Difference between revisions of "Atheism and evolutionary racism"

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How about you start being smart and realize you can't blame atheism on all the world's problems. Religious nut jobs cause just as many issues or more.
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Since [[World War II]] a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the [[evolution|evolutionary position]] which employs methodological naturalism have been [[atheism|atheists]].<ref>
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* Dr. Don Batten, [http://creation.com/a-whos-who-of-evolutionists A ''Who’s Who'' of evolutionists] ''Creation'' 20(1):32, December 1997.
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* [[Jonathan Sarfati]], Ph.D.,F.M., [http://www.creation.com/content/view/3830 ''Refuting Evolution'', Chapter 1, Facts and Bias]
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</ref> The errant and ill founded writings of atheist [[Charles Darwin]] (see: [http://www.conservapedia.com/Charles_Darwin#Religious_Views_of_Charles_Darwin religious views of Charles Darwin) ]<ref>
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* http://www.creation.com/content/view/1877
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* Barrett, Paul H. ''Darwin on Man'' 1974:276
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* ''American Scientist'' May 1977:323
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</ref>, which became very influential in the late 19th century, provided a pretext for racism. [[Evolutionary racism]] refers to a [[racist]] philosophy based on [[Charles Darwin]]'s [[Evolution|evolutionary theory]]. It assumes that men have continually evolved, and thus some races are more evolved than others.  It replaces [[Christian]] [[morality]] with the [[atheistic]] "survival of the fittest" ideology of [[Social Darwinism]].
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Charles Darwin wrote in his work  ''[[The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex]]'':
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{{cquote|At some future period not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate and replace the savage races throughout the world. At the same time the anthropomorphous apes...will no doubt be exterminated. The break between man and his nearest Allies will then be wider, for it will intervene between man in a more civilised state, as we may hope, even than the Caucasian, and some ape as low as the baboon, instead of as now between the Negro or Australian and the gorilla.<ref>http://www.aim.org/wls/90/</ref><ref name="DoM6">[http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext00/dscmn10.txt The Descent of Man], chapter VI</ref>}}
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[[File:StephenGould.jpg|thumb|right|[[Stephen Jay Gould]] ]]
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The atheist [[Ernst Haeckel]] was a virulent evolutionary racist.  The [[agnostic]] and staunch evolutionist [[Stephen Gould]] admitted the following:
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{{cquote|[[Ernst Haeckel|Haeckel]] was the chief apostle of evolution in [[Germany]].... His evolutionary racism; his call to the [[German]] people for racial purity and unflinching devotion to a "just" state; his belief that harsh, inexorable laws of evolution ruled human civilization and nature alike, conferring upon favored races the right to dominate others; the irrational [[mysticism]] that had always stood in strange communion with his brave words about objective science - all contributed to the rise of [[Nazism]]. - Stephen J. Gould, "Ontogeny and Phylogeny," Belknap Press: Cambridge MA, 1977, pp.77-78).<ref>http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/social.html</ref>}}
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An example of evolutionary racism is when an [[Evolutionary racism|evolutionary racist]] put [[Ota Benga]] on display at the Bronx Zoo in the monkey house.<ref>http://creation.com/ota-benga-the-pygmy-put-on-display-in-a-zoo</ref> In addition, evolutionary racism was directed at [[Michelle Obama]].<ref name="row">http://creation.com/obama-racism-row</ref>
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When asked in an interview, "If we do not acknowledge some sort of external [standard], what is to prevent us from saying that the [[Muslim]] [extremists] aren’t right?", [[Richard Dawkins]] replied, "What’s to prevent us from saying [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] wasn’t right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question, but whatever [defines morality], it’s not the [[Bible]]. If it was, we’d be stoning people for breaking the [[Sabbath]]."<ref name=Hitler>http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist</ref>
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The interviewer wrote in response, "I was stupefied. He had readily conceded that his own [[philosophy|philosophical]] position [[Atheism and morality|did not offer a rational basis for moral judgments.]] His intellectual honesty was refreshing, if somewhat disturbing on this point."<ref name=Hitler />
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Evolutionary racism still exist today.  For example, [[evolutionary racism]] was recently directed at [[Michelle Obama]].<ref name="row" /> The historic taint of white evolutionary racism within the white atheist community no doubt has been a factor which has hindered the adoption of atheism in the Western World among racial minorities. Leading [[creation science]] organizations such as [[Creation Ministries International]], [[Answers in Genesis]] and the [[Institute for Creation Research]] commonly point out the evolutionary racism that has existed within the evolutionary community.<ref>http://creation.com/racism-questions-and-answers</ref><ref>http://www.answersingenesis.org/get-answers/topic/racism</ref><ref>http://www.icr.org/article/evolution-modern-racism/</ref><ref>http://www.icr.org/article/ascent-racism/</ref>
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[[Thomas Sowell]] wrote:
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{{cquote|While [[slavery]] was common to all civilizations, as well as to peoples considered uncivilized, only one civilization developed a moral revulsion against it, very late in hits history…not even the leading moralists in  other civilizations rejected slavery  at all…. Moreover, within [[Western civilization]], the principle impetus for the abolition of slavery came first from very [[conservative]] religious activists – people who  would today be called ‘the religious right.’…this story is not ‘[[politically correct]]’ in today’s terms. Hence it is ignored, as if it never happened.”<ref>Sowell, Thomas (2005) The real history of slavery. In Black Rednecks and White Liberals. San Francisco, CA: Encounter Books</ref>}}
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The Christian abolitionist [[William Wilberforce]] was the father of [[Samuel Wilberforce]], Bishop of [[Oxford]] who took part in the famous [[creation]] vs. [[evolution]] with evolutionist [[T. H. Huxley]] in 1860.  In the [[United States]], the black church has been a major force in advancing the cause of racial equality.
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== See also ==
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*[[Western atheism and race]]
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*[[Atheism appears to be significantly less appealing to women]]
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*[[Social effects of the theory of evolution]]
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==References==
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<references/>
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[[Category:Atheism]]
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[[Category:Racism]]

Revision as of 02:41, October 29, 2012

Since World War II a majority of the most prominent and vocal defenders of the evolutionary position which employs methodological naturalism have been atheists.[1] The errant and ill founded writings of atheist Charles Darwin (see: religious views of Charles Darwin) [2], which became very influential in the late 19th century, provided a pretext for racism. Evolutionary racism refers to a racist philosophy based on Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory. It assumes that men have continually evolved, and thus some races are more evolved than others. It replaces Christian morality with the atheistic "survival of the fittest" ideology of Social Darwinism.

Charles Darwin wrote in his work The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex:

At some future period not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate and replace the savage races throughout the world. At the same time the anthropomorphous apes...will no doubt be exterminated. The break between man and his nearest Allies will then be wider, for it will intervene between man in a more civilised state, as we may hope, even than the Caucasian, and some ape as low as the baboon, instead of as now between the Negro or Australian and the gorilla.[3][4]

The atheist Ernst Haeckel was a virulent evolutionary racist. The agnostic and staunch evolutionist Stephen Gould admitted the following:

Haeckel was the chief apostle of evolution in Germany.... His evolutionary racism; his call to the German people for racial purity and unflinching devotion to a "just" state; his belief that harsh, inexorable laws of evolution ruled human civilization and nature alike, conferring upon favored races the right to dominate others; the irrational mysticism that had always stood in strange communion with his brave words about objective science - all contributed to the rise of Nazism. - Stephen J. Gould, "Ontogeny and Phylogeny," Belknap Press: Cambridge MA, 1977, pp.77-78).[5]

An example of evolutionary racism is when an evolutionary racist put Ota Benga on display at the Bronx Zoo in the monkey house.[6] In addition, evolutionary racism was directed at Michelle Obama.[7]

When asked in an interview, "If we do not acknowledge some sort of external [standard], what is to prevent us from saying that the Muslim [extremists] aren’t right?", Richard Dawkins replied, "What’s to prevent us from saying Hitler wasn’t right? I mean, that is a genuinely difficult question, but whatever [defines morality], it’s not the Bible. If it was, we’d be stoning people for breaking the Sabbath."[8]

The interviewer wrote in response, "I was stupefied. He had readily conceded that his own philosophical position did not offer a rational basis for moral judgments. His intellectual honesty was refreshing, if somewhat disturbing on this point."[8]

Evolutionary racism still exist today. For example, evolutionary racism was recently directed at Michelle Obama.[7] The historic taint of white evolutionary racism within the white atheist community no doubt has been a factor which has hindered the adoption of atheism in the Western World among racial minorities. Leading creation science organizations such as Creation Ministries International, Answers in Genesis and the Institute for Creation Research commonly point out the evolutionary racism that has existed within the evolutionary community.[9][10][11][12]

Thomas Sowell wrote:

While slavery was common to all civilizations, as well as to peoples considered uncivilized, only one civilization developed a moral revulsion against it, very late in hits history…not even the leading moralists in other civilizations rejected slavery at all…. Moreover, within Western civilization, the principle impetus for the abolition of slavery came first from very conservative religious activists – people who would today be called ‘the religious right.’…this story is not ‘politically correct’ in today’s terms. Hence it is ignored, as if it never happened.”[13]

The Christian abolitionist William Wilberforce was the father of Samuel Wilberforce, Bishop of Oxford who took part in the famous creation vs. evolution with evolutionist T. H. Huxley in 1860. In the United States, the black church has been a major force in advancing the cause of racial equality.

See also

References

  1. http://www.aim.org/wls/90/
  2. The Descent of Man, chapter VI
  3. http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/social.html
  4. http://creation.com/ota-benga-the-pygmy-put-on-display-in-a-zoo
  5. 7.0 7.1 http://creation.com/obama-racism-row
  6. 8.0 8.1 http://byfaithonline.com/page/in-the-world/richard-dawkins-the-atheist-evangelist
  7. http://creation.com/racism-questions-and-answers
  8. http://www.answersingenesis.org/get-answers/topic/racism
  9. http://www.icr.org/article/evolution-modern-racism/
  10. http://www.icr.org/article/ascent-racism/
  11. Sowell, Thomas (2005) The real history of slavery. In Black Rednecks and White Liberals. San Francisco, CA: Encounter Books