Happy Darwin Day

[almaty 19]

Darwin Day is a recently instituted celebration intended to commemorate the anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin on February 12, 1809. The day is used to highlight Darwin's contribution to science and to promote science in general..

stration and publication of planned and past celebratory Events and the automated registration of people who want to receive emailings or make public declaration of support for Darwin Day.

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In 2004, Michael Zimmerman, a professor of biology and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Butler University, founded the "Clergy Letter Project"[33] in which over 11,100 clergy, as of April 18, 2008, have signed a declaration that a person of faith does not have to choose either belief in God or belief in evolution. In 2006 Zimmerman developed the "Evolution Sunday" movement. In 2007 lectures and sermons were presented to roughly 618 congregations across the United States and 5 other countries, on Darwin's birthday.[34] Evolution Sunday is intended to show that faith and evolutionary science are compatible in many religious traditions. In 2008, Evolution Sunday was expanded to an Evolution Weekend to incorporate a wider range of faith traditions and 814 congregations from 9 countries participated.

[Jasman0717 9]

Phew, way over my head

[almaty 19]

darwin, ftw!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

[Jasman0717 9]

He ain't heavy, he's my brother.

Is that Mr. Rogers I had a brain fart and typed Roberts

Edited February 12, 2009 by jasman0717

[almaty 19]

darwin brought science into the modern times

[Peikko 1,575]

Awareness of science is a great thing.

[SpiritAlight 1]

All I can say is thankgawd for Darwin!

Hee, hee.

One of my favourite expressions has always been, "Darwin in action!" when someone does something really stupid and dies.

I heard a great story about him and marriage and why he took a while to publish his works on NPR (Chicago) this morning.

They might put it on line later for listening at any time....

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Gianfranco Ravasi: Monsignor Ravasi said Darwin's theories had never been formally condemned by the Roman Catholic Church

The Vatican claims Darwin's theory of evolution is compatible with Christianity

Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture, said while the Church had been hostile to Darwin's theory in the past, the idea of evolution could be traced to St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas.

Father Giuseppe Tanzella-Nitti, Professor of Theology at the Pontifical Santa Croce University in Rome, added that 4th century theologian St Augustine had "never heard the term evolution, but knew that big fish eat smaller fish" and forms of life had been transformed "slowly over time". Aquinas made similar observations in the Middle Ages.

Ahead of a papal-backed conference next month marking the 150th anniversary of Darwin's On the Origin of Species, the Vatican is also set to play down the idea of Intelligent Design, which argues a "higher power" must be responsible for the complexities of life.

The conference at the Pontifical Gregorian University will discuss Intelligent Design to an extent, but only as a "cultural phenomenon" rather than a scientific or theological issue.

Monsignor Ravasi said Darwin's theories had never been formally condemned by the Roman Catholic Church, pointing to comments more than 50 years ago, when Pope Pius XII described evolution as a valid scientific approach to the development of humans.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...ristianity.html

[Peikko 1,575]

Way to go Catholicsm. Got to hand it to those guys, they know which side of the bread is buttered

Still, all power to them for their efforts re 'intelligent design'. Can't have too many people on that particular case.

[SpiritAlight 1]

This is incredible.

How can any thinking feeling human being just not get it?

No need to answer...the fact that there are people choosing to live with their heads in the sand, just boggles my mind.

Never heard of evolution....bahahaha!

Nice one.

Ignorance is bliss.

[SpiritAlight 1]

Here is a good read:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p...oryId=100597929

Here's an exerpt:

When Charles Darwin married Emma Wedgewood, she told him she wanted to love and be with him forever. And "forever," for Emma, meant beyond "till death do us part." In her day, people of her background and class believed in an afterlife, an eternity either in heaven (for those who had faith) or the "other place" (for those who did not). Emma knew her husband had doubts and worried that his scientific investigations would only deepen his doubts, therefore condemning her to an eternity alone. And she told him so, biographers say.

So Darwin waited and worried and waited.

Then the story took on an opera-like turn. The Darwins' beloved oldest daughter, Annie, got sick. And she died just after turning 10. Darwin was so overcome with grief that he could not go to her burial, biographers have written.

But Annie's death changed things between Charles and Emma, says historian Deborah Heiligman. Darwin became more willing to proclaim his theories — and his religious doubts. And Emma, while still keeping her religious faith, turned toward Darwin, not away from him.

[Nagishkaw 510]

Darwin was only half crazy. The rest of the time he was somewhat lucid.

[Scott & Lai 12]

[one...two...tree 2,762]

The Clergy Letter Project

2009 Evolution Weekend

This year represents the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin (12 February 1809) and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work On the Origin of Species in 1859. This backdrop provides a rich opportunity to demonstrate that religion and science have much to offer one another. Please join us and congregations all around the world iin celebrating Evolution Weekend 2009!

13 -15 February 2009 -- Evolution Weekend

Evolution Weekend is an opportunity for serious discussion and reflection on the relationship between religion and science. One important goal is to elevate the quality of the discussion on this critical topic - to move beyond sound bites. A second critical goal is to demonstrate that religious people from many faiths and locations understand that evolution is sound science and poses no problems for their faith. Finally, as with The Clergy Letter itself, which has now been signed by more than 11,000 members of the Christian clergy in the United States, Evolution Weekend makes it clear that those claiming that people must choose between religion and science are creating a false dichotomy.

Through sermons, discussion groups, meaningful conversations and seminars, the leaders listed below will show that religion and science are not adversaries.

If your congregation would like to join this international event in 2009, please send a note to mz@butler.edu. We welcome your participation.

• Christian Clergy Letter
• (11,840 signatures as of 2/13/09)
• Rabbi Letter
• (439 signatures as of 2/13/09)
• UU Clergy Letter
• (183 signatures as of 2/13/09)

Background

For too long, the misperception that science and religion are inevitably in conflict has created unnecessary division and confusion, especially concerning the teaching of evolution. I wanted to let the public know that numerous clergy from most denominations have tremendous respect for evolutionary theory and have embraced it as a core component of human knowledge, fully harmonious with religious faith.

In the fall of 2004, I worked with clergy throughout Wisconsin to prepare a statement in support of teaching evolution. We were called to action by a series of anti-evolution policies passed by the school board in Grantsburg, WI. The response was overwhelming. In a few weeks, nearly 200 clergy signed the statement, which we sent to the Grantsburg school board on December 16, 2004. Additionally, groups of educators and scientists sent letters to the Grantsburg School Board and to the Superintendent of Schools protesting these policies. In response to all of this attention, as well as the efforts of others, the Grantsburg School Board retracted their policies.

The outpouring of support from clergy around the country encouraged me to make this a nationwide project. If you want to read more about it or join us in sharing this important perspective, click here. Encourage your clergy to consider signing the statement and please feel free to link to these webpages. And, while the current focus is on Christian clergy, please let me know if you are willing to write and/or host a statement from other religions.

http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/rel_ev...eekend_2009.htm