God is bad for you

[Adrian II]

I don't believe in this sinister political plot to enslave our minds that Adrian is hinting at (..)

Dear Don, where would you be if I disappeared into thin air one day and you would have to find yourself another strawman?

[Don Corleone]

I apologize if I misunderstood your comments, I really wasn't trying to build a strawman.

Here's what I heard in what you wrote "Christian fundamentalism has less to do with actual belief in the fundamentalist theories put forward and more to do with an antagonism of scientific intellectuals".

Now, if I misunderstood you, again, I apologize. But if that was what you meant, then the only logical conclusion is that Bob Jones, Pat Roberts, Jimmy Swaggart and a whole host of others don't really believe what they preach, they're just trying to put a finger in the eye of the scientific community. And I just don't believe that. Misguided as I think they are, I think they actually believe what they're saying. Your comments thus far, to me, indicate you do not think they do.

[Adrian II]

Here's what I heard in what you wrote "Christian fundamentalism has less to do with actual belief in the fundamentalist theories put forward and more to do with an antagonism of scientific intellectuals".

Not al all, I merely addressed creationism.

I think creationism is not just about creation, nor is it just about science. It is a political movement, driven by the concern that society will fall apart if certain beliefs are lost.

Belief in a creator is crucial to that movement. Hence the plea for Intelligent Design, which is just another way to re-introduce creationism in biology classes in places where creationism as such has no chance of making it into the curriculum.

But I believe that the concern mentioned above is genuine. This is certainly the case with our fellow member Navaros. As he demonstrated in his post in this thread, belief in a creator is essential for militant Christians because it speaks to issues like social harmony, justice and peace, in short: the notion of a lost Paradise that must be regained.