The Neverending Debate

The "debate" lives on 89 years later. It is worth looking at the comments to this anniversary note, just to get a cross section of opinion, as the theory of evolution remains a deeply divisive issue in America. More striking is that Americans are less accepting of evolution than any country in Europe except for Turkey. So, it seems we have allowed this "debate" to rage on, while other developed countries have long since moved on.

Trying to find the reasons why are complex, but it seems that it largely suits the conservative political establishment to use evolution as one of its whipping posts, as it continues to promote a staunchly conservative religious view of society. Roughly 3 in 10 Americans take the Bible literally, with conservatives actively promoting their view of "creationism" in one form or another.

Interestingly, Creationists are accepting dinosaurs even though there is no specific mention of such beasts in the Bible. Recently, Michael Peroutka donated a complete skeleton of an Allosaurus to the Creation Museum in Kentucky, which "religious archaeologists" date at 5000 years. Apparently, dinosaurs weren't invited on Noah's Ark.

There is an entire industry devoted to "proving" the events in the Bible, with such archaeologists roaming the earth in search of tell tale signs. There is also a specific field of "flood geology" devoted to proving the Biblical flood took place.

All this pseudo-scientific research helps give credence to Biblical events, reinforcing long-held beliefs. There is even a separate group that promotes "intelligent design," which is willing to accept an older Earth but still insists on God's hand in shaping events over the eras, kind of like that obelisk in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Randy Olson had fun with some of these theorists in Flock of Dodos, but he also notes that scientists are often their own worst enemies by adopting a belligerent attitude when challenged.

The number of Americans who do take the Bible literally has dropped considerably since 1925, although that number plateaued around 1992, thanks to religious groups like the Moral Majority and the enormous tele-evangelism network, which continue to promote Creationism.

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The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Welcome to this month's reading group selection. David Von Drehle mentions The Melting Pot , a play by Israel Zangwill, that premiered on Broadway in 1908. At that time theater was accessible to a broad section of the public, not the exclusive domain it has become over the decades. Zangwill carried a hopeful message that America was a place where old hatreds and prejudices were pointless, and that in this new country immigrants would find a more open society. I suppose the reference was more an ironic one for Von Drehle, as he notes the racial and ethnic hatreds were on display everywhere, and at best Zangwill's play helped persons forget for a moment how deep these divides ran. Nevertheless, "the melting pot" made its way into the American lexicon, even if New York could best be describing as a boiling cauldron in the early twentieth century. Triangle: The Fire That Changed America takes a broad view of events that led up the notorious fire, noting the gro

Dylan in America

Whoever it was in 1969 who named the very first Bob Dylan bootleg album “Great White Wonder” may have had a mischievous streak. There are any number of ways you can interpret the title — most boringly, the cover was blank, like the Beatles’ “White Album” — but I like to see a sly allusion to “Moby-Dick.” In the seven years since the release of his first commercial record, Dylan had become the white whale of 20th-century popular song, a wild, unconquerable and often baffling force of musical nature who drove fans and critics Ahab-mad in their efforts to spear him, lash him to the hull and render him merely comprehensible. --- Bruce Handy, NYTimes ____________________________________________ I figured we can start fresh with Bob Dylan. Couldn't resist this photo of him striking a Woody Guthrie pose. Looks like only yesterday. Here is a link to the comments building up to this reading group.

Team of Rivals Reading Group

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Dispatches from Vilnius

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