More Quote Mining from the Anti-Evolution Discovery Institute

The ideologues at the anti-evolution Discovery Institute put a lot of time and resources into pushing an agenda that would undermine the education of children across the country. Then they portray themselves and like-minded activists as somehow persecuted for doing so. They’re really shameless. Case in point: check out the editorial cartoon and quote from the Renaissance Era scientist and philosopher Galileo the Seattle-based organization tweeted on Friday:

DI_Galileo

The Discovery Institute, which promotes “intelligent design”/creationism as an alternative to evolution, and other creationists insist that the overwhelming evidence supporting evolution is flawed. In fact, they argue, the evidence will one day show they’re right — if only scientists will stop persecuting them for trying to find that evidence. We heard those arguments repeatedly during the debate over new science curriculum standards and textbooks in Texas. So the Institute’s use of the out-of-context quote from Galileo is hardly a surprise. That kind of “argument” is really all they’ve got.

But the portrayal of Galileo being criticized — like, supposedly, supporters of creationism today — neglects to tell the whole story. (Imagine that.) Galileo was indeed persecuted, especially for his insistence that Earth revolves around the sun instead of the other way around. But the persecution he suffered came from the all-powerful religious authorities of his day. Those authorities rejected science and scientific evidence — just like the Discovery Institute does today.

13 thoughts on “More Quote Mining from the Anti-Evolution Discovery Institute

  1. In the Bible, Satan is referred to as the “deceiver” and the “Father of Lies.” Whether you refer to this spirit of evil as a particular spiritual being or just loosely as the “nature of evil in the world,” the thing you have to understand is that the sort of clever, inside-out deception in this cartoon piece is just the kind of diabolical deception the “Old Debble” specializes in doing to capture trick weak minds. Texas and most other red states are “Chock Full ‘O Weak Minds”—and The Discovery Institute (DI) knows it. The DI is not on any sort of scientific mission (another lie), but they are on a public relations mission—and they know it too.

  2. Too true! The Disco Tute exists for the existence of the Disco Tute.

    They have no product and they only raise money in their non-profit organization to pay their own salaries. Hey, how can I sign up for free money?

    Wait, isn’t free money socialism?

  3. Denialists love comparing themselves to Galileo, and they never understand the irony or realize why it only makes them look like bigger idiots. Galileo used evidence to trump ideology. The Creation Institute is trying to use ideology to trump evidence.

  4. Quotemining seems reminiscent of proof-texting, just done with a different sort of “appeal to authority” at the root of it.

  5. A BIG difference with the discovery of Galileo (the man)and the so called discoveries of evolution is that Galileo was observing evidence that showed something happening (science). No science has shown evolution happening on the scale you propose. It’s just a theory (proposed idea). Otherwise science would call evolution a Law.

      1. scientific theory: a valid explanation
        Now discuss the main point: There is a difference between observing evidence that showed something happening -and- observing evidence and then explaining how something may have happened.

    1. It doesn’t matter. Atheists and macro evolutionist are for the most part cry babies. they hanobreal evidence
      For their version on evolution, so it’s usually
      Ad hominum attacks

    2. Ron, you are revealing your ignorance. Let’s make this a test. See if you can figure out why you are wrong. I bet you can’t, and that we’ll have to explain it in greater detail to you. Dan has already given you some good input. See if you can learn from it. Here’s a hint: Do you really think scientific theories eventually become laws?

  6. It’s really funny. We ask for proof that shows
    Species turning into another. Yet all I hear is
    Weak minded. Willing to bet 95% of believers
    In evolution do not understand it to begin
    With. Talk about weak minded. They know
    The definition and that someone said it’s
    True

    1. I sounds as if you do not understand the process yourself. I recommend going to http://www.talkorigins.org and feel free to read up on the subject if you are so inclined. While science doesn’t have all at the answers, you will find that we have discovered a lot. I hope that clears up some of your misunderstandings about the theory of evolution.