Digby recently posted excerpts of interviews from several prominent conservatives asking their views on evolution. Pat Buchanan, pictured left, had some especially ridiculous things to say:
"Do I believe in absolute evolution? No. I don't believe that evolution can explain the creation of matter. ... Do I believe in Darwinian evolution? The answer is no."Uh, the biological theory of evolution doesn't even attempt to try to explain the "creation of matter." Anyway, after this prelude, he unleashes his full ignorance:
"Evolution [has] been so powerful a theory in Western history in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and often a malevolent force--it's been used by non-Christians and anti-Christians to justify polices which have been horrendous. I do believe that every American student should be introduced to the idea and its effects on society. But I don't think it ought to be taught as fact. It ought to be taught as theory. ... How do you answer a kid who says, 'Where did we all come from?' Do you say, 'We all evolved'? I think that's a theory. ... Now the biblical story of creation should be taught to children, not as dogma but every child should know first of all the famous biblical stories because they have had a tremendous influence as well. ... I don't think it should be taught as religion to kids who don't wanna learn it. ... I think in biology that honest teachers gotta say, 'Look the universe exhibits, betrays the idea that there is a first mover, that there is intelligent design.' ... You should leave the teaching of religion to a voluntary classes in my judgment and only those who wish to attend."Right off the bat, Pat goes out of his way to point out that evolution has been used to justify some horrible things in the past. But so has religion and nationalism, yet Pat hasn't turned away from those. Pat then goes on with the awful "it's a theory not a fact" talking point. Well it's both. Then he suggests teaching the biblical story of creation in science classes, even though it has consistently been ruled unconstitutional. Pat clearly has no idea what he's talking about on this one.
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