Monday, February 4, 2008

Creationism and Holocaust Denial: Closer to each other than you may think!

Please Note: I am in no way saying that ALL CREATIONISTS or ALL EVANGELICALS are anti-semitic. I am simply stating that SOME are, and that by definition, anti-semitism is expressed as suspicion of Jews at the least, or outright hatred of them at the worst. Not all evangelicals are automatically suspicious of anyone who is Jewish, but many are, and they often try to hide it. Even Billy Graham got caught expressing his views on tape with Richard Nixon. His views about Jews were typical --he clearly stated that he believed that Jews controlled the media, and were ruining the nation. This sentiment is not unusual to find, especially in America's more rural areas. Nothing more should be read into this article.

Many people have criticized me for making comparisons between holocuast deniers and Creationists, saying that I go too far, or that the comparison is highly inappropriate. I disagree. Not only are my views on the connection between creationism and Holocaust denial appropriate, but I believe they are accurate and justified.

Holocaust denial and Creationism don't just share common tactics and methodology in how they publicise and spread their message, They also share Antisemitism. Many evangelicals who support creationism deny any charges of antisemitism strongly, but there is a lot of documentary evidence to support the idea that at least some Evangelicals who are involved with the creationist movement, are, in fact, anti-semitic.

Before I get into that, let me restate what I have previously claimed about the similarities between holocaust deniers and Creationists.

(1) Both use conspiracy theories to support their claims. Holocaust Deniers frequently claim that "History is written by the victors", or that "History is controlled by the establishment." When reading Holocaust denial literature, they frequently claim that there is a secret conspiracy of Jews who have influence over governments, and who pressure people into accepting their "official version" of what happened in World War 2 with respect to the Nazi Attrocities against Jews. they claim that the establishment crushes all who go against this official version of history.

Likewise, Creationist literature is full of the same conspiracy claims. They claim that the scientific establishment crushes all alternative viewpoints, and that evolution is promoted as the official word by a politically powerful organized movement within the establishment.

(2) Both say that it's important for children to be taught alternative views (their views, in particular) in school, and decide the truth for themselves. Of course, when it comes to other simlar topics in history and science, both holocaust deniers and creationists have nothing to say about presenting alternative views and letting kids decide for themselves.

(3) Both use deceptive and fraudulent research to promote their agendas. In the case of Holocaust deniers, They often misquote research or blow it off entirely. IN "the Hoax of the 20th Century", for example, Holocaust Denier Aurhur Butz simply casts aside all testimonies of victims as "lies for publicity and personal gain", and all admissions and confessions of former Nazis who participated in attrocities as "coerced by the allies". In other words, despite the fact that plenty of eyewitnesses corroborated thousands of specific stories and facts, they all have to be ignored because the allied victors in World War 2 invented the facts and made sure everyone told the official version of events. David Irving, another Holocaust revisionist and historian, despite ample documentation of Hitler's speeches, minutes from staff meetings, and other material, misrepresented all of it by stating that Hitler had no idea what his generals were doing.

Creationists aren't just similar, They're worse! In case after case, various scientific facts and articles cited in creationist publications, where famous and respected scientists appear to be making the case against evolution, the quotes are often doctored or quote-mined out of context to say the exact opposite of what the original author intended. Creatioists do not simply blow off research and evidence, they actually attempt to redefine science terms and facts, and even tell outright lies about the facts. The use of the second law of thermodynamics is a perfect example of how they attempt to redefine scientific laws to suit their needs. They claim that there are no transitional fossils, which ignores the body of evidence that scientists have collected concerning this. the Discovery Institute claims that more and more respected scientists are coming over to the creationist side, when the reality is that more and more Christian diploma mills are giving fraudulent degrees to people who never were practicing scientists in the first place, and who do not go on to work as scientsts after they get their degrees.

(4) Both have people among them who are blantantly antisemitic. Holocaust deniers are practically unquestionably antisemitic by and large, as most of their appearances and support comes from the Neonazi movement. Arthur Butz and David Irving, two of the most prominant revisionists, speak almost exclusively in front of neonazi audiences.

With Creationism, few of the books, literature, and websites of creationists show direct evidence of antisemitism, but rather, support of their ideas often comes from individuals and groups in the Evangelical community who are undoubtedly antisemitic or racist. For example, Kent Hovind, a prolific Creationist and current Felon (for tax evasion), sold neonazi and antisemitic literature on his website. "The Fourth Reich of the rich" is one such book that he sold, which is a typial conspiracy theory book linking Bilderburgers, Illuminati, and powerful Jews. He also wrote "I love the Jews. But The Protocols of Zion [sic] was written to explain how to control the world, I mean, it lays it all out. But it’s really carefully done so that if it is ever discovered the Jews take the blame for it." (the Protocols of the Elders of Zion is a classic Antisemitic book that purports to show how the Jews control the world, but it was uncovered as a hoax many times).

Racism and Antisemitism are the dark underbelly of the Evangelical movement, and one which evangelicals guard carefully, but occaisionally, they let it slip out of their mouth or into their literature. People like Pat Robertson, Don Wildmon, and Gary North, promote conspiracy theories focusing on how Jews, Masons, and the Illuminati are all working to control the world. Don Wildmon, of the American Family Association, claimed that Hollywood is "run by jews who are hostile to Christianity". Wildmon also has recruited known Neonazis work for him. If you go through lists of antisemitic quotes by Christian leaders in America, you will note that most of the same people support Creationism, and sell creationist literature.

The Creationist movement itself doesn't specify any anti-semitic tennants, but far too many of the people giving money to the movement and promoting it clearly have made statements that suggest suspicion of Jews, or which clearly indicate Jewish Conspiracy beliefs, based in ignorance and anti-Jewish bias.

------------------------
Links to back up many of the claims in this article:


Quotations from Contemporary and historical Christian leaders
www.weirdcrap.com/recreational/chrsquot.htm

Answers In Genesis Racist support
http://home.austarnet.com.au/stear/aig_and_racism_response.htm

Presbyterians promote antisemitism at peace conference:
http://atheism.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2004/02/05/news/local/bhate0206.txt

Bush White House checked with Rapture Christians before latest israel Move
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0420,perlstein,53582,1.html

Kent Hovind's antisemitic comments:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Hovind#From_mainstream_critics

Don Wildmon's Antisemitism:
http://www.seekgod.ca/cnp.wi-z.htm

11 comments:

Smash Communism with Jesus said...

Christians like me really appreciate how you generalize and also trivialize Antisemitism. Way to go, Atheist boy!

David W. Irish said...

Smash Communism With Jesus wrote:
"Christians like me really appreciate how you generalize and also trivialize Antisemitism. Way to go, Atheist boy!"

Can you be more specific, Troll-boy?

Smash Communism FOR Jesus said...

Yeah I can, Psycho-boy. You trivialize it by stating that people who simply disagree with you MUST hold to that mindset, because others like them have had it in the past, and are simply using it to attack people you DISAGREE with. That is calling trivializing, since you have no morals or compassion whatsoever. You're the fucking troll, dipshit.

David W. Irish said...

Smash Communism FOR Jesus said...
"Yeah I can, Psycho-boy. You trivialize it by stating that people who simply disagree with you MUST hold to that mindset, because others like them have had it in the past, and are simply using it to attack people you DISAGREE with."

Then you obviously didn't read the article carefully, because that's NOT what I said at all. You're still generalizing. Take specific facts from the article, and tell me why you disagree with them. Do you know what specific means?

"That is calling trivializing, since you have no morals or compassion whatsoever. You're the fucking troll, dipshit."

Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! You expect people to take you seriously with a comment like that?

You're shooting yourself in the foot pretty early in the game, aren't you?

Tell me something, if a Christian ministry has strong ties to a known white supremacist, and PAYS HIM to produce a documentary, and even sells his books promoting white supremacy, doesn't it suggest a little bit that they don't have a problem with white supremacy? I think that any reasonable person would say YES.

Anyway, I know it's just you after impersonating CapnOawesome. Do you have a point, or are you seeing how easily I can be pissed off?

Here's a hint -- it's not easy. Give up before you make a bigger idiot out of yourself, or just plainly state in plain English what your problem is with me. Your games are just... sad.

Smash Communism FOR Jesus said...

I real problem with you is your hatred, and your absolutely stupid beliefs that Christians have to be mocked and ridiculed and kicked out of everything (you seem to embody the type of person you just laughs and laughs at the quotes posted on FSTDT.com).

Your left-wing politics also SCARE me and I believe they do not represent adiquete change for America, and that they will be the end for the only rightful superpower in the world.

I don't care about pissing off a fat Boston bagpiper on myspace, I care about getting MY points across with no opposition, that's it. If I wanted to piss you off, I'd simply bombard you with nasty images and text.

So fuck you, I'm still here to rip you a new asshole.

David W. Irish said...

Smashinghimselffor jesus wrote:
"I real problem with you is your hatred, and your absolutely stupid beliefs that Christians have to be mocked and ridiculed and kicked out of everything (you seem to embody the type of person you just laughs and laughs at the quotes posted on FSTDT.com)."

And what makes you think you can make me think you're some poor Christian who is offended? You're clearly just an imposter. The name is outrageous, and your constant use of obscenity and "street trash" type talk doesn't help you look like very religious at all. I'm willing to bet that's your website, and you're just using the opportunity to publicize it. That's just the kind of thing that guy would do, too.

SmashedforJeezus wrote:
"Your left-wing politics also SCARE me and I believe they do not represent adiquete change for America, and that they will be the end for the only rightful superpower in the world."

Sorry, bud, but you're not convincing me. You're not even doing a very convincing impersonation of a right-wing retard. It's obvious that you're just trolling.

gettingsmashedforJEEZUS wrote:
"I don't care about pissing off a fat Boston bagpiper on myspace, I care about getting MY points across with no opposition, that's it. If I wanted to piss you off, I'd simply bombard you with nasty images and text."

Could have fooled me! You haven't made a single coherent or valid point yet.

You can't impersonate a fundy Christian, and you can't even impersonate a conservative. You totally failed at impersonating Capnawesome and amazingatheist, and your blog against me totally ran itself into the dust in less than a week. If you have a point to make it must be that you're a total retard who can't accomplish a simple task like impersonating a fundy conservative.

The retard concludes:
"So fuck you, I'm still here to rip you a new asshole."

Hahahahahahahahaha!!! the only asshole that's getting ripped is yours, and you seem to be doing it yourself, without me even trying to help.

If you're deluded enough to believe that you are doing anything other than behaving like a raving retard, please continue to do so. It entertains me.

David W. Irish said...

Oh, I just went to Myspace and found that you already started to create a phony profile with my name on it. I suppose you're going to do that thing that amuses 12-year-olds, where they doctor up photos of each other and make fun of each other with people's heads grafted onto models, drag queens, or hideous looking bodies.

I suppose you'll use the page to go onto Capnawsome's blog and try to impersonate me or something. If you really get off on that kind of stuff, you should at least learn to do it with skill. So far, your antics have been less than incompetent. (That's a big word that means you totally suck at it)

David W. Irish said...

What I'm trying to tell you, is that if you want to tear me a new asshole" or otherwise make fun of me -- DO IT PROPERLY!

You totally suck at it currently, and you can't even construct a proper insult, nor can you properly impersonate people.

You need practice. Come back when you can actually rip me a new asshole without making a retard of yourself.

Me said...

Hi David - I came across you on that ray comfort food blog where we had both posted comments pointing out the creationsist nonesense he was spouting. It's always a pleasure saying hello to another rational human being. I see we are both trying vainly to talk some sense into all these bozo religious fundamentalists. It's a hard job but someone has to do it.

Neo-darwinism and Complexity theory

David W. Irish said...

Hi Bunc,

Glad to share at least one thing with someone from the old country.

I think we share a few more things. I'm a fan of Robert Burns, Make my own Haggis, and I even play bagpipes. No kilts, though -- they're a bit expensive, although, I never asked my girlfriend to make one for me. Suppose I should since she can make darn near anything.

One of the things I love about bagpipes is that if you play Amazing Grace, you can always make at least some people start crying just by playing it. It's a magical tune!

GamingAsshole said...
This comment has been removed by the author.