Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/24428
4A – Daily News – Thursday, February 3, 2011 Opinion E is for evidence D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Editor: I love science: “The observa- tion, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phe- nomena” (American Heritage Dic- tionary) and the scientific method of discovery whereby we can sift between that which is credible and that which is conjecture. Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 That method is simply 1. The observation of phenomenon, 2. An explanation (Hypothesis) for the phenomena, 3. Experimentation to test whether or not the "hypothe- sis" is accurate. 4. The establish- ment of a supported theory. Sadly, in today's society, big E evolution (minerals to man), has been placed under the heading of science rather than conjecture. I found the following letter incredibly filled with misinforma- tion. "Charles Darwin's Theory of evolution is taught in science classes because it is scientific fact. Darwin established his theory more than 150 years ago, and since then mountains of evidence have been discovered that support and confirm it, from fossil remains to observable changes in living species..." Mountains of evidence? It has been admitted by the best in the scientific community that the link in the evolutionary chain from pond scum and non-life to life, to be non-existent. Is the writer of the above speaking of Neanderthal man, found to be simply a human being whose skeletal structure was deformed as a result of the harsh European climate, lack of iodine and vitamin D. Or Nebraska man, found to be the skeletal remains of a pig, or Lucy whom Donald Johanson, the discoverer of the first "Au Afarensis" (Lucy), con- ceded that due to its V-shaped mandible, it is merely an ape and not a link between ape and man. The author of the above quote speaks of mountains of evidence that establish molecules to man evolution, that is, spontaneous generation. There is not even a mole hill of evidence that non-life, i.e. rocks and minerals even with an added energy can produce life. Think about it. Even if a "simple cell" was produced, (there is no such thing as a simple cell), it would have had to produce a means of reproduction. In the case of mammals, a male and female with the obvious complimentary but distinct parts would have had to evolve simultaneously. Besides, so much of life is of an irreducible complexity that if all parts where not present and functioning at the exact same time, it could not exist. Big E evolution depends on extreme amounts of time for it to be given any credibility whatsoev- er. And Big E evolution depends on the process of information being added from one life form to form a "higher life form," but we do not find this in nature. Rather, we find natural barriers between species. Sea Turtles do not mate with Seals and produce offspring. Even with similar animals of sim- ilar kinds there is a barrier to fur- ther development. Consider the mule. The ass can produce. The horse can produce. But, put an ass with a horse and you get a mule as sterile as the concept that a rock can produce life. No, evolution is a fascinating story with bears becoming whales and dinosaurs becoming birds and amoebas becoming human beings. As for me, a lover of science, I'm going to stick with the idea that this world can be studied and understood because it was designed by the One we call God. Science exists because intel- ligent man can discover the basic laws that allow us to exist on plan- et earth. From the simplest cell, filled with encyclopedic informa- tion to the most complex forms of life, the blueprint, the thumb print of the Creator is everywhere to be seen. Follow the “Scientific Method” and see for yourself which “theo- ry” fits the verifiable evidence, big E evolution (as opposed to small e evolution, variation within the genetic code) or Creation. Dallas Dubke, Red Bluff Commentary Editor: Today I began taking down photos, cards, messages, and arti- cles from the walls around my room. You see, for the last four Your Turn months I have been living in Irvine while being treated for stage four lymphoma. It was while I was removing these items and re-reading the wishes of good health and healing that I realized, yet again, the power that is our small community. We are so lucky to have such unbe- lievable people that are so willing to support others. Each and every positive note of encour- agement I have no doubt played a role in my recovery. Additionally, I have to com- mend our own Daily News in pro- viding me what I missed so much, contact with our town. I feel sorry for those people that threaten to end their subscriptions due to dif- ferences of opinion. How short- sighted they are. They don’t real- ize how much they would be miss- ing from principals acting goofy, announcements of plays, concerts, marriages, positive accolades and all the other wonderful things that happen in our county. Our local news is not represent- ed anywhere else like in our own Daily News. Sometimes to really appreciate something it has to be taken away from you. Luckily, what was taken from me is being given back. Thank you Red Bluff and our newspaper for keeping me connected and helping me get bet- ter. I would have been lost without you. Betsy Palubeski, Red Bluff Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Christianity has evolved…too Commentary Christians were not always opposed to evolution - mainly because Christianity has pro- gressed and made slow, significant changes over time. Darwin’s theory of evolution is 160 years old. Christianity has been thriving for more than 1,700 years. So, evolution denial is a new modification for the religion. Has the church ever been against science before? Yes. Pope Urban VIII condemned the "father of science," Galileo. But by the time of the Internet in 2008, the church decided to erect a statue of the former heretic in the Vatican. A natural selection. There are many variations of Christians today. They all have a common ancestry but are split off into distinct groups and sub- groups; Different continents and environments have forced differ- ent adjustments. For example, in Peru the Inca had an ancestor ceremony in which at certain times of the year they paraded mummies of their dead relatives through the town square. After the Conquistadors, the same ceremony was re-inter- preted. Now they parade statues of deceased Catholic saints instead of the deceased revered locals. The Cathedral de Cusco hangs a paint- ing of the Last Supper showing the Twelve Apostles eating cuy (a Peruvian delicacy of roasted Guinea pig). This is notably a behavior adaptation that isn’t found in other Christ-based events. Christianity has had its own evolutionary dead ends, too. The 19th century had the Shakers - a subset who believed in the second coming of Christ, spin dancing and absolute celibacy. The lack of procreation proved to be a real hurdle in the advancement of their kind. Thus, they’re extinct. There are also mutations of Christianity who survived because of their fitness. Islam has its com- mon descent with Christianity – a different branch of the same reli- gious tree, with an acknowledge- ment of Jesus as a prophet in the Quran. Migration and isolation spurred other mutations. Mor- monism and Christian Science are native to North America. Even the Christian Bible, the basic text of Christianity, has evolved. Bart Ehrman’s 2005 book "Misquoting Jesus" masterfully documents modifications made over the millennia. In the Bible’s first 1,300 years changes were made as it was copied by hand. After the invention of the printing press, the tome was subjected to translations into new languages spawned from other languages; e.g., modern English. The point is: Christ wasn’t against Darwin’s theory of evolu- tion, but some Christians clutching to alleged originalism have opted to be. It’s a relatively new charac- teristic. And like the furry little ferret cousin, the skunk - it’s also a dis- tinctly American mutation. Other developed nations don’t deny biological evolu- tion on the basis of reli- gion. The next thing you’ll say is, "Americans are more religious than those other countries." Not true. Many studies have found Americans are not more religious in prac- tice than people in other nations. We just lie to pollsters as to what we’re doing on Sundays. Philip Brenner at the which damning study you read, the U.S. ranks 17th to 29th worldwide in sci- ence. Last week on Bill Tina Dupuy University of Michi- gan's Institute for Social Research did a paper looking at "500 studies over four decades, involving near- ly a million respondents." The findings were summed up by Slate’s Shankar Vedantam, "Bren- ner found that the United States and Canada were outliers — not in religious attendance, but in overre- porting religious attendance. Americans attended services about as often as Italians and Slovenians and slightly more than Brits and Germans." So really we attend church as much as other countries – even European countries. Americans and apparently Canadians just lie about it…in astonishingly un- Christ-like numbers. Those same godless European countries are also outranking us in science proficiency. Depending on Maher’s Real Time, Congressman Jack Kingston (GA-R) admit- ted he doesn’t think he came from a monkey. Other public figures hold fast to the same convic- tion. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huck- abee, likely candidate for president again, in the face of all evidence still denies evolution. They deny all miss- ing links, yet they are straddled between medieval mysticism and medical science. Technology can grow a human ear on the back of a rat — whether members of Congress believe in it or not. Science deniers are starting to look like America’s transitional fossils. American Christianity eventu- Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and fill-in host at The Young Turks. Tina can be reached at tinadupuy@yahoo.com. ally evolved to oppose evolution, but it’s not getting more Ameri- cans to church or helping us in sci- ence literacy. Then like the other profound questions in evolution - male nipples comes to mind - what is the purpose? ———