I saw Nye on Olbermann tonight where he was trying hard to downplay the whole incident but Nye has been biting against the intelligent design/creationists for some time.

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The Emmy-winning scientist angered a few audience members when he criticized literal interpretation of the biblical verse Genesis 1:16, which reads: “God made two great lights — the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.”

He pointed out that the sun, the “greater light,” is but one of countless stars and that the “lesser light” is the moon, which really is not a light at all, rather a reflector of light.

A number of audience members left the room at that point, visibly angered by what some perceived as irreverence.

“We believe in a God!” exclaimed one woman as she left the room with three young children.

Nye also was critical of what he said was governmental agencies’ lack of action, even lack of understanding, in protecting the Earth from global warming and wasted resources.

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“We believe in a God!” exclaimed one woman as she left the room with three young children.

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A number of audience members left the room at that point, visibly angered by what some perceived as irreverence.

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Maybe there was Kool-Aid in the lobby.

That woman needs to bow down to the new God. BILL NYE THE SCIENCE GOD.

[ 20 April 2006: Message edited by: Bobolink ]

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he deliberately went out of his way to insult religious fundamentalists.

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Originally posted by M. Spector:
Really? What was the "theme" of his presentation? The article didn't really tell us.

And I find it odd that you would say that speaking scientific truth amounts to deliberately going out of one's way to insult religious fundamentalists. Do you think science has nothing to say on the subject of those faraway lights up in the sky?

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Actually, I referred to AE's own article on this

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Nye, rather than putting on his TV persona for the kiddies, instead spoke frankly about global warming, fossil fuels and exploring Mars. He got into hot water, though, when he critiqued the literal interpretation of the biblical verse Genesis 1:16: “God made two great lights — the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.”

Nye said the sun, the “greater light,” is but one of countless stars and that the “lesser light” is the moon, which really is not a light at all, rather a reflector of light.

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It would appear that Nye deliberately and in a way irrelevant to the theme of his talk took a shot at the Bible. So it would appear that Nye can also mix science with theology. He was deliberately baiting some in his audience and some kids lost the value of his presenatation as a consequence. Even scientists can be obnoxious, as Nye was if AE's article is correct. The nature of the sun and the moon as described in Genesis has little to do with global warming.

[ 23 April 2006: Message edited by: Bobolink ]

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The nature of the sun and the moon as described in Genesis has little to do with global warming.

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It certainly does if those you are trying to teach about the science of global warming are hiding behind religious superstition in order to rationalize not dealing with the issue.

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Originally posted by Bobolink:
The nature of the sun and the moon as described in Genesis has little to do with global warming.

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I guess you would also fault him for talking about Mars exploration, which also has nothing to do with global warming.

I'm sure the religious fundies at FD would be delighted to join you in casting unsubstantiated slurs against Bill Nye and any other "Distinguished Lecturers" who forget to launder their talks so as not to upset the medieval world-view of any Texas fundies who happen to be in the audience.

I notice you haven't been able to accept my challenge.

[ 04 May 2006: Message edited by: M. Spector ]

http://toronto.rasc.ca/content/ElvinsAward.shtml

I am well aware that our Sun is a star amongst many, somewhat larger than most but a lot smaller than some. The Moon is a cold body. I believe the universe was created with the Big Bang about 13.5 billion years ago. However, if I was giving a talk abut this, I would not go out of my way to disparage Biblical verses nor any other person's Holy Book.

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Originally posted by Bobolink:
I believe the universe was created with the Big Bang about 13.5 billion years ago.

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You should be ashamed of yourself.

I notice you still haven't been able to accept my challenge.

[ 30 April 2006: Message edited by: M. Spector ]

I have already told you I have read both AE's article and the Waco Tribune-Herald article, and the one salient "fact" on which your whole position is based does not appear anywhere; that fact being the "theme" that Bill Nye was supposed to be talking about.

I have challenged you repeatedly to point it out to me, which I knew you could not do, as it does not exist. Therefore I repeat my assertion that you had no evidence at all for concluding that Bill Nye was supposed to be talking about global warming, but purposely deviated from the topic in order to provoke the Texas fundies.

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Originally posted by M. Spector:
You are pathetic.

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... Nye encouraged the audience to take interest in discovery and “change the world,” a mantra he repeated throughout.

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