Am I wrong to judge this guy?

[TimeChaser]

So, there's this guy that my roommates are friends with. I thought he was pretty nice and all that. He's a zoology major like I am. Now I learn that he rejects evolution, believes in creationism and supports teaching "ID" in high schools. Needless to say, my opinion of him dropped, and I feel a little guilty about it.

But, damn, how can you been a zoology or biology major and reject something to important to it?

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. He's brainwashed

That is the only possible explanation.

[Maat]

2. Boy, that's a tough one.

I guess you have to stick to basic politeness until you find some common ground and make an agreement about what NOT to discuss.

[BuyingThyme]

3. No, please judge him.

ID was made up, out of the blue, in order to destroy the education system in the U.S. -- not for any other reason.

You have a right to stand up for education.

[MojoXN]

4. Judge not, lest ye be judged...

Or, fuck him, he's an idiot, and deserving of ridicule. Take your pick.

MojoXN

[mestup]

5. Get a beaker, fill it with water, ask him to turn it into wine.

(LOL - Heard something like that on Randi's radio show.)

[TimeChaser]

11. Heh

Although that would be something I'd do to a fundy chemist, personally.

[neebob]

6. If you mean he rejects evolution instead of requests it

then no, I don't think you're wrong to judge him. I'm having trouble not judging people who think it's okay to teach ID, regardless of their beliefs about evolution.

[TimeChaser]

9. Oops!

Thanks for catching my typo.

Usually, non-fundy people who advocate for intelligent design are just really ignorant of what a 'theory' means in science and have no idea that id is just pure made up crap. I've never ever seen someone who has supposedly been educated in science support it at all.

[neebob]

16. Back atcha with that oops

I see I left an extra word in my post.

[porphyrian]

7. For the integrity of science, believe he's stupid.

His professors should be ashamed of themselves for letting him get this far. ID and all the other forms of creationist dogma is religion, not science, and it has no place in scientific fields.

[donco6]

8. I certainly wouldn't hire him.

But he'll probably find some nice fundy nutcase niche to slide into.

[TimeChaser]

10. I just hope he doesn't become a doctor.

Because I do not think I could trust a doctor who doesn't believe in evolution. Hell, doctors see evolution at work all the time with bacteria evolving resistance to antibiotics.

[Nikia]

12. It depends how much of evolution he rejects

As to the question, how can he be a zoology or biology major and reject it. Microevolution is a proven fact. Experiementss can be done in the laboratory and there are observed historical cases. When I took evolution from my college biology department, this is the type of evolution that we talked about. There are some people who believe in this type of evolution, but do not believe that evolution can progess beyond a certain level (genus, family, order). They may also believe that life could not have started spontaneously under naturual circumstances or progresed beyond a certain level. Although there is evidence for macroevolution and how early life might have arisen, there are many unanswered questions and it is more speculative and theoretical than the evidence that a certain bacteria evolved to be immune to a certain antibiotic, for example. Instead of working to find answers, they turn to intelligent design if it is compatible with their belief system. Some believe that God used evolution to create life as we know it.

[TimeChaser]

The problem is

he's the same age as me, has taken the same science classes as me. He doesn't reject evolution based upon any kind of reasoning, just because it "isn't true." If someone wanted to argue about any holes in current theory, that's fine, but to just say it's wrong because the bible tells him so... that just really lowers my opinion of him.

[catmother]

13. well i would also say he's brainwashed. but if you and your

roomates see a lot of him, i guess you should just be polite unless he starts trying to convert you.

[ismnotwasm]

14. I've met educated people that believe that way as well

A nurse practitioner I know for example. Not only does she reject evolution, but she's one of those who believes the world is less that 10,000 years old. There is a lot of pseudo-science that will pass light initial scutiny, if you really want to be deluded. The sad thing is when she was going to school, one of her biology professors let her write a paper using this pseudo-science with an alternate explaination for evolution. To me, that's inexcusable.
She's a very nice person, actually. You would never know how she believes unless you started talking religion with her, she's not one of those pushy types. But it's pretty damn weird. Needless to say, we don't socialize.

[diva77]

15. Museum of the Earth in Ithaca NY created guide for Museum Docents to talk

to people like this guy...go to this link:

http://www.priweb.org/museumoftheearth/


then in white box on left side, click on "Evolution and Creationism A Guide for Museum Docents"...it's a 10 page pdf file

Good luck!

[lpbk2713]

17. The money he's spent on an education has been wasted.

Just like Poppy and Babs wasted their money. But that's a different story.

[yella_dawg]

18. Someone who majors in a biological science

but doesn't accept a basic premise of biological science.

What's to judge?

[TimeChaser]

19. Thanks

You've just made me feel a lot better

[mandyky]

20. The same way one can be a doctor and be

against birth control. Totally mind boggling, I agree!

[seabeyond]

21. Are you really judging, honestly recognizing a truth

now if you create him less, not seeing his goodness, then you could call it judging. if you dont trust the guy on a level of awareness that is the result of him lying ot himself for his story. really doesnt have a lot to do with you. to not particularly want to be around him, because of the story he has to tell himself, again, doesnt have much to do with you

you can recognize a truth without it being judgement. adn we do get to chose who we enjoy being with

i could probably find the good in the person,ergo still hang out. though i may not keep my mouth shut with him

[RC]

22. Human beings are so intelligent that they can

rationalize absolutely anything. Your roommate is a case in point.