Poly's GOP Presidential Nominating Poll

[SpencerH]

When I first came here I found it hard to understand how scientists and physicians could be creationists. With time, I came to understand that many of these colleagues also accept that evolutionary theory best explains our existance as a species (I shudder every time I read or hear that someone believes in evolution while denigrating religious belief. Both are belief and nothing to do with science). A proportion of of my paradoxical collegues can be described as some versions of ID'ers while others are more "deist" on this question ie 'god started the process when god allowed the big bang' or 'god created evolution'.

[DinoDoc]

Remember during the GOP debate when Huckabee, Tancredo, and someone else were the only ones that said they didn't believe in evolution?

Yes. I thought it was an idiotic question to be asking during such a debate.

[Whoha]

Very few scientific disciplines or jobs require knowledge of Evolution, and those that do are free to refuse to hire creationists or people that otherwise don't understand the material. Why are you all afraid of freedom/and or hate America?

[Al B. Sure!]

Very few scientific disciplines or jobs require knowledge of Evolution, and those that do are free to refuse to hire creationists or people that otherwise don't understand the material. Why are you all afraid of freedom/and or hate America?

Really?

Did I just enter the Apolyton Twilight Zone yet again?

I already explained what an acceptance of evolution represents. It's a symptom that tells me where one's head is at.

[Guynemer]

When I first came here I found it hard to understand how scientists and physicians could be creationists. With time, I came to understand that many of these colleagues also accept that evolutionary theory best explains our existance as a species (I shudder every time I read or hear that someone believes in evolution while denigrating religious belief. Both are belief and nothing to do with science). A proportion of of my paradoxical collegues can be described as some versions of ID'ers while others are more "deist" on this question ie 'god started the process when god allowed the big bang' or 'god created evolution'.

To be fair, one can play a semantic game with "creationism" and "evolution", such as your deist colleagues. That is a perfectly reasonable position to take, ie evolution exists, and God made it.

However, that is a far cry from a scientist or physician saying "I do not believe in evolution."

[Al B. Sure!]

To be fair, one can play a semantic game with "creationism" and "evolution", such as your deist colleagues. That is a perfectly reasonable position to take, ie evolution exists, and God made it.

However, that is a far cry from a scientist or physician saying "I do not believe in evolution."

It's like what Dubya was saying... "I think that God created the earth, created the world; I think the creation of the world is so mysterious it requires something as large as an almighty and I don't think it's incompatible with the scientific proof that there is evolution."

But that's a far cry from downright creationists like Huckabee and Ron Paul.

[Hauldren Collider]

The fact that people are capable of cognitive dissonance and actually regularly practice it doesn't mean they're crazy. Everybody probably holds self-contradictory beliefs to some extent. Give it a rest. They're not hurting you, they're not stupid, and they are like all human beings--reluctant to question what they have been taught by the people they most care about.

[SpencerH]

However, that is a far cry from a scientist or physician saying "I do not believe in evolution."

It's certainly hard to imagine how one can be a scientist or physician while not accepting the profound validity of evolutionary theory.

[DaShi]

Yes. I thought it was an idiotic question to be asking during such a debate.

You should have watched the RNC chairman interviews.

[Al B. Sure!]

The fact that people are capable of cognitive dissonance and actually regularly practice it doesn't mean they're crazy. Everybody probably holds self-contradictory beliefs to some extent. Give it a rest. They're not hurting you, they're not stupid, and they are like all human beings--reluctant to question what they have been taught by the people they most care about.

This isn't cognitive dissonance. Huckabee, et al flat out believe in creationism.

Giuliani and Romney are the only ones who don't and Palin is having that cognitive dissonance you're talking about. The rest straight up believe in Genesis.

[Guynemer]

Or, more likely, they don't believe in Genesis, but they say they do to pander to the lowest common denominator. I'm not sure which is worse.

[Hauldren Collider]

This isn't cognitive dissonance. Huckabee, et al flat out believe in creationism.

Giuliani and Romney are the only ones who don't and Palin is having that cognitive dissonance you're talking about. The rest straight up believe in Genesis.

The cognitive dissonance is the fact that they believe in creationism when so much evidence shows it to be false.

[Berzerker]

Gary Johnson

[Hauldren Collider]

Yeah, he's pretty cool. Not a hope in hell of winning the primary, mind you.

[Al B. Sure!]

The cognitive dissonance is the fact that they believe in creationism when so much evidence shows it to be false.

No. They just ignore that evidence.