There is an interesting account out of Waco, Texas where Bill Nye “The Science Guy” was booed for saying that the Moon does not generate it own light — in contradiction to the Bible. This will likely end any dream of Nye to open a new Bill Nye “The Religion Guy” line of products. The speech reportedly occurred in 2006 but the controversy was rekindled after critics cried foul at the removal of the story from the local newspaper’s online archive.
Nye ran afoul of the faithful by remarking that it is not true that the moon generates its own light as opposed to reflecting light. This contradicted Genesis 1:16, which says quite clearly (if only Nye bothered to read it) that “God made two great lights — the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.” Fortunately, there were educated people in the audience who proceeded to boo Nye and walk out. One woman with three children reportedly screamed “We believe in God!” while storming out.
Now what is particularly interesting is the Waco Tribune broke the story and ran an article with quotations from the audience. However, it has been removed from the online site, as noted at an atheist site. However, it has now been returned, here. Why would the newspaper remove a clearly important story with international interest? If the story was false, there should have been a retraction and an investigation. If it is simply embarrassing, the newspaper is engaging in self-censorship. Either way, the newspaper owes people and explanation.
In the meantime, Nye needs to answer for his rejection of biblical science. Recently, Texas legislators moved to help create a master’s in creationist science. Perhaps Nye should be required to get a real science degree in creationism as opposed to that ridiculous Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Cornell.
Next he is going question the fact that the sun revolves around the earth and find himself in a papal trial.
For the original article, click here
“Godless, Soulless Blasphemer”
MY kind of guy!
I thought this was one of those sarcastic articles like in The Onion, but after perusing the rest of the site I realized it was a serious article. All I can ask is, “Seriously?”
I’ve believed in God since parental indoctrination and watched Bill Nye The Science Guy when I was young, and neither one ever disproved the other. Now I’m an engineer and pray every day.
No wonder there’s a Texas Edition of World History. I bet soon there will be a Texas Edition of Science. I guess that is why young Americans rank twenty-something in Math and Science in the world. You *can* be religious and have an interest in the ways things work, too – unless we teach them that’s a sin. Stop keeping your kids back.
You science types have dropped the ball so badly that now theocrats run legislatures. A religious leadership is ever closer to once again seizing power in the US, and what do science promoters do? Grouse and giggle at the ‘backwards’ people. Yet it’s their organization and money that are winning. Who’s laughing now?
Oh my this is funny. So you people bashing Bill believe God, knocked up a virgin, and she had his baby,and if you don’t mindlessly believe this you will burn in hell forever? Silly people. Grow up.
poe or no poe?
in all fairness to the Christians who walked out, the moon *does* actually generate it’s own light. NASA’s fact sheet has a black-body temperature of 270.7 K, corresponding to a spectrum peaking at about 10micron wavelength, or somewhere in the infra-red.
In 1779, no less than the same Christian hymn-writer who gave us “Amazing Grace”–John Newton–wrote a hymn entitled “The Moon Has But a Borrowed Light”:
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/newton/olneyhymns.h2_86.html
Christian thinkers have used this scientific knowledge to demonstrate the idea of turning from false faith to permit the sun itself–through Jesus–to shine on the believer.
To the religious right, I say, learn your own traditions before you shove half-knowledge on others.
I hate the south.
I noticed this came from Wacko, Texas.
I wonder who he was representing? I wonder who GW Bush was representing?
Former Dem,
You mean Barrack Obama did all those things? And Barrack Obama did all those things all by his self? No help from the Senate or House of Representatives or business lobbyist or staff? That is amazing! I wonder where he has found the time!
Chuck, if you’re going to criticize the article’s spelling, you’d do well not to make spelling mistakes yourself. I didn’t see Kelsey mentioned anywhere in the article!
loling at people who either cannot detect the article’s sarcasm, or think they are being funny by pretending that this is the case.
As if the story itself isn’t scary enough, the spelling and grammer in the article are embarrassing! For Pete’s sake – hire an editor!
quite possibly the worst article of all time
Perhaps it’s not that Texans are idiots per se, but that they truly believe that John Wayne really was a hero, rather than an actor. This in tandem with a “fairy tale” history of Texas’ creation, leaves them at a loss to separate truth from fiction. They really believe “macho” means tough and manly. Don’t forget to throw in the fact that from the beginning Texas was controlled by a small, wealthy group, that pretty much called the shots as to education, news and politics.
witchybitch,
So we are all a little slow on the uptake, some more than others.
When I was about to move to Texas, I remember dismissing the stereotypes. Big mistake. Texans, by and large, are morons. Complete idiots, in a way that is difficult for people who have not spent significant time in the South to understand. Believe all of the stereotypes and then imagine it being a bit worse, and you’ll be about right.
The write-up here makes it sound like Nye was booed simply for saying that the moon reflects light.
He seems to have actually been booed because he specifically pointed out the contradiction with Genesis.
The nuts are pretty nutty, but stuff like that goes rocketing over their heads unless you carefully point it out.
Texas ex: “…Republicans love them, they’re like lemmings, they just run right off the cliff.”
That’s an insult to the intelligence of lemmings. That running off cliffs stuff is just Disney propaganda and not true.