On 5 January 2008, in response to Chris's citing the article on the evolution battle in Florida http://tinyurl.com/ywes6c Bill Scott wrote: >This is a very interesting article. The ridiculous arguments against > evolution are laid out well, probably by an author with a scientific > bias. The statement that science is not a new religion, though, is > less than honest. Darwin was seen in his time (and still is) as the > destructor of christianity. What else could his ideas (and Wallace's) > be than a new religion? [...]
There seem to be cultural differences here. In 1882 Darwin was buried with full ceremonial honours in Westminster Abbey. The initiative to support his burial at the Abbey, rather than in Downe as desired by his family and the local villagers, was supported by the Canon of Westminster. The Dean of Westminster acquiesced even before he received a petition signed by prominent members of the Government, among other parliamentarians, and several newspapers of different political hues gave support. A few days before the funeral another Canon delivered a sermon in which he said that Natural Selection was by no means alien to the Christian religion, if rightly understood, with selection acting under divine intelligence. On the day of the ceremony The Times even suggested that the honour belonged to Westminster Abbey rather than the reverse. Allen Esterson Former lecturer, Science Department Southwark College, London http://www.esterson.org --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
