D. James Kennedy godwinates; Behe distances himself from “Darwin’s Deadly Legacy
For those who didn’t know, Coral Ridge Ministries is producing a TV show to appear in a few days, called Darwin’s Deadly Legacy. Judging by the preview, it’s going to be one long argumentum ad Hitlerum, along with a heaping dose of evolution denial, and a bit of Columbine thrown in for good measure.
The Anti-Defamation League has already condemned this bit of igno-hate-blather (hat tip to Pharyngula).
The show was originally supposed to feature Francis Collins, of the Human Genome Project, but he found out about it and raised a stink, so they removed him from the show and the web site.
The show’s list of experts, not surprisingly, includes only one biologist, after Collins was removed: Michael Behe.
But the preview contains some particularly boneheaded statements (not surprising, given that the list includes Ann Coulter), saying that there is no evidence whatsoever for evolution. Since Behe’s stated position is comparatively mild, I was surprised that he’d associate himself with such nutjobs.
So I figured there’s nothing like the direct approach, so I asked him. Here’s what he wrote back:
Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:39:09 -0400 From: Michael Behe To: Andrew Arensburger Subject: Re: Darwin's Deadly Legacy Hello, Mr. Arensburger, nice to meet you. Andrew Arensburger wrote: > Dear Dr. Behe, > > I see that you are listed as one of the experts who will >appear on D. James Kennedy's upcoming program, "Darwin's Deadly >Legacy" which, judging by the preview, claims that there is no >evidence for evolution, and that Darwin's theories directly led to the >Holocaust. > As I understand it, from reading "Darwin's Black Box" and your >testimony at the Dover trial, you do not disagree with the evidence >for evolution, natural selection, or common descent, but merely claim >that something else must be involved, that natural selection is not >sufficient to explain certain features of living beings. > > Yes, you are right about my thinking. > In light of this, and that Dr. Collins of the Human Genome >Project has asked to be disassociated with this program, I was >wondering whether you could comment on your association with it. > > I'm "associated" with it only in the sense that a clip of my appearance on a TV show of Dr. Kennedy's from years ago apparently is used in the film. I didn't know this program was in the works, have had no conversations with anyone from Coral Ridge about it, and had no input into it. Best wishes. Mike Behe > I see that you are still listed as an expert to appear on the >program, at >http://www.coralridge.org/darwin/experts.asp >I've also looked at your web page at Lehigh, ID the Future, and >Evolution News & Views, but haven't found anything. > > Thank you, > > >
(Reproduced with permission.)
Coral Ridge Ministries has updated its site to include a response to the Anti-Defamation League, by Rabbi Daniel Lapin. He writes:
it is easy to see that the ADL chiefly represents two categories of Jews. One: Jews for whom the doctrines of secular fundamentalism and of the Democratic Party have replaced the authentic principles of Judaism. Two: Jews who consider Christian conservatives to be a far greater peril than Islamic extremism.
It now turns out that the ADL represents yet a third category of Jews: those passionately dedicated to defending Darwin. […]
Why is it necessary to insult so harshly one of Americas most prominent Christian leaders? Or to put it more bluntly, how exactly does it help Jews when the ADL humiliates an Evangelical leader whom as many as forty million Americans revere?
(emphasis added.)
Thus proving that there’s a fourth category of Jews: D. James Kennedy sock-puppets.
In the preview, Kennedy summarizes the show as “No Darwin, no Hitler”, thus proving that there is no low to which fundies won’t stoop.
Update, Aug. 25, 2006: Hat tip to alert reader STH at Pharyngula, who pointed out that a Rabbi Daniel Lapin is connected to the Jack Abramoff scandal, having provided Abramoff with phony religious credentials, among other things.
Unfortunately, it is true that D. James Kennedy is “one of America’s most prominent Christian leaders.” That fact demonstrates the sorry condition of Christianity in this country — the captive of dishonest nutcases like the Presbyterian from Fort Lauderdale and the Bapto-fascist from Lynchburg, Virginia. As Kennedy’s featured “guests” peel themselves away from his Darwin=Hitler diabtribe, his program will be left with only Ann Coulter as his “expert” on evolution. The poor sucker is ending up with a sorrier mess than he could have imagined when he started in. Well, as long as the faithful keeping sending their money in…
Nice catch Andrew! It looks like there’s nothing honest about this show AT ALL. Maybe they should just can the whole project?
Or maybe just air it with robot silhouettes at the bottom of the screen.
Hm… Best Brains is in Minnesota. So’s U. Minnesota Morris. Perhaps PZ could fill in for Joel Hodgson.
If Behe had any balls, he would also demand that he not appear on this program.
I just read citation from Martin Luther (not King). You should look at all his citations concerning the jews. I have never seen such a demonstration of hate toward them (jews). That Hitler was greatly influenced by Luther in his conduct with the jews easily come up to mind, I think.
Thanks for contacting Behe. It looks like Kennedy had to effectively trick at least two of his featured speakers (Collins and Behe) into being on his show.