A gun range great place for Creationist bullshit.

I was chatting with the owner and another customer at the gun range Saturday night. They were complaining about how bad TV programming is. One of them mentioned the History channel and that he wasn't impressed with How the Earth Was Made (or something like that.) Since I have been unimpressed by the scholarship on HC anyway and found that particular show to be unnecessarily dramatic and sensationalist, I was preparing to agree. Then he dropped the Creationist bomb. He says the scientists weren't there. He says he doesn't know if we believe in the Bible, but a whale skeleton in a desert is what one would expect from the flood.

How does one respond to such a mountain of bullshit served in one steaming mass? I said fossils were not made during human history.

The owner then said he doubted science because weather forcasts were sometimes inaccurate (he said about half the time which is an overstatement.) I pointed out that predicting what a dynamic system was going to do at a specific time and place exactly is hard because it is so narrow. Not just clouds or sun, but clouds or actual precipitation and whether that precipitation is snow, sleet or rain and exactly how much for this specific zip code. That's a tall order. Geologists deal with vast events happening over millions of years.

I feel like I really should have stood up for science. The problem was that I tend to be literal-minded and was thinking of responses on his specific point--that show on HC not being very good and the whale skeleton--and not on his general idea about the bible as a source of information. Frankly, suddenly being in the middle of that conversation caused a bit of anxiety on my part too.

What I should have said was, "Well I will accept the conclusions of those who actually study the evidence--and it is extensive--over the guesses of a late bronze age society who thought the Middle East was the whole world."

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Permalink Reply by Jon Heim on August 4, 2010 at 1:41pm

is he of the redneck denomination? lol

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Permalink Reply by Brutus on August 7, 2010 at 5:21pm

For sure.

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Permalink Reply by Neil C. Reinhardt on June 15, 2011 at 3:47pm

Hi Brutus,

Since you were there, I guess you know it is a good place for Atheists as well. And there is light on the horizon as the number of Americans who are Atheists have doubled in the last twenty years!

While the numbers of Atheists joining Atheist groups has been increasing and thus allowing them to fight more court cases as well as increasing their various "out reach" programs, it is a real shame Many more Atheists are not joining them and helping all of us reach the equal treatment we should enjoy.

I really do not understand those Atheists who are willing to join forums such as TA and yet will not join and support National Atheist organizations like the four I belong to.

http://www.Atheists.org/

http://www.AtheistsUnited.org/

http://www.FFRF.org/

http://MAAF.info/

Last, while I have not been on a gun range in many years, I fired "expert' as rifleman (M-1) and on several other weapons. Plus, I was fortunate enough
to be a ble to fire more types of military weapons than most in the military get to.

Please, Take Care!

Neil

http://www.NRA.org/
http://VetsForFreedom.org/

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Permalink Reply by Arcus on June 15, 2011 at 5:07pm

"How does one respond to such a mountain of bullshit served in one steaming mass?"

Two words: Walk away.

"I feel like I really should have stood up for science."

Only when the opposing party has proven themselves capable of independent thought, i.e. by being atheist. Otherwise it's just a waste of everyone's time.

The most important question remains: Did you get to fire any big guns? ;)

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Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on June 15, 2011 at 11:32pm

At a gun range? Obvious solution was at hand.

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Permalink Reply by Ralph Day on June 16, 2011 at 1:27pm

At a gun range? Not a rreeeeealy good place to get into a heated argument! Maybe go off-premises for a coffee and continue discussion?

Ralph

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Permalink Reply by Blake Buettner on June 21, 2011 at 5:18pm

A gun range isn't an ideal place to find yourself in any argument, let alone one that pulls the emotional strings of believers so strongly. I go to gun ranges often for sport, and I'm a bit of a "prepper" so I like to keep myself sharp. I agree they can be hotbeds for those that subscribe to the "I am American, give me my God and my guns" diehard philosophy (often plastered on their cars and t-shirts). Given that, I tend not to engage anyone in too deep a conversation (I stick to the safer side of the weather conversation).

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Permalink Reply by Unseen on September 9, 2011 at 2:13am

The History Channel, TLC, The Science Channel and their ilk have decided to look at which side their bread is buttered on, and so you get shows about topics like aliens and ufo's, pawn shops, ice road truckers, "An Idiot Abroad" (entertaining, but on the Science Channel?), and others.

Even the serious shows go for controversial or scandalous angles.

They don't call it The Boob Tube for nothing and having hundreds and hundreds of channels hasn't made the choices any better.

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