Greetings, loyal minions. Your Maximum Leader wishes he had thought of this first. Alas, your Maximum Leader is not as bright as Ilya Somin over at Volokh. Should we hold belief in creationism against candidates for political office? It is a great post that causes one to examine one’s political prejudices. Here is the core bit:
Consider the following widespread religious beliefs:1. Belief in the virgin birth of Christ.
2. Belief in the resurrection of the dead.
3. The belief that the Red Sea parted, enabling the Israelites to escape from Egypt.
4. The Bible’s claim that God wiped out nearly all life on Earth in a great flood (with only the denizens of Noah’s Ark surviving).
5. Belief in the existence of the Devil (a view held by 71% of Americans).
All of the above are contradicted by science, empirical evidence, or both. Yet few argue that endorsement of any of these beliefs should be a major strike against candidates for high political office, including the presidency. As an apparently believing Protestant, Barack Obama presumably adheres to at least 1 and 2 on the above list. Yet virtually no one claims that he is thereby unfit for the presidency. I don’t see why believing the items on the list above is any less irrational and unscientific than believing in creationism. One could argue that people can legitimately embrace these beliefs “on faith” irrespective of evidence. Perhaps so. But belief in creationism can be justified in exactly the same way.
Somin makes excellent points here. Your Maximum Leader supposes that the creationism bit is such a hotly contested issue is because #1 and #2 on Somin’s list seem to be “special cases” of divine intervention. But most people who have been educated (at least minimally) in the scientific method have a real tough time with rejecting emperical evidence that supports evolution as a theory. Your Maximum Leader would never have gone and extended the same line of critical thought to the Flood, the parting of the Red Sea, or existance in a Devil. Perhaps this is just intellectual sloppiness on your Maximum Leader’s part. Indeed, it likely is intellectually sloppiness.
Your Maximum Leader doesn’t immediately disqualify anyone for political office solely on the basis of being a creationist. He does start to examine their other beliefs more critically however once that flag is raised.
Carry on.
