Touchy subjects at public events

On 8 Sep 2003 02:51:24 -0700, (Doogie Hoosier)
wrote:

I once told some people who were looking at the Andromeda galaxy
through my binoculars and my C-8 that the light that was entering
their eyes has been traveling through space for two million years.

It didn't take long for somebody to tell me that was not possible,
because..."According to the WORD OF GOD, the light could only have
existed for 6,000 years."

I told that person that if he wouldn't mind looking up that bit of
scripture and telling me where it was, I'd make a public retraction
the next time I had my scope out in public. He said he'd look it up
and give me a call. I wonder how long he looked for it.

Any other subjects known to be better left not broached at public
viewings? Like, maybe mentioning the revelation that almost got
Galileo burned alive when he looked at Jupiter?

In a similar vein, I was getting my eyes tested about four years ago.
The eye doc and I were chatting, and he asked if there were any
special requirements that needed to be accounted for in the
prescription, coatings i.e. do I spend a lot of time in front of a
computer etc. I mentioned astronomy and he said he was fascinated by
what's up there to. Great. He asked me what I get out of the hobby,
and one thing I mentioned was how it makes you think: The Andromeda
Galaxy - the light you see left the galaxy at about the same time our
distant ancestors left the trees. He flat-out said that he did not
believe that. Everything was created 6000 years ago. Man and dinosaur
existed together. Evolution is false. He wasn't preachy or trying to
convert me, but he was firm in his convictions.

Hooo-boy. I haven't gone back.

Cheers,

- Craig

Doogie Hoosier:
...It didn't take long for somebody to tell me that was not possible,
because..."According to the WORD OF GOD, the light could only have
existed for 6,000 years..."

I don't argue with people like that. I tell them that they are entitled
to believe what they want to believe, but that a discussion of religion
is outside the scope of my presentation. If pressed, I may stand firm
on that, or I may add that *my* religion teaches that God did not tell
us directly when He created the Universe or the Earth. Instead, He
planted an enormous amount of evidence (some of it conflicting) that
would let us figure it out for ourselves if we were clever enough. So,
if God is not a liar -- if He didn't plant false evidence -- the
Universe is probably about 14 billion years old, and the Earth came
along about 4.5 billion years ago.

...Any other subjects known to be better left not broached at public
viewings? Like, maybe mentioning the revelation that almost got
Galileo burned alive when he looked at Jupiter?

This incident does not mean that you shouldn't broach this subject in
public. You should tell the truth as you understand it, and for the
sake of politeness, avoid arguing by using the "outside the scope of my
presentation" reply. And, if the occasion arises, you should definitely
mention Galileo's conflict with the Church over Jupiter's moons.

Davoud

--
usenet *at* davidillig dawt com

In message , Davoud
writes
Doogie Hoosier:
...It didn't take long for somebody to tell me that was not possible,
because..."According to the WORD OF GOD, the light could only have
existed for 6,000 years..."

I don't argue with people like that. I tell them that they are entitled
to believe what they want to believe, but that a discussion of religion
is outside the scope of my presentation. If pressed, I may stand firm
on that, or I may add that *my* religion teaches that God did not tell
us directly when He created the Universe or the Earth. Instead, He
planted an enormous amount of evidence (some of it conflicting) that
would let us figure it out for ourselves if we were clever enough. So,
if God is not a liar -- if He didn't plant false evidence -- the
Universe is probably about 14 billion years old, and the Earth came
along about 4.5 billion years ago.

Otherwise the God of the Young Earth Creationists is in the same
situation as a dodgy antique dealer distressing his newly made furniture
to make it seem much older and more interesting.

An omnipotent God can potentially fake anything and everything with
arbitrary precision and at any time. It isn't a very appealing
explanation of the universe though. And it certainly isn't scientific.

"Creation Science" is one of the worst oxymorons of the 21st century.
They will drag us back to the Dark Ages given half a chance.
Fortunately, the problem of YEC is still largely confined to the USA.

Modern theologists have little difficulty with 20th century cosmology.

Regards,
--
Martin Brown

I haven't heard that one yet. Since the Bible's a big book, he was
probably at it quite a while. And serves him right for spouting something
without checking where he heard it.

I have heard one guy spouting conspiracy theories concerning the Face
on Mars, but I expected some of that during the Opposition season.

A couple of others tried to wrangle me into talking about the nature of
the Universe, particulary their "unique" theories about it, but I excused
myself by saying I had to stay on Mars, since I had to explain to viewers
what it was they were seeing.
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Never be afraid of trying something new for the love of it.
Remember... amateurs built the Ark.
Professionals built the Titanic!


----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Doogie Hoosier" wrote in message
m...
I once told some people who were looking at the Andromeda galaxy
through my binoculars and my C-8 that the light that was entering
their eyes has been traveling through space for two million years.

It didn't take long for somebody to tell me that was not possible,
because..."According to the WORD OF GOD, the light could only have
existed for 6,000 years."

I told that person that if he wouldn't mind looking up that bit of
scripture and telling me where it was, I'd make a public retraction
the next time I had my scope out in public. He said he'd look it up
and give me a call. I wonder how long he looked for it.

Any other subjects known to be better left not broached at public
viewings? Like, maybe mentioning the revelation that almost got
Galileo burned alive when he looked at Jupiter?

Martin Brown wrote in message ...
Otherwise the God of the Young Earth Creationists is in the same
situation as a dodgy antique dealer distressing his newly made furniture
to make it seem much older and more interesting.

I never heard it put that way, but I like it.

Doug Hosey

The Andromeda
Galaxy - the light you see left the galaxy at about the same time our
distant ancestors left the trees. He flat-out said that he did not
believe that. Everything was created 6000 years ago. Man and dinosaur
existed together.

As I understand it, at some point someone came up with the idea that "When God
created the Earth, he created it's history too."

Thus I imagine the idea here would be that "She" or "He" also created the light
coming from Andromeda as well as Andromeda itself at the same time.

You could have enlighted the fellow as to his own Dogma.

Hooo-boy. I haven't gone back.

Probably ran out of there pretty fast too...

jon

"Doogie Hoosier" wrote in message m...
It didn't take long for somebody to tell me that was not possible,
because..."According to the WORD OF GOD, the light could only have
existed for 6,000 years."
I told that person that if he wouldn't mind looking up that bit of
scripture and telling me where it was, I'd make a public retraction
the next time I had my scope out in public.

A big public mistake. Science should not surrender its
legitimate enterprise of trying to understand how the universe
works to encroachment by religious beliefs.

BTW: He never got back to you because you forgot
to tell him which version of The Bible to check.G

--
Hilton Evans
---------------------------------------------------------------
Lon -71° 04' 35.3"
Lat +42° 11' 06.7"
---------------------------------------------------------------
CCD Astroimaging
http://home.earthlink.net/~hiltoneva...troimaging.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------
ChemPen Chemical Structure Software
http://www.chempensoftware.com

"Hilton Evans" wrote in message link.net...

BTW: He never got back to you because you forgot
to tell him which version of The Bible to check.G

What do you mean which version? There's only ONE version, the 1611
Authorized Version in the original English.

"If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough
for me."
--An unnamed Southern Congressman
--or Congressman Sonny Bono?
--or Archbishop Timothy Archer?
--or a Myrtle Beach _Sun News_ reader?
--or Governor Ma Ferguson?
--or a priest in Little Rock?
--or H.L. Mencken
--or ???

Clear skies!

--
------------------- Richard Callwood III --------------------
~ U.S. Virgin Islands ~ USDA zone 11 ~ 18.3N, 64.9W ~
~ eastern Massachusetts ~ USDA zone 6 (1992-95) ~
--------------- http://cac.uvi.edu/staff/rc3/ ---------------

(Cousin Ricky) wrote in message . com...
"Hilton Evans" wrote in message link.net...

BTW: He never got back to you because you forgot
to tell him which version of The Bible to check.G

What do you mean which version? There's only ONE version, the 1611
Authorized Version in the original English.

"If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it's good enough
for me."
--An unnamed Southern Congressman
--or Congressman Sonny Bono?
--or Archbishop Timothy Archer?
--or a Myrtle Beach _Sun News_ reader?
--or Governor Ma Ferguson?
--or a priest in Little Rock?
--or H.L. Mencken
--or ???

I believe Dan Barker said that a woman in his church came up with that line.

Let me give you a scary thought: Without the votes of such religious
people, Bush would not be in the White House and the Republicans would not
control Congress.

Bill G.


"Craig Levine" wrote in message
...
On 8 Sep 2003 02:51:24 -0700, (Doogie Hoosier)
wrote:

I once told some people who were looking at the Andromeda galaxy
through my binoculars and my C-8 that the light that was entering
their eyes has been traveling through space for two million years.

It didn't take long for somebody to tell me that was not possible,
because..."According to the WORD OF GOD, the light could only have
existed for 6,000 years."

I told that person that if he wouldn't mind looking up that bit of
scripture and telling me where it was, I'd make a public retraction
the next time I had my scope out in public. He said he'd look it up
and give me a call. I wonder how long he looked for it.

Any other subjects known to be better left not broached at public
viewings? Like, maybe mentioning the revelation that almost got
Galileo burned alive when he looked at Jupiter?

In a similar vein, I was getting my eyes tested about four years ago.
The eye doc and I were chatting, and he asked if there were any
special requirements that needed to be accounted for in the
prescription, coatings i.e. do I spend a lot of time in front of a
computer etc. I mentioned astronomy and he said he was fascinated by
what's up there to. Great. He asked me what I get out of the hobby,
and one thing I mentioned was how it makes you think: The Andromeda
Galaxy - the light you see left the galaxy at about the same time our
distant ancestors left the trees. He flat-out said that he did not
believe that. Everything was created 6000 years ago. Man and dinosaur
existed together. Evolution is false. He wasn't preachy or trying to
convert me, but he was firm in his convictions.

Hooo-boy. I haven't gone back.

Cheers,

- Craig