Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
…and this is a pharyngula stage embryo.
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I wonder how appropriate it is to try to 'argue someone into the kingdom.' Many apologists hotly deny any such charge, but I don't believe them. The tenor of almost all apologetics literature makes it plain that this is their intent.
Robert M. Price, Beyond Born Again, p. 63.
Upstream plasticity and downstream robustness in evolution of molecular networks
Pycnogonid tagmosis and echoes of the Cambrian
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Category: Creationism • Humor
Posted on: March 2, 2006 7:01 AM, by PZ Myers
In my talk on Tuesday, I suggested that if we really want to teach the controversy, we ought to put the Norse creation myth in our classes. I had no idea the plan would be so popular.
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Comments
...except that in Norse Mythology the cow was named "Audumla". "Ymir" was the giant who drank its milk. Expect to see a riot of angry Danes burning American flags, demanding that Wiley be hanged.
Posted by: Krauze | March 2, 2006 7:36 AM
You may also enjoy Tim Kreider's take on the issue.
Posted by: Marc | March 2, 2006 7:58 AM
it is confirmed...wiley miller reads pharyngula...two anti-ID cartoons in two days...coincidence? i think not
Posted by: buck | March 2, 2006 8:21 AM
If Wiley continues to disparage the Norse mythology by fumbling the names, you can also expect to see a parallel riot with Scandinavians. After all, if you are named after gods, you want people to get it right! ("Torbjorn" = Thor's bear. Not that he had any that I know of in the myths, but my usual answer to that is a typical bear growl, which tends to end that discussion.)
Posted by: Torbjorn Larsson | March 2, 2006 8:24 AM
The American myth.
"…Here were decent godless people:
Their only monument the asphalt road
And a thousand lost golf balls."
--TS Eliot
The Rock
Posted by: Bro. Bartleby | March 2, 2006 8:44 AM
If I wasn't such a staunch athiest, I'd go with the Norse religion. It pretty much just kicked ass.
Posted by: Faust | March 2, 2006 9:08 AM
I've always liked the Norse religion. Like the Greco-Roman religion, it had no moral content. And ultimately everything was going to collapse despite the Norse gods' efforts.
Posted by: C.J.Colucci | March 2, 2006 11:00 AM
Auðhumla is the cow from whose udders dribbled the milk which is smeared across the sky.
I blame light pollution. In ye olde days everyone could see this milky way for themselves.
I should also point out that the Flying Spaghetti Monster is also descended from Auðhumla, clearly, where else do the meatballs come from?
Norse religion had moral content - accept fate and die well. The Gods are capricious.
Posted by: Steinn Sigurdsson | March 2, 2006 11:12 AM
yeah, the Loki, impish gods, and the nisse thing are pretty cool. i mean, noone accuses Yahweh of having a sense of humor. he's downright pompous. that's why we need Mel Brooks.
Posted by: ekzept | March 2, 2006 12:28 PM
Faust, you don't actually need to believe in the Norse Gods in order to get into Valhalla. Christianity has "salvation through faith", but the Norse Gods use the "salvation through works" model. You're guaranteed to get in if you're a brave warrior and if you're not guilty of giving aid and comfort to the frost giants.
Posted by: ChaosEngineer | March 2, 2006 1:30 PM
Sorry ChaosEngineer, too easy.
You may get in, if you're a brave warrior, and you die well in battle from an edged weapon... more or less, and if the Valkyrja on call that afternoon feels like it.
On the other hand Norse Hel is the worst imaginable, it is an eternity of boredom with no opportunity to do deeds or earn fame. Who needs torture.
Posted by: Steinn Sigurdsson | March 2, 2006 1:37 PM
Would that be like reading a transcript of a YEC debating a Creationist?
Posted by: Kristjan Wager | March 2, 2006 1:47 PM
Well, it's better than the Fundamentalist Christian Hell, where you can end up as a result of wearing a polyester blend.
Posted by: BronzeDog | March 2, 2006 1:47 PM
On second thought, you'd likely end up far, far away from said Fundamentalists.
Posted by: BronzeDog | March 2, 2006 1:49 PM
Bring back the vikings. They had really cool head gear.
Posted by: James R | March 2, 2006 2:31 PM
"vikings . . . had really cool head gear."
Dude, no, they didn't. That is another myth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking#Myths_about_Vikings
"Apart from two or three representations of (ritual) helmets with protrusions that may be either snakes or horns, no depiction of Viking Age warriors' helmets, and no actually preserved helmet, has horns. In fact, the formal close-quarters style of Viking combat (either in shield walls or aboard "ship islands") would have made horned helmets cumbersome and hazardous to the warrior's own side."
Duh.
Also, I'm against bringing back all that reaving-type behavior.
We've got enough of that already in, you know, Iraq. Afghanistan. Darfur. the Congo. Indonesia. the Phillipines. etc. . .
Posted by: Steff Z | March 2, 2006 2:55 PM
I'd probably pick the Greco-Roman myths myself. The goddesses seemed to have a pretty good time. Of course, some of them were unfortunately constrained to eternal celibacy, but they at least got to sublimate their urges by meddling in wars and siccing wild beasts on the mortals that annoyed them.
Hmmmm ... I'm beginning to wonder if every culture's mythology was invented by bored, overprotected, sexually repressed nerds!
Posted by: Julie Stahlhut | March 2, 2006 3:13 PM
I confess! I made it all up.
Posted by: BronzeDog | March 2, 2006 3:15 PM
The Greco-Roman (Olympian) pantheon may be the salvation of Intelligent Design. Everything was done by committee, and the members were working at cross-purposes. Fits the evidence a lot better than the Abrahamic theories.
Posted by: C.J.Colucci | March 2, 2006 3:30 PM
I've been enjoying Rubes lately too:
http://www.comics.com/creators/rubes/archive/rubes-20060223.html
or
http://www.comics.com/creators/rubes/archive/rubes-20060224.html
Posted by: MikeM | March 2, 2006 3:45 PM
Ok, now you've really hit a nerve.
Do not mess with our viking hats, or you will meet Mr. Darwin courtesy of the Norse Jihad.
You have been warned.
Posted by: Erik the Retread | March 2, 2006 3:56 PM
Norse Jihad...coool.
LET'S GO GET THAT DAMM OLAF!
Posted by: Iron Skegg | March 2, 2006 5:27 PM
I'm with Torbjorn. Dustin is a corruption of Thorstein, which is "Thor's Stone".
I'm so insensed! I'm going to put women's hosiery on my head and go pitch some Molotov Cocktails around because Wiley has offended my delicate sensibilities.
Posted by: Dustin | March 2, 2006 8:38 PM
Steff
Ahh man your casting dispersions on my delusions dude. It has to be true it really does. It's what I believe. Boo Hoo
JIM
Posted by: James R | March 3, 2006 10:22 AM
Here's a comic with a similar theme.
http://www.thepaincomics.com/weekly041229a.htm
Posted by: Diego | March 3, 2006 3:03 PM
Also, I'm against bringing back all that reaving-type behavior.
I dunno.
Reaving was done in person.
I don't see the CEO's of Halliburton or Carlyle getting anywhere near the front lines.
Of course I may be prejudiced, my ancestors were contractors with Hengest, Horsa & Co.
Posted by: Graculus | March 4, 2006 12:09 AM