How is a Christian lie about evolution different from any other lie?

Question

When antisecularist Christians lie about evolution, doesn't that sort of make you think they're lying about lots of stuff? By their fruits, and all that.

Is there a new version of the Bible I missed that says lying is okay?

(This is not indicative of a belief that all Christians lie about evolution.)

I would consider, for example, asking a question on Y!A where you claimed there was no evidence and being given 30-40 answers of evidence, then asking the same exact question the next day, to be lying.

Thanks, Svet, That's another good example, saying Darwin recanted on his deathbed when you know it's not true.

Answer 1

It's the same battle as always - some people build their worldview on willful ignorance. If they were to acknowledge a fact that undermines the foundation of their worldview, they'd need to reevaluate a lot of things.

Not only is the reevaluation scary (and disruptive!), but it also means that they'd have to admit that they were misled (and potentially betrayed by whoever misled them). A whole bundle of pain and heartache is just sitting there. So, they avoid admitting that they've got something wrong, and cling to that worldview like it's a life preserver.

Answer 2

I agree. The intellectual dishonesty of the anti-evolution crowd is truly distasteful. I don't base that assessment on the kind of responses I see here because most of these people are science-ignorant and merely parroting what they heard last week in church.

But at the highest levels of the creationist movement, it's clear that the leaders are continuously saying things that they know to be false. And they repeat then over, and over, and over until the guy on the street stops by at YA and says things like "there are no transitional forms!" But that's merely willful ignorance, not out and out lying.

A good example of a good, solid propaganda level lie is Dr. Behe (the Intelligent Design poster boy) and his magical bacterial flagellum. Behe claimed that the bacterial flagellum are "irreducibly complex", meaning none of its components have any other use. There was so much evidence to the contrary that at the Dover trial, the judge openly mocked him for repeating the same bogus nonsense. And yet, to this day, he holds that up as his main example of "irreducible complexity." The guy absolutely knows better (or is simply insane and should be committed) and yet he can't stop himself.

Christian creationists: the ends justify the means! How Christlike.

To JIB, above: If you do actually have a physics degree, you should return it to the mill and get your money back.

Answer 3

It's not any different...except that these particular liars believe that they are doing it for God so that makes it okay. No matter how outrageous, distorted, or outright false.

Behe, Gish, Hovind, Ham, Falwell, Robertson, Swaggart, Popoff, Wyatt, and their supporters are all convinced that anything they say has their gods' stamp of approval on it.

Behe actually admitted under oath (during the Dover trial) that no matter what he would not accept the ToE because he felt that doing so would somehow cause "moral decay". As though the ToE had anything whatsoever to do with morals.

And before you guys say anything: The ToE says NOTHING about astronomy, geology, chemestry, the formation of planets, the age of the Earth, the age of the Universe, the Big Bang, or anything else non-Biology-related.

Answer 4

The question is why do secular people lie about evolution and call it a science? I have a degree in physics. In the study of the sciences I found that every branch had a law that stated any object, mixture and etc. would go to the maximum dispersion, lowest state and etc. if left alone. Evolution states that with no help matter just came into being and evolved through DNA to life that we still can not understand. This goes against every branch of true science. Evolution claims credibility because it follows exactly the same order as the Bible. Even Darwin tried to renounce his findings in his later life.

Answer 5

Some here say that Christians are simply deluded, but I think some of their tactics are so incredibly dishonest that there has to be some conscious manipulation.

Unless even the brightest creationist minds really do think that quoting people out of context makes evolution somehow wrong, in which case the creationist machine is even dumber than I thought.

Answer 6

I don't think they are lying.

They just completely buy into all the religious propaganda that they have been spoon-fed.

These types of individuals would never change their minds, hence why they keep asking and repeating the same things over and over again.

They are unshakable. The real rub, is why do we bother answering, and giving information. I try to avoid answering those questions, they really serve no purpose.

Answer 7

I think it comes down to what an individual is willing to accept as proof of anything.
I can gladly copy and paste hundreds of evolutionary revisions mistakes and flat out wrong theories that have been changed and remolded over the years as well as I can paste hundreds of mistakes Churches and doctrines and spiritual people have made over the years.

Answer 8

Thanks for your disclaimer, there are some of us Christians who do accept evolution.

But I don't think those who don't accept it are "lying" per se. Lying seems to imply some type of knowledge that what you're saying isn't actually the truth...the type of people in question are simply ignorant.

Answer 9

A lie is a lie is a lie.

It does not matter from out of whose mouth it falls.

It does not matter the circumstances or topic at hand.

Answer 10

What I believe you are referring to is when they knowingly repeat facts that they know are untrue... Darwin recanting on his deathbed, for example. It is pathetic, and by their fruits.... is quite apt.