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
Actually, the moon DOES reflect the sun’s light… your precious bible will also tell you there was days and light and night… before the sun or moon.
whoever you are “the right answer” that is the most well written thing ever your my hero lol, and hypocrisy is amazing
The Bible is 66 fairy tales written by 40 authors in three different languages over 1600 years. There is factual evidence to support that the moon does not generate its own light but it is the suns light reflecting on it. The phases of the moon are caused by the relative positions of the earth, sun, and moon. The moon goes around the earth in 27.3 days, or 27 days 7 hours 43 minutes, on average. This measurement is relative to the stars and is called the sidereal period or orbital period. However, because of the earth’s motion around the sun, a complete moon cycle (New Moon to New Moon) appears to earthbound observers to take a couple of days longer: 29.5305882 days to be exact. This number is called the synodic period or “lunation”, and is relative to the sun.
The sun always illuminates the half of the moon facing the sun (except during lunar eclipses, when the moon passes through the earth’s shadow). When the sun and moon are on opposite sides of the earth, the moon appears “full” to us, a bright, round disk. When the moon is between the earth and the sun, it appears dark, a “new” moon. In between, the moon’s illuminated surface appears to grow (wax) to full, then decreases (wanes) to the next new moon. The edge of the shadow (the terminator) is always curved, being an oblique view of a circle, giving the moon its familiar crescent shape.
Now the reason it says in the bible that the moon generated its own light is because 2000 years ago they did not know why the moon glowed as it does so they turned to religion for the answer. Now in the modern day we have the technology to study the moon and find out the real reason why. There have been multiple studies done on this topic with volumes of facts and information to support it. You religious folks in Texas are using one source to justify your answer while we “educated” people are using hundreds of sources to back up our facts.
To anyone who has gone to college think of it this way: You are professor and you assign your class to do a research project with cited sources. One student uses one source for his or her project and claims they are right regardless of anyone else says. While another student wrote a paper contradicting what the student with one source says. This student has multiple sources and evidence backed up by facts that you can see. So who has the better argument? Just because someone is using “faith” and “religion” to justify what they believe does not mean we can just say “Oh they can believe in what they want its what they believe” NO! You are clearly wrong and uneducated on the topic and should look at the facts presented to you end of story!
“The book of lies becomes alive again” -Hypocrisy “Alive”
Religion=shit, if i could wipe the face of the earth of religion without getting in trouble, I’d do it in a heartbeat. its all a bunch of lies, ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. That is all 🙂
If the moon produces it’s own light, then why don’t we have a full moon every night?
Lame Mother fuckers Bill Nye scientist views crush yo pussies
nobody knows ppl!!!!!!! y r u guys so stupid?!?! every one has their own beleifs!!!! if u think the moon lights its self up then ok, if u think the sun reflects the moon thats fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it dosent matter what religeon u r or if u dont have a religeon!!! JUST CHILL PPL
what the verse meant was the sun was the ligt for day and night!!!! the stars were the other great lights!!!!!!!!!!
Whoa…why are people so blinded by such an imaginary thing. There isn’t anyone who’s gonna save you when you die. That’s the end…. open your eyes. If God was real he would save children with cancer, an all the innocents that is exterminated everyday throughout the world everyday. WAKE UP BIBLE THUMPERS.
If Mr. Nye is so darned smart then why would he willingly be in Texas?
Surely this is satire I, I find it hard that anyone even a wack job creationist could not possibly believe that the Moon generates its own light. So what about the dark side of the Moon? Selective illumination? What a twit.
There is no “god” you all are a bunch of uneducated idiots. How the hell would the moon generate it’s own light?! Are you freaking retarded? Religion is a brain washing cult.
I’d like to knock religious people in the head with an encyclopedia… but then I’d go to jail for assault… so I can’t do it. XD
WTF PEOPLE?!
are you fools serious? the last I read it was ‘the bible” not “the bible, a science text book.”
When will you religious nut jobs remove yourself from politics and the national spotlight? It’s fine if you want to be a religious nut but just do it in your own personal space and don’t talk about it. You people that take the bible literally are as bad as the radical Muslims. Ya I am a godless atheist and I’m damn proud of that. I quit believing in fairy tales at the age of 5 when will you start?
Is this sarcasm? If not your a freaking idiot
The link to the 2006 Bill Nye story is no longer active on WacoTrib.com because the Waco Tribune-Herald changed ownership in 2009 and contracted with a different internet provider. Not all content was migrated over from the previous provider to the new. The story is available in our electronic archive.
Bruce Kabat
Internet general manager
WacoTrib.com
Here is the story:
The Science Guy is entertaining and provocative at MCC lecture
Waco Tribune-Herald (TX) – Thursday, April 23, 2009
Author: Tim Woods Tribune-Herald staff writer
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the Waco Tribune-Herald on April 6, 2006
Audience members who expected to see Bill Nye “The Science Guy” conduct experiments and wow their children received quite a surprise Wednesday when Nye spoke at McLennan Community College.
Nye instead addressed such topics as Mars exploration, global warming and energy consumption, particularly oil and gas. He even ruffled a few religious feathers along the way.
The scientist with a background in stand-up and sketch comedy kept spectators interested, entertained and at ease with his funny, sometimes hilarious, delivery.
Speaking as part of MCC’s Distinguished Lecturer Series, Nye spoke to two audiences, one at 1:30 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m., of about 600 each. He said the first audience, though littered with young children listening to some rather adult scientific topics, “was very supportive.”
The second group also was rapt from the beginning, greeting the scientist with a raucous standing ovation upon his introduction.
“You haven’t heard the presentation yet!” Nye told them.
Opening with a discussion of Mars and his hopes for further discovery on the neighboring planet, Nye encouraged the audience to take interest in discovery and “change the world,” a mantra he repeated throughout.
Nye indicated that the presence of water in Mars’ atmosphere – evidenced by the planet’s ability to form frost – leads him to believe that there is a strong possibility that the planet once supported life.
The Emmy-winning scientist angered a few audience members when he criticized literal interpretation of the biblical verse Genesis 1:16, which reads: “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.”
He pointed out that the sun, the “greater light,” is but one of countless stars and that the “lesser light” is the moon, which really is not a light at all, rather a reflector of light.
A number of audience members left the room at that point, visibly angered by what some perceived as irreverence.
“We believe in a God!” exclaimed one woman as she left the room with three young children.
Nye also was critical of what he said was governmental agencies’ lack of action, even lack of understanding, in protecting the Earth from global warming and wasted resources.
Nye ‘s educational science show won 28 Emmy awards during its television run from 1992-98.
It seemed most in attendance were pleased to hear Nye speak, and some were even awed by the presence of a childhood icon.
“How cool is that, to be face to face with the man, Bill Nye ?” said Jared McClure, who worked sound and video for the event. “And he’s funny, too.”