the credit, but none of the blame.

Oh, I almost forgot, fuck Dembski and the Deity he rode in on.

Posted by: democommie | September 30, 2009 9:38 AM

6

Dembski is so wed to his lens, he can't conceptualize having no god.

Posted by: Rich | September 30, 2009 9:43 AM

7
Since Darwin is their god, it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes.

Rather telling quote, that. I'm inclined to take it as sincere, in which case it demonstrates just how wide the gulf is between rational thinking and the Dembkopfs of the world.

I seriously doubt that they can conceive of any belief that doesn't come from supernatural revelation. (And what that says about their patriotism is a subject for another day.)

Posted by: D. C. Sessions | September 30, 2009 9:48 AM

8

"...it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes."

And this would be different how? *YAWWWWN* That's already been done, by Darwin himself. He confessed to kicking a puppy at the age of ten, and the creotards have been ooohing and ahhhing over it ever since. Unless Dumbski can come up with something worse than that (something those evil scientists have been able to cover up for about 150+ years and counting), he might as well go back to bed.

Posted by: Raging Bee | September 30, 2009 9:49 AM

9

BLASPHEMY: (n) A victimless crime.

Posted by: MarkW | September 30, 2009 9:52 AM

10
Dembski: Since Darwin is their god, it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes.
Creationists say bad things about Darwin all the time, and they certainly haven't restricted themselves to true statements, so it seems that Dembski is advocating a rollback.

Posted by: Herod the Freemason | September 30, 2009 9:53 AM

11

I hear Darwin was a bad tipper. And he never courtesy flushed.

That's all I got.

Posted by: Savagemutt | September 30, 2009 9:53 AM

12

If Dembski is so hot against Blasphemy day, maybe he should move to Britain, where they have those anti-blasphemy laws.

Of course, it would be ironic if he were arrested for saying something bad about muslims or atheists. Sorta like what happened there recently (although the story is muddled, I have to admit it's somewhat amusing).

http://www.talkrational.org/showthread.php?t=18714

Posted by: FastLane | September 30, 2009 9:55 AM

13

Finally, a holiday to coincide with my birthday, and it's one I can get behind! Except my blasphemy will be rather tame, since I'm not given to profanity...

Posted by: Squiddhartha | September 30, 2009 9:57 AM

14
Of all the strange "crimes" that human beings have legislated of nothing, "blasphemy" is the most amazing - with "obscenity" and "indecent exposure" fighting it out for the second and third place.
- Robert Heinlein

Posted by: Taz | September 30, 2009 9:58 AM

15

I think it is a great idea to add blasphemy poems etc about Darwin. Especially because nobody will be upset about it, showing even more how hollow their rhetoric is.

Posted by: Kim | September 30, 2009 10:03 AM

16

If I could go back in time and meet Darwin, he probably wouldn't view me as an intellectual colleague because I'm a woman. That's unfortunate. Therefore, I hate him and think his theory of evolution is a bunch of hooey.

Oh wait, it doesn't work that way, does it? Never mind, then.

Posted by: Gretchen | September 30, 2009 10:12 AM

17
I think it is a great idea to add blasphemy poems etc about Darwin. Especially because nobody will be upset about it, showing even more how hollow their rhetoric is.

Why not just submit boatloads of Christian material (hymns, anyone?) which are doubtless blasphemous to any good Wahabist. Then add Dembski's stated objections to blasphemy to show that he hates baby Jesus.

Posted by: D. C. Sessions | September 30, 2009 10:15 AM

18

How to combine Darwin and Blasphemy Day: Make Darwin into a god!

HA!

Posted by: Umlud | September 30, 2009 10:23 AM

19

It's not impossible that some secularists might make Darwin into such a revered figure that it could take on religious connotations. While it defeats the true nature of science, science turned scientism needs its own prophets.

Posted by: Bill in NC | September 30, 2009 10:31 AM

20

# Onward, Darwin's soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Science going on before.
Charles, the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle see His banners go!

* Refrain:
Onward, Darwin's soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Science going on before.

# At the sign of triumph Christian hosts doth flee;
On then, Darwin's soldiers, on to victory!
Church's foundations quiver at the shout of praise;
Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise.

Posted by: kehrsam | September 30, 2009 10:38 AM

21
Since Darwin is their god, it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes

Does he really think this is a problem? Does he really think this is going to offend anyone? Here, I'll have a go of it myself:

Darwin was wrong about several things, such as how heredity worked. There are things in his own field of study that I know but Darwin did not. By the standards of our time he would have been a flaming racist and sexist pig.

There. Now when is the Expelled Atheist Conspiracy going to show up to burn me at the stake?

Posted by: DaveL | September 30, 2009 10:39 AM

22

Ooooh, not impossible, such strong language, such a bold statement, such evidentiary support!

I would like to subscribe to your newsletter and any beliefs you may have about God now, can I?

Posted by: Moderately Unbalanced Squid | September 30, 2009 10:42 AM

23

Dembski:

Since Darwin is their god . . .

The willingness to just outright lie, I continue to struggle with these people's rank and continuous dishonesty and ability to continue to command a population of submissive sheeple.

Also another example of projectionism by a creationist. The rate isn't just near-100% of them doing it, it's high everytime they cover certain topics.

Posted by: Michael Heath | September 30, 2009 10:49 AM

24

This reminds me of Mahmoud Ahmadi Nejad's anti-Jew cartoon contest: he gassed on about how the Jews* who had defended the Mohammed cartoons on the ground of free speech would do everything in their power to censor his own little charade, but when the cartoons were finally submitted the reaction from Jeweish people was almost always indifference. I loved it!

* Like every good antisemite, he believes that the Jews control everything and everyone.

Posted by: Valhar2000 | September 30, 2009 11:18 AM

25

It always cracks me up when creationists call Darwin a god, or "darwinism" a religion.

If it is, then it has a few things to teach other religions, like how to not murder other 'believers' who don't worship at the darwinian altar, and how to not splinter into tens of thousands of competing sects, all believing they have the Truth™ about evolution.

Posted by: Rick R | September 30, 2009 11:20 AM

26

♫ Old man Darwin makes me weary,
'Cause his books are dry and dreary,
And besides, "It's just a theory --
It ain't good enough for me." ♫

♫ Give me that real old time religion,
Give me that real old time religion,
Give me that real old time religion,
It's good enough for me!♫

Posted by: abb3w | September 30, 2009 11:22 AM

27

The thing about "Darwin is their god" comes from countless sermons where anything not conforming to their religion is labeled a "false god." Darwin is thus one of the "other gods" who might come "before Jesus."

In a sense it is reasonable within their (unreasonable) religion, but has nothing to do with overall rational discourse. And this goes to show, once again, what a theologically-driven idea that ID is.

Dembski's crack only makes sense according to certain religious ideas, having nothing to do with the real world. Note, too, that this idea of "Darwin is their god" is what exempts a Dembski from ever honestly studying evolution, since already that would be at least flirtation with a "false god."

Dembski himself is false, through and through.

Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/mxaa3p

Posted by: Glen Davidson | September 30, 2009 11:26 AM

28

Try to point out the misogyny, slavery, and genocide in the Bible (especially the Old Testament), and most Christians will inform you that those old laws were written "for a different time" and that you can't judge those people or laws by today's standards.

Yet they have no problems pointing to a British scholar from 150 years ago, who lived during the Colonial period, accusing him of racism and sexism.

But then, they're Christians - you can't expect most of them to be honest, or apply their arguments evenly!

Posted by: sinned34 | September 30, 2009 11:29 AM

29

Darwin irked Dembski so bad
His impotence made him so sad
Nonsene "design theory"
So failed and so dreary
Makes us think the man must be mad.

<sigh> I tried one for Donohue but it was even worse.  Too much time picking apart nonsense from high-energy PhD's has put me seriously out of practice, I guess.

Posted by: Engineer-Poet | September 30, 2009 11:42 AM

30

Engineer Poet - Fuck those "high energy PhD's" why not go for one of them "low energy PhD's", or as us laymen call them, "PhD (arts)" :) [I kid, I kid]
I couldn't help of think of:
"Ol' Man Darwin,
That Ol' Man Darwin,
He must know sumptin', he don't say nuttin',
That Ol' Man Darwin he just keeps rollin' along..." - DJ

Posted by: DingoJack | September 30, 2009 12:01 PM

31

@#5: Fuck Dumbski? Are you kidding? No thanks. Let someone else fuck him. I don't want to get a bad disease!

Posted by: wotthe7734 | September 30, 2009 12:19 PM

32

Howbout:

Charles Darwin can suck my cock.

But Dembski? I wouldn't fuck him with Behe's dick!

But that's not blasphemy. It's just insult.

Blasphemy would be saying that Mary wasn't a virgin.

Oh no! How blasphemous that is! To merely contradict a miraculous claim by simple biology! How VULGAR!!!! How CRUDE!!!

Posted by: Siamang | September 30, 2009 12:41 PM

33

"Fuck Dumbski? Are you kidding? No thanks. Let someone else fuck him. I don't want to get a bad disease!"


But the real turn-off has got to be the sweaters.

Posted by: Siamang | September 30, 2009 12:44 PM

34

Ah yes, Blasphemy Day! Let's see.....

Mary had scabby knees. She was anybody's.

Jesus was a great big 'mo. Hanging out with those apostles, counting each others chest hairs and giving each other the ol' reach around. We all know, just once won't make you queer. Jesus was famous for the sermon on the mount. He gave a sermon each time.

Posted by: Rick R | September 30, 2009 12:51 PM

35

Let us prey:

Oh, Wholly Darwin
Cursed be thou
Who has given us variation
For whenever thou hast given us a Dawkins
Thou hast accursed us with a Dembski

Thy failure to relieve our intellects
From the jibes from those accursed fools
Hast shown us that thou art not so great

We beseech the to rid this world
Of the demons Dembski & Meyer & Behe
And give not Comfort to the the foolish
Nor nourishment from the haunch of Ham

If our Great Darwin fail thy evolutionists
Thou hast shewn to have been a mere mortal
And worthy of only admiring for thy genius
For divine powers, thou hast not
And never had

Ramen

Posted by: natural cynic | September 30, 2009 12:53 PM

36

I hope everyone remembers the spirit of Blasphemy Day the rest of the year. Make every day Blasphemy Day!

Posted by: JakeS | September 30, 2009 1:05 PM

37

You notice how religious people use religion as an insult?

"Atheists worship Darwin"

"It requires more faith to be an atheist than it does to believe in God"

There are many more such statements where a religious person will sneeringly call out a non-religious person by saying something to the effect, "Well, you're religious too!"

By using religion as a type of insult, they don't seem to be helping their case very much.

Posted by: Calladus | September 30, 2009 1:26 PM

38

Well, I really can't think of anything really "blasphemous" to say that's actually worth saying; except that Jesus, while he may have been part God, was also part human, and the Bible admits he was subject to the suffering, and the temptations, of the flesh, and probably some of the pleasures thereof too...and he may well have had an intimate relationship with Mary Magdalene, and probably kids too. None of that negates or in any way diminishes the validity of his teachings, or the quality of his character, of course, so you'd have to be pretty small-minded to call that "blasphemous."

Posted by: Raging Bee | September 30, 2009 1:36 PM

39

I daresay all of Darwin's attributes are "less than divine" -- and I'm pretty sure Darwin would agree.

Posted by: CJColucci | September 30, 2009 1:38 PM

40

It's lengthy, but I wrote an open letter to Bill Donohue just for the occasion. (Shameless blog-whoring, I know).

Posted by: Paul Lundgren | September 30, 2009 1:50 PM

41

By Dembski's standard, I guess this comment of mine:

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/08/15/creationists-believe-the-darndest-things/#comment-206592

would be blasphemy.

Posted by: Nemo | September 30, 2009 1:59 PM

42

The Holy Ghost is just a spook
I'd never thought I'd meet,
But when I saw she had *that* shape
I looked beneath the sheet!

"What are you doing, you silly man,
that's not for you to see!
There's room for more than one in here,
but it's limited to three!"

I turned away so saddened by
the lady I never saw.
What the three of them were doing there,
I can't even tell my Pa!

-Rusty

Posted by: minusRusty | September 30, 2009 2:40 PM

43

If GOD was real (like Dumski says)
and not a bogus bronze-age myth, then
If I say GOD's a piece of shit
that GOD would stop me typing thith

I much preferred the Greek and Roman gods - assholes who liked to drink, and dine, and play, and fuck! This Abrahamic P.O.S. is only good for fucking people up!

I can't really do blasphemy -- it only works if your heart's in it!

Posted by: tonyC | September 30, 2009 3:19 PM

44

“Joseph, I’m pregnant! Our families will stone us”!
“Mary, I’ll think of something. Wait, I know! We’ll hide in Bethlehem”.

Posted by: JRS | September 30, 2009 3:25 PM

45

It's an indication of how small minded these people are that they can't seem to accept a life without worshiping something...

Posted by: Awesome McCool | September 30, 2009 3:39 PM

46

I've always liked...

"Jesus saves...passes to Laimbeer, he's down the court! He scores!"

Posted by: Savagemutt | September 30, 2009 4:04 PM

47

Jesus saves...but Gretzky scores on the rebound.

Posted by: Paul Lundgren | September 30, 2009 4:21 PM

48

Since Darwin is their god, it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes.

Nobody is taking Dembski up on that. Nobody is submitting true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes. I wonder why. Probably not because it's irrelevant to blasphemy day, or probably not because it's idiotic on so many levels. Nah, that's probably not why. Naawwwww...

Posted by: 386sx | September 30, 2009 4:51 PM

49

Gee, I actually am surprised to see him saying that. I know he is a crackpot and all but a statement like that is what I expect from the idiots I see commenting on blogs who think that Darwin is god to evolutionists. But they always get slapped down, and like was done in previous comments here, people readily admit that Darwin was wrong on some points and by our current standards sexist, or racist (though for his time he was pretty damn progressive in some ways).

I am sure Dembski has had all this explained to him before, or has read it. Is he just willfully ignorant?

Posted by: Travis | September 30, 2009 5:00 PM

50

Travis @ 49:

I am sure Dembski has had all this explained to him before, or has read it. Is he just willfully ignorant?

No, he's also very much the village idiot.

Dembski also reminds me of markedly incompetent attorneys who attempt to hide their incompetence in legalese whereas the best attorneys I've dealt with consistently provide crystal-clear communications.

Posted by: Michael Heath | September 30, 2009 5:09 PM

51

Charles Darwin raped and murdered a girl in 1990.

Posted by: meltedrubbersoul | September 30, 2009 5:17 PM

52

dostluğun veeğlencenin tekadresi herkesi bekleriz

Posted by: sesli sohpet | September 30, 2009 5:27 PM

53

dostluğun ve eğlencenin adresi herkesi bekleriz

Posted by: sesli sohpet | September 30, 2009 5:32 PM

54

The 1990 incident - he helped Glenn Beck and Dan Reihl do it, right? Chuck also owes me for some beers - cheapskate didn't pay his tab and stuck me with the bill, and he always, always leaves the seat up. Almost fell in one night. Yep. And, he did eat a puppy once...ok, twice, but we were only tasting the second one, we didn't really mean to eat it all.

Anyway...I like the song from South Park about Mary - You Can S*** every D*** in the land and still be a virgin - don't recall if that was the title, but it was one of the lines (Kenny sang that part). I guess I may need to watch "The Passion of the Jew" or something tonight to make up for my non-blaspheming (I'm at school so I can't do it here).

Posted by: Badger3k | September 30, 2009 6:26 PM

55

I remember having a discussion about blasphemy with a religious friend who was trying to make me understand how hurtful blasphemy was to the sensitivities of believers. She said "Look, you're a secular humanist, right? Give me the name of one of your leaders, someone who's respected and admired."

"Leaders? Uh, I guess maybe Paul Kurtz: he's the head of the Council for Secular Humanism."

"Now then: what would it feel like if you heard a lot of people saying bad things about Paul Kurtz?"

"It would feel like I was at a secular humanist convention."

Posted by: Sastra | September 30, 2009 6:38 PM

56

For a bit of musical blasphemy, Google on "Oh sinner do not stray" Fun for all!

Posted by: Bob Carroll | September 30, 2009 7:17 PM

57

The Rubayat by Omar Khayyam is the most beautiful piece of blasphemy ever written.

1.
AWAKE! for Morning in the Bowl of Night
Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:
And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
The Sultan's Turret in a Noose of Light.
2.
Dreaming when Dawn's Left Hand was in the Sky
I heard a voice within the Tavern cry,
"Awake, my Little ones, and fill the Cup
Before Life's Liquor in its Cup be dry."

3.
And, as the Cock crew, those who stood before
The Tavern shouted — "Open then the Door!
You know how little while we have to stay,
And, once departed, may return no more."

4.
Now the New Year reviving old Desires,
The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires,
Where the White Hand of Moses on the Bough
Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires.

5.
Iram indeed is gone with all its Rose,
And Jamshyd's Sev'n-ring'd Cup where no one Knows;
But still the Vine her ancient ruby yields,
And still a Garden by the Water blows.

6.
And David's Lips are lock't; but in divine
High piping Pehlevi, with "Wine! Wine! Wine!
Red Wine!" — the Nightingale cries to the Rose
That yellow Cheek of hers to incarnadine.

7.
Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring
The Winter Garment of Repentance fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To fly — and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing.

8.
Whether at Naishapur or Babylon,
Whether the Cup with sweet or bitter run,
The Wine of Life keeps oozing drop by drop,
The Leaves of Life kep falling one by one.

9.
Morning a thousand Roses brings, you say;
Yes, but where leaves the Rose of Yesterday?
And this first Summer month that brings the Rose
Shall take Jamshyd and Kaikobad away.

10.
But come with old Khayyam, and leave the Lot
Of Kaikobad and Kaikhosru forgot:
Let Rustum lay about him as he will,
Or Hatim Tai cry Supper — heed them not.

11.
With me along the strip of Herbage strown
That just divides the desert from the sown,
Where name of Slave and Sultan is forgot —
And Peace is Mahmud on his Golden Throne!

12.
A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread, — and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness —
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

13.
Some for the Glories of This World; and some
Sigh for the Prophet's Paradise to come;
Ah, take the Cash, and let the Promise go,
Nor heed the rumble of a distant Drum!

14.
Were it not Folly, Spider-like to spin
The Thread of present Life away to win —
What? for ourselves, who know not if we shall
Breathe out the very Breath we now breathe in!

15.
Look to the Rose that blows about us — "Lo,
Laughing," she says, "into the World I blow:
At once the silken Tassel of my Purse
Tear, and its Treasure on the Garden throw."

16.
The Worldly Hope men set their Hearts upon
Turns Ashes — or it prospers; and anon,
Like Snow upon the Desert's dusty Face
Lighting a little Hour or two — is gone.

17.
And those who husbanded the Golden Grain,
And those who flung it to the Winds like Rain,
Alike to no such aureate Earth are turn'd
As, buried once, Men want dug up again.

18.
Think, in this batter'd Caravanserai
Whose Doorways are alternate Night and Day,
How Sultan after Sultan with his Pomp
Abode his Hour or two and went his way.

19.
They say the Lion and the Lizard keep
The Courts where Jamshyd gloried and drank deep:
And Bahram, that great Hunter — the Wild Ass
Stamps o'er his Head, but cannot break his Sleep.

20.
I sometimes think that never blows so red
The Rose as where some buried Caesar bled;
That every Hyacinth the Garden wears
Dropt in its Lap from some once lovely Head.

21.
And this delightful Herb whose tender Green
Fledges the River's Lip on which we lean —
Ah, lean upon it lightly! for who knows
From what once lovely Lip it springs unseen!

22.
Ah, my Beloved, fill the Cup that clears
To-day of past Regrets and future Fears —
To-morrow? — Why, To-morrow I may be
Myself with Yesterday's Sev'n Thousand Years.

23.
Lo! some we loved, the loveliest and best
That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest,
Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before,
And one by one crept silently to Rest.

24.
And we, that now make merry in the Room
They left, and Summer dresses in new Bloom,
Ourselves must we beneath the Couch of Earth
Descend, ourselves to make a Couch — for whom?

25.
Ah, make the most of what we may yet spend,
Before we too into the Dust descend;
Dust into Dust, and under Dust, to lie;
Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and — sans End!

26.
Alike for those who for To-day prepare,
And those that after some To-morrow stare,
A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries
"Fools! Your Reward is neither Here nor There!"

27.
Why, all the Saints and Sages who discuss'd
Of the Two Worlds so learnedly, are thrust
Like foolish Prophets forth; their Works to Scorn
Are scatter'd, and their Mouths are stopt with Dust.

28.
Oh, come with old Khayyam, and leave the Wise
To talk; one thing is certain, that Life flies;
One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies;
The Flower that once has blown forever dies.

29.
Myself when young did eagerly frequent
Doctor and Saint, and heard great Argument
About it and about; but evermore
Came out by the same Door as in I went.

Posted by: lilorphant | September 30, 2009 8:50 PM

58

lilorphant - You are aware, of course, that this is what Edward Fitzgerald interpreted that Omar Khayyám either wrote or had attributed to him, right*? - DJ
"LII

And that inverted bowl we call The Sky,
Whereunder crawling coop't we live and die,
Lift not thy hands to It for help
-for It rolls on impotently as Thou or I." - E Fitgerald (after Omar Khayyám)

__________________
*Although the "Kûza Nâma" section [a traditional 'pot poem'] is probably original Omar Khayyám. Najmu'ddîn Dâya (d. 1236 C.E) complained of Philosophers who have gone astray and quoted what sounds suspiciously like this set of quatrains, in his Mirsâdu 'l-'Ibâd.

Posted by: DingoJack | September 30, 2009 10:03 PM

59

Gretchen, I believe Darwin corresponded with some of the many Victorian "lady naturalists", even though he did regard women as lesser intellects. He was still a product of his era, though nicer than many.

I missed blasphemy day - it's October here already. So to make up:
* "Darwin and Hitler sitting in a tree..."
* If I ever find out that that God character actually exists, I'm going to kick his fucking motherraping teeth in for what he's done to my cat. (Kidney disease, genetic.)

Posted by: Cath the Canberra Cook | September 30, 2009 10:18 PM

60

Juicy! Is Dembski going to list those "less than divine attributes" (behind a brown cover?) or is there an Explanatory Filter for those too? *Pant, pant!*

Posted by: Kristine | September 30, 2009 11:57 PM

61

Since Darwin is their god, it would be interesting to submit to this contest true statements about Darwin's less than divine attributes.


Stop trying to foist a god (even a so-called false god) on me!!! I don't believe in your god or that other person's god or that other person's god. Just because you believe in a god doesn't mean I have to.

I won't come around and tell you that you're an ignorant theist moron who can't survive without your imaginary friend if you don't come around and call me a heathen Darwin worshiper.

Leave me to my beliefs and I'll leave you to yours. If you think I'm wrong, feel free to pity my eternity in hell (which doesn't exist anyway - so I don't have anything to worry about.)

blurdo

Posted by: blurdo | October 1, 2009 1:43 AM

62

Jesus saves... corner to Satan.

Posted by: Adrian W. | October 1, 2009 10:18 AM

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