Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains, TN) is one of the politicians leading the effort to introduce creationism back into schools to rival the teaching of evolution. He may, however, need a bit more time in the classroom on his intellectual sources. As noted on sites like Think Progress, Niceley has confused Albert Einstein with Francis Bacon in his insistence that Einstein discredited atheism and said that a truly thinking man will turn to Christianity.
As shown on the video below, Niceley offers the following lesson to his Tennessee colleague (who overwhelmingly voted in favor of creationism):
I think that if there’s one thing that everyone in this room could agree on, that would be that Albert Einstein was a critical thinker. He was a scientist. I think that we probably could agree that Albert Einstein was smarter than any of our science teachers in our high schools or colleges. And Albert Einstein said that a little knowledge would turn your head toward atheism, while a broader knowledge would turn your head toward Christianity.
The problem is that he appears to be confusing the 20th Century scientist Albert Einstein with the 16th century philosopher Francis Bacon. Bacon said in his essay “Of Atheism” that “a little philosophy inclineth man’s mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth men’s minds about to religion.”
Einstein was an acknowledged agnostic who stated in 1950: “My position concerning God is that of an agnostic. I am convinced that a vivid consciousness of the primary importance of moral principles for the betterment and ennoblement of life does not need the idea of a law-giver, especially a law-giver who works on the basis of reward and punishment.”
Of course, Niceley can take heart. Bacon did say “by indignities men come to dignities.”
Things can get a bit confused in Strawberry Hills (Tenn.). It brings to mind the song about Strawberry Plains by the Beatles:
Let me take you down, ‘cos I’m going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
It’s getting hard to be someone but it all works out, it doesn’t matter much to me.
Let me take you down, ‘cos I’m going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.No one I think is in my tree, I mean it must be high or low.
That is you can’t you know tune in but it’s all right, that is I think it’s not too bad.
Let me take you down, ‘cos I’m going to Strawberry Fields.[ From: http://www.metrolyrics.com/strawberry-hill-lyrics-beatles.html ]
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.Always, no sometimes, think it’s me, but you know I know when it’s a dream.
I think I know I mean a ‘Yes’ but it’s all wrong, that is I think I disagree.
Let me take you down, ‘cos I’m going to Strawberry Fields.
Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry Fields forever.
Strawberry Fields forever.
Source: Politics Daily
Jonathan Turley
The saddest thing about the Nicely video isn’t what he’s saying, but the fact that people are actually listening.
This is a quote from that ‘Rapture’ video (I caint hardly admit that I watched it):
“Behold, I am Coming Quickly-Jesus Christ”
_____________________
Beholdeth Brethren Near n’ Far…Now we knoweth why J.C. nevereth got married and why he is returnin’ madder than an old wet hen a’spoutin’ “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
(Sorry, I have been enroute to H#!! anyways for neigh on 42 year–onest I quit seeing the light through the shouts of old red-faced, bald Southern Baptist revivalists.)
Gyges,
Thanks! I’d only heard Clapton sing that song before.
Elaine
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBIa-kYc1PI&w=640&h=390]
tom, Gyges, FF Leo, SL, rafflaw, eniobob, et al–
I hope you’re all ready!
tomdarch,
Here’s one for you: The Rapture Song
Y’all r callin’ fer good, God-fearin’ politicians tuh check theyr facts. But taht don’t matter nun if they dun heard it on thuh patriotic talk radio, er if’n they really, really believe it. I ain’t gunna question a good Chrisian man’s faith!
Um, also, about that Bacon quote – I, too, haven’t checked my facts here, but I am under the impression that 16th century natural philosophy included “daemons” pulling things towards hell (an explanation for gravity), the sun orbiting the earth on a crystal sphere in the heavens, lots and lots of alchemy and a 6,000 year old universe. Don’t forget about “the humors” as a basis for medicine, also. (Even today, the author of the “Left Behind” books is trying to promote the medieval humors as a useful approach.)
Indeed, knowing a lot of this sort of “philosophy” entailed lots of in-depth theology – it was all predicated on various ideas that we would today call “religious”. It was exactly this sort of “philosophy” that the enlightenment fought against, but it clearly hasn’t stamped it out.
“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
Sadly, the fool has spoken …
Rafflaw,
Not wrong so much as “lied to.” Most of these misquotes can be traced back to a single source. Creationists in general seem especially prone to misquoting those three.
Elaine,
Nice theory!
Former Fed,
Nice therrum!
Gyges,
It is amazing how these guys can be so far Right and be so Wrong at the same time.
Whelp, ol’ Rep. Niceley is Methodist (as I larnt after readin’ that extensive Curriculum Vitae of hisn) and since they aint no god-offal difference bewixt no Methodist ner Episcopalian, I come up with a varyashun of Iinstines therry o’ reletivtee that ‘splains the Niceley Therrum:
E = mc2
Episcopalian = mentally challenged square
Dear politicians,
Please research before you quote. You’re making us look bad.
Signed,
Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, Jesus of Nazareth.
It’s called the Theory of Right-Wing Relativity. This theory holds that a right-winger can relate–via tortured logic–anything said or done by highly respected famous people or that they can just “make stuff up” to support their cockamamie positions.
Here’s the Right-Wing Relativity Equation:
RWTP=L+L+ML
or
Right Wing Talking Points = Lies plus Lies plus More Lies
“rafflaw
1, April 20, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Well said Mike A.!”
Touche!!
Well said Mike A.!
I almost wrote about this Tennessee genius over the weekend. He reminds me of a gentleman that I worked in the factory with in the summer of 1969 who was trying to explain to me that the US astronauts had not landed on the moon, but on some star in between! You can’t make up this kind of ignorance.
According to his bio, Mr. Nicely is a farmer and his community involvement is comprised of membership in the Farm Bureau and the NRA. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that he has ever heard of Francis Bacon. On the other hand, he might well have a pig named Francis Bacon, but I would suspect that the porcine Francis Bacon is also an agnostic or, at best, a deist.
Otteray Scribe
1, April 20, 2011 at 10:12 am
Maybe he went to one of Kasich’s three year college programs. Politicians in Tennessee do not let little things like facts–or the Constitution–get in the way of promoting a religious agenda on the floor of the Legislature.
===============================================
Oh god … this is so embarrassing … Kasich has turned Ohio into a cheap joke …..
One assumes that since Rep. Niceley acknowledges Mr. Einstein as an expert on science and religion, now that his error has been pointed out to him, Rep. Niceley will adjust his thinking on the matter to follow Einstein’s. To do otherwise would seem to imply that Rep. Niceley is a disingenuous hack using whatever ammunition of dubious origin he can find to implement his unconstitutional agenda.
Maybe he went to one of Kasich’s three year college programs. Politicians in Tennessee do not let little things like facts–or the Constitution–get in the way of promoting a religious agenda on the floor of the Legislature.
Don’t try to confuse this guys with facts! He knows whats true and facts are not going to change that truth, dammit!