Thursday, September 6, 2007

Bill Nye says Moon not a Light, Pisses off Waco Wackos

Via Pharyngula, just in case Waco was afraid it was going to lose it's crown as the nuttiest town in Texas, fear not Waconians. Apparently on a recent visit there for a lecture series, Bill Nye the Science Guy had the audacity to actually talk about science, and when he let it tread on the Bible, he really set off the Waco Wackos:

"But nothing got people as riled as when he brought up 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.'

The lesser light, he pointed out, is not a light at all, but only a reflector.

At this point, several people in the audience stormed out in fury. One woman yelled 'We believe in God!' and left with three children..."


And we wonder why we score so low of the worldwide education tests. How many of these people that think the moon makes light do you suppose also believe it is made of cheese?

6 comments:

Lisa McGlaun said...

Wow. Have people really gone that far off the deep end where we cannot talk about science if it contradicts the Bible. I'm ashamed to call myself a Christian. It's got to be the lunitic fringe and to normal church going folk.

I love Bill Nye. My oldest used to watch him every day after school.

Rick Rose said...

We really can't read can we! I'm glad God gave us reason so we would know that if we had not been to outer space we wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a light source and a reflection from space. This is a writing to "confirm" for people that what they are seeing is from God. The only explanation from our vantage point here on earth is that the moon is a "lesser" light than the sun. I don't think Bill's intent wasn't to debunk the bible but to actually help foster scientific theory versus fact. Of course, I could be wrong and Bill could be giving up good scientific methods of hypothesis and theory for political gain. I don't care either way. It doesn't change my view/belief/faith that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made"(Psalms 139:14)

ScienceAvenger said...

Yes Lisa, unfortunately we have reached that point, or rather, we have reached the point where those of us on the scientific side of things are willing to call people on it. Thanks for adding your voice.

ScienceAvenger said...

Rick, I think the reading comprehension problems are yours. Bill Nye merely pointed out that the moon does not emit it's own light. That's a finding of science, not theology. We didn't have to go to outer space to learn this, it was known long before that due to the moon's phases.

Scientific theory explains facts. It is a higher level of understanding, not a lower one. There is no "theory vs fact" in science.

You may ignore the science and believe what you wish, but if you do, you have no business accusing people like Bill Nye of having political or other non-science motivations.

Anonymous said...

Actually this "incident" occurred in April, 2006 - 16 months ago. Bill Nye appeared on Keith Olbermanns MSNBC show the next night and basically said it was no big deal (msnbc.msn.com/id/12252465), one lady did leave with her children and that was it. It's amazing how the internet can blow things completely out of proportion.

nice person said...

I'm so tired of these ignorant morons who call themselves "Christians" and yet behave exactly the opposite to what Christ taught.

I believe in God and in Jesus. But that doesn't mean I can't believe what rational experimentation and observation tell us. The world was NOT created in 6 days and man did not hang out with dinosaurs. And the moon does NOT create it's own light. Neither do the planets.

A 60 Watt light bulb creates its own light, so I guess that proves there's no God too?

The Bible is a beautiful work of art, not a science book, you stupid, ignorant "born again" idiots.

I wish you hadn't been born the FIRST time!!!