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Many University of Minnesota students jumped at the chance for a free copy of Charles Darwin’s “On The Origins of Species” being handed out on Pleasant Street Thursday. But they were met with a surprise when they opened to this edition’s introduction.
The books, 1,000 of which were distributed on campus Thursday, feature a 50-page “special introduction” written by evangelical Christian Ray Comfort. The introduction cites the Bible as well as works by Darwin himself and argues for creationism before the book turns to the unadulterated Darwin text.
First-year Clare Simonis was one recipient of the book, which was published 150 years ago this month.
“It is kind of deceiving,” Simons said of the creationism introduction.
However, she said she has seen other groups on campus try to get students to take a handout by misleading them.
Four families paid for the special edition of the book and stood outside Eddy and Wulling Halls Thursday distributing it.
The books cost $4.99 individually, but can be sold for as low as $0.99 if bought in bulk.
Quotes prompting the investigation of both sides of an argument line the first page of the book where one would normally expect to see excerpts from positive book reviews.
One man, David, who refused to give his last name, was a supervisor for the group and said they had been distributing the books to students from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. that morning and 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. that afternoon.
“We wanted to break [the times] up to get different types of students,” David said.
The group planned to return at 6 p.m. — if any books were left to distribute.
David said student reception has been “98 percent” positive, and the majority of students have been “very polite.”
First-year Cassie Annis, a Christian, said she thought the handout was a smart idea.
“I think it’s good to have … both [viewpoints] there,” she said.
The University is one of more than 90 campuses being targeted this November through “The Origins into Schools Project,” said Liz Ebert, an employee of Living Waters, an evangelism resource and training company founded by Comfort.
Ebert said the company chose to focus on distribution at colleges because most are not private property, so books can be handed out without breaking any laws.
She said campuses feature the “future generation,” so “there is a great impact to be made.”
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This not the only Handout
The campus was actually part of the 100 top campuses where there was a book distribution. Between 9-11:30 AM on Wednesday, 2000 books were distributed in the mall between Northrup and Coffman.
We genuinely hope that the students and professors who received these free books will be able to use them for their classes, but also that they will be willing to take a look at the introduction for another point of view rarely heard on the University campus.
John, there's a reason why
John, there's a reason why the point of view in the introduction is rarely heard on the University campus-it's bunk. Actually, I'm sure some of the elements of the introduction come up in Comparative Religion, Sociology, etc. But not in science classes for the simple fact that it's not science. For those interested in more reasons why Ray Comfort is wrong about science, wrong about history, and wrong even about theology, please see this flyer from the National Center for Science Education. The NCSE has a host of resources on this topic and can be found at www.ncse.com or www.dontdissdarwin.com.
False Balance?
John's comments are right on. The Unites States has a great tradition of free speech and fairness, but it can also be an Achilles heel when we allow it to trump our critical thinking. Some ideas are just wrong, and they don't deserve softball reporting by the media. There are NOT two equal viewpoints to be considered here. There is one based on evidence and reason, and one based on fear and ignorance.
What you have here is a group of fringe zealots who are unable or unwilling to reconcile their faith with realities of scientific progress. Any "impact" they make on "future generations" will be to degrade scientific literacy and our leadership in the world.
How is saying that there is a
How is saying that there is a supernatural power involved in creation "based on fear and ignorance?" Have you read the introduction from the book to know what it really says or are you just making assumptions? I can see how you could make an argument for ignorance if you have read it (which I doubt), but fear? Fear of what exactly?
Ray Comfort
The books, 1,000 of which were distributed on campus Thursday, feature a 50-page “special introduction” written by evangelical Christian Ray Comfort.
There is no way to politely tell the truth about Ray Comfort.
Ray Comfort is a world-class idiot and an uneducated moron. He could not understand a simple scientific concept if his life depended on it. Ray Comfort is also a compulsive liar. He has no moral values.
Ray Comfort knows he's bloody stupid, and he is proud of his stupidity.
In other words, the mentally retarded Ray Comfort is a typical evangelical Christian.
A few comments about Charles Darwin:
Darwin is the father of modern biology. He was wrong about a few things, but his beautiful, simple, and brilliant natural selection idea is now stronger than ever. Evolution by natural selection is an established scientific truth.
If Darwin could somehow come back and visit the 21st century he would be extremely proud to discover that many of his predictions have been shown to be correct beyond any doubt. Darwin would be totally amazed by the progress made by molecular biologists who have repeatedly proven beyond any doubt the evolutionary relationship of many different species, including our close relationship with the chimpanzee apes.
It's just amazing to me after 150 years of accumulated evidence for evolution, evidence that is still growing rapidly, evidence that is more powerful than ever thought possible, there are still imbeciles like Ray Comfort spreading lies about modern biology. Compulsive liars like Ray Comfort need to be relentlessly attacked, ridiculed, and treated with contempt, because these scum are no better than terrorists.
The best book about evolution for people who are not scientists.
The many books written by Charles Darwin are interesting for historical purposes, but he lived in the 19th century, and there has been 150 years of scientific progress since then.
When I hear creationists dishonestly quote-mining Darwin's books (taking one sentence out of context to distort what Darwin meant) I tell those creationists "Way to be current".
This is the 21st century and people who want to understand the latest scientific discoveries need to read 21st century books.
For the non-scientist I think the best book to read, because it's easy to understand, interesting to read, and extremely educational, is Jerry Coyne's "Why Evolution is True", which was published in 2009. Every paragraph explains a different evidence for evolution. It would be impossible for a creationist to read this book and still be a creationist.
Wait, I take that back. A creationist could read Coyne's book and still be a creationist if he or she was as hopelessly stupid as Ray Comfort.
Intellectual douche-bagery
There appears to be a startling trend among religious cooks in this country. It appears that in the face of science, reason and evidence (not to mention the rise of people with no religious affiliation) that Christians are resorting to what I call "Guerrilla Christianity". It's easy (as is the nature of faith), take an issue or object or what have you, insert dogma into it and simply don't fess up to being ideologically twisted or irrelevant. Ray Comfort is an ideological buffoon who proves over and over again why religion is becoming more and more out of touch with reality and altogether irrelevant . And to devoutly religious people to whom this sentiment offends, I'm sorry, but you have to get over it as well. If God could fix economic recessions, he probably would, wouldn't he?..or would he? Who knows? Does it matter? No. We humans are stuck with the conditions which are beyond our control (are they beyond our control?) and should be busy devising ways to make life for all work better (isn't that religion without all the unnecessary dogma?). Ray Comfort is the Sarah Palin of religion and a complete douchebag.
Review the Evidence
Good for Ray Comfort's group! It takes a lot of guts to hand out such material at a public university, where there are so many people, such as "bobxxxx", who buy into Darwinist orthodoxy without examining what the other side has to say. Ray is simply offering students an opportunity to review the evidence on the other side.
Clearly micro-evolution (that a dog changes over time but is still a dog) is true. We can recreate that, as good science requires. Macro-evolution (that humans evolved from lower forms of life) is far from proven, and in fact has lost ground as a reliable theory over the last couple of decades.
We Christians are not idiots, and name calling isn't going to win you any arguments. Take a look at the people who are challenging Darwin's theories. There are hundreds of respected scientists who convincingly argue that macro-evolution is wrong. Here are just a few of the many books recently published:
"Darwin's Black Box: The Biochemical Challenge to Evolution"
http://tinyurl.com/ybal65m
"Darwin on Trial"
http://tinyurl.com/ybal65m
"Evolution: A Theory in Crisis"
http://tinyurl.com/ybal65m
Even simple common sense throws macro-evolution for a loss. If macro-evolution were true, then you have to believe that life came from nothing. You have to believe that "matter" always existed, and that somehow that matter ignited into the "big bang." But where would that ignition come from? And from there everything played out perfectly to allow life as we know it to occur and evolve.
What's the bigger miracle, life coming from non-life, or an intelligent being outside of time creating this universe?
Students should be encouraged to debate great questions like that, not shouted down because they question Darwin orthodoxy.
Evolution is a fact.
Evolution is an indisputable scientific fact (i.e. it happens); it has been directly observed and recreated on many, many occasions. Micro- and macro- evolution are the same thing, just on different time scales. Speciation, which is the hallmark of macro-evolution, has also been directly observed--for example, a new species of mosquito evolved in the London Subways.
All of the books you cited (I looked them up on Amazon, your links point to the wrong place) provide old and tired claims--irreducible complexity and transitional fossils--that are widely rejected by the overall scientific community. Michael Behe, author of "Darwin's Black Box," is such a "respected scientist" that his own department at Lehigh University published a statement that they do not agree with his views.
You're poking at straw men to "disprove" evolution: it does not, as you claim, predict how life or the universe came to be. Evolution only describes the development of existing life. If you're interested in how life came about, then look up abiogenesis; if you want to read about the creation of the universe, look up the Big Bang.
True, people who subscribe to evolution may not listen to "what the other side has to say," but only because it mostly consists of non-scientific drivel. If people against evolution come up with another reasonable, *testable* hypothesis on how evolution occurs, then there will be plenty of debate to be had.
Dogma?
But Mars_Hall, Darwinists insert their own dogma unthinkingly into every argument, too. That's what Ray is fighting against. It comes down to dogma on both sides. He's offering the other side of the argument.
And why should God feel obligated to fix a recession ... a recession caused by humans because they didn't follow His tenets on credit and materialism?
Yo
You're absolutely right about atheist dogma. Personally, I think there's some form of dogma or hubris in most everything. Ray is fighting human progress as well as the nature of empirical evidence. He's taking an extraordinary work of monumental importance and influence, bastardizing it by inserting his fact less dogma, and allowing his little droney minions distribute them to mislead individuals. It's called guerrilla Christianity and he's a douchebag. And on the last bit...God didn't fix the recession because he doesn't exist. Or maybe God exists because the human brain has yet to evolve enough to remove that part of the brain where faith is stored.
Know-nothing creationists
alkaline, what are your scientific credentials?
You have none. You know nothing about modern biology, and neither does your retarded friend Ray Comfort.
Try reading the book I recommended. Or you can remain an ignorant hick if you don't mind being laughed at.
Your idea that "the other side" has evidence for their childish belief in magical creation is dishonest nonsense. There can not possibly be any evidence for magic, and no idea could possibly be more idiotic.
alkaline, thanks for disgracing my country.
"Simple Common Sense"
A writer above said "even simple common sense throws macro-evolution for a loss..." I would counter that simple common sense suggests that the sun revolves around the stationary earth, and that the retrograde motion of Mars is best explained by Brahe's Epicycle Theory.
This sneaking around campus passing out religious tracts disguised as scientific works only serves as another in a long line of examples of a mental disorder which causes some to not only BELIEVE, but to proselytize. Sufferers of this disorder can't just believe something, they MUST - they are obsessively COMPELLED to - try to make everyone else believe it, too.
I believe that the sun will rise in the east tomorrow morning at 7:22 AM. I don't feel any compulsive need to go to the campus and try to convince anyone of my belief in a 7:22 sunrise on November 23rd. So why do so many Christians feel compelled to constantly find ways to foist their mythical beliefs on everyone else? Especially when their tactics are "kind of deceiving" if not downright sneaky? What's the point?
It's just another form of OCD, like washing your hands 20 times a day or locking your doors five times before bed. But compulsively preaching these superstitions, especially on a modern university campus where they will almost certainly be rejected, serves another very important parallel need in the religious sufferer - the need to be a martyr so as to earn a higher place in a mythical heaven.
Here Here!
So why do so many Christians feel compelled to constantly find ways to foist their mythical beliefs on everyone else? Especially when their tactics are "kind of deceiving" if not downright sneaky? What's the point?
Good question, GEO35. I think it's because Christians are incredibly insecure about their beliefs. With a declining amount of religious people in this country and mounting scientific evidence, they know that eventually God will only exist in their own private thoughts, wishes and tender faith. For people like me, who have accepted/realized that God isn't real, life goes on and has actually improved substantially! I feel great not believing in God because I get to believe in tangible things that actually exist, like music, science, human kind, lemonade or whatever! The silliest part about the whole god exist/dont exist argument is that creationists think if they can disprove Darwin they're proving that Christianity is legitimate. You don't even need Darwin to delegitimize God. I don't even understand why there's an argument to be honest. I suppose it goes back to my original point about them being insecure.
christians ARE atheists...
Well said Mars_Hall...
I'd add...
1. alkaline: The only "Atheistic Dogma" that exists is called "reason." The religious essentially are enemies of reason.
2. Also this is complete FAIL:
First-year Cassie Annis, a Christian, said she thought the handout was a smart idea. “I think it’s good to have … both [viewpoints] there,” she said.
There aren't just TWO viewpoints here. There are 18 different religions with at least a million followers on earth. Some of them even like to kill each other because they have the wrong god. Most of them, if magically found to be true tomorrow, would make the other 17 untenable.
3. I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do.
When you understand why you dismiss all other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.
-Stephen Henry Roberts
Universities are places to discuss and debate civilly
I was privileged to be one of the people handing out the books at the U. What a joy it was to meet so many good-natured and open-minded students. That says a lot about Minnesota and campus culture. For those of who are upset by the handout, all I ask is to give the opposing viewpoint a fair hearing. It wasn't that long ago when evolutionists insisted on having evolution heard, so when the pendulum swings completely the other way, please understand and respect those who likewise request a hearing. There are many, many scientists with real degrees and real tenure across the planet who reject evolution on the basis of science. Our universities and science labs and classrooms used to be places to discuss and debate different viewpoints without fear of reprisal. Even if you support the macroevolution side, I hope you can agree on this point. Someone once said ... I may not agree with what I say but I will defend to the death your right to say it. And if you are one who does not believe in God or doubts his existence, check out www.needgod.com. If you are right, and God does not exist, then you have nothing to lose. But if you are wrong, you have everything to lose. I want to be one of the people who can shake your hand in heaven as a brother or sister of Christ. He's knocking on the door of your heart.
I'm tired of all you f'ing
I'm tired of all you f'ing solicitors on campus!!! You can voice your opinions all over the internet (and all over the city/state/country, for that matter), so why do you need to constantly harass us students EVERY FREAKING DAY about EVERY FREAKING CAUSE ON EARTH!?!? I would like, just once, to go through a whole school day without having 47 people try to convert me to another religion, show me pictures of aborted fetuses, invite me to a pointless protests, or some other such nonsense!
On a side note, does anyone else think that jerk on a ladder outside Walter sucks? I don't think he could be any more obnoxious. I feel bad for all of those tour guides and prospective students that have to walk past him every day.
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This is so good for the
This is so good for the students. They definitely need some free books. Darwin's book is so amazing to read. It is such a good book.
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