<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<html><head><style type="text/css"><!--
blockquote, dl, ul, ol, li { padding-top: 0 ; padding-bottom: 0 }
--></style><title>Re: [Vision2020] Galielo & The Inquistiion: was
Bush Admin</title></head><body>
<div>Bush "found" his religion at the same time he stopped
drinking alcohol. If Bush found his way out of alcoholism (nothing but
praise from me for anyone who is staying straight) through the 12 step
program advanced by AA and others, becoming a religious adherent is a
well-documented side-effect.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Mark S.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>At 3:49 PM -0800 2/11/07, Ted Moffett wrote:</div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Ralph et. al.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>I have pondered how much Bush's religious
faith is sincere, or a pose to gain the loyalty of the 35 million
strong "Religious Right" voting block, arguably the most
powerful single voting block in the US electorate. I don't know
how I could answer this question without getting to know Bush
personally and informally.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Whether Bush thought that the invasion
and occupation of Iraq was a wise idea, based on what seems to me to
be a faulty understanding of history, the ethnic and religious
conflicts, and the likelihood of achieving a good outcome by the use
of military force, or whether he believes God told him it was the
best course of action, the result is the same, frightening either
way!</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>On the issue of global warming, which is
a more science based issue than decisions on the Iraq war, a
religiously based anti-science bias on the part of the Bush
administration, I agree, frightens me also! Even if it is just a
pose to appeal to the those in the "Religious Right" who
seek to undermine science as a means of knowledge that should be
respected.</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>A friend of mine who teaches high school
science in a very conservative religious community has been taken to
task for posting scientific information on global warming in the
classroom. This sort of development reminds me of Galileo and
the Inquisition! How many realize the similarity
between the suppression of scientific information on global
warming by the Bush administration, and the suppression of
Galileo's findings on astronomy?</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><a
href=
"http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/galileoaccount.html"
>http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/galileo/galileoacco<span
></span>unt.html</a></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Quote below from web link
above:</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>"His noble goal of spreading
scientific awareness to the public was being frustrated by a
narrow-minded bureaucracy intent on preserving its own
power."</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Ted Moffett<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>On 2/8/07,<b> Ralph Nielsen</b> <<a
href="mailto:nielsen@uidaho.edu">nielsen@uidaho.edu</a>> wrote:<br>
<blockquote>No, Ted, I wasn't joking. Bush really believes this stuff.
He really<br>
frightens me.<br>
<br>
Ralph<br>
<br>
<br>
> Ralph et. al.<br>
><br>
> OK. I'll bite!<br>
><br>
> Assume "God" made the universe according to certain
immutable laws,<br>
> and deliberately endowed human beings with the capacity to<br>
> ascertain these laws for the wise and compassionate use of
these<br>
> God derived principles. To use our minds to their highest
capacity<br>
> to discern these laws via scientific experiment and logic/<br>
> mathematics is showing God great respect... To ignore our
capacity<br>
> to discover scientific law and follow the results to prevent
cruel<br>
> disasters from befalling human beings, to declare that the
results<br>
> of science should be mystified or marginalized, even when
science<br>
> warns of unwise actions human beings are engaged in that
could<br>
> endanger millions of people... Well, I just don't think God
or<br>
> Jesus would recommend this course of action in regards to
global<br>
> warming. Of course I am assuming certain concepts of
what "God" or<br>
> "Jesus" intends...There is great disagreement on this
subject.<br>
><br>
> Perhaps Bush is talking to corporate heads in the energy
business,<br>
> big time Wall Street investors, and even many people of more
modest<br>
> means, who find the reality of global warming inconvenient
for<br>
> their profit/investment models, their lifestyle and energy<br>
> consumption habits, rather than God or Jesus, on this
subject.<br>
><br>
> O.K. You were just joking...or were you?<br>
><br>
> Ted Moffett<br>
><br>
><br>
> On 2/8/07, Ralph Nielsen <<a
href="mailto:nielsen@uidaho.edu">nielsen@uidaho.edu</a>> wrote: But
you seem</blockquote>
<blockquote>> to forget that Bush talks with both God and Jesus
every<br>
> day. No wonder he thinks he is right.<br>
><br>
> Ralph<br>
></blockquote>
</blockquote>
<div><br></div>
</body>
</html>