How to Stir up a Hornet's Nest

It's interesting that a number of Atheists have agreed with me in my belief that Darwin was a racist. They said, "I feel no compelling need to justify Charles Darwin's racism," and, "And why do you assume that Darwin's racism was shaped by his belief in evolution? The man lived at a time when Blacks in many western nations were still owned as chattels, when creationist anthropologists freely speculated that the different races were separately created species (a view Darwin undertook to refute). The idea of races arranged on a ladder from 'lowest' to 'highest' (generally with one's own subgroup on top) was a commonplace among creationists of his day." And, "Of course Darwin was racist, he lived in a society in which racism was the norm . . ."

However, after much research, I do concede that you won’t find anything in Darwin’s writings that would indicate that he in any way felt blacks were to be treated as inferior or that his views of them were due to their skin color. He just thought that they were closer to gorillas than whites. Imagine if you said that on prime time TV. You would stir up a hornets' nest. Then imagine trying to justify your belief by saying that you despise slavery and that you think Black people are intelligent and friendly. You could also add that your convictions that they are closer to gorillas than whites has nothing to do with skin color.

Evolutionary scientist and author of, Darwin: The Indelible Stamp: The Evolution of an Idea, got himself into very hot water back in 2007. According to the Associated Press: "The Independent newspaper put Watson on its front page, against the words: 'Africans are less intelligent than Westerners, says DNA pioneer.'" The Sunday Times reported, "One of the world’s most respected scientists is embroiled in an extraordinary row after claiming that black people are less intelligent than white people. James Watson, a Nobel Prize winner for his part in discovering the structure of DNA, has provoked outrage with his comments, made ahead of his arrival in Britain today."

Like Darwin, Watson's belief had nothing to nothing to do with skin color. He said that we should not discriminate on the basis of color, because "there are many people of color who are very talented, but don’t promote them when they haven’t succeeded at the lower level." He just thought that white people are more intelligent than blacks. For that, he was labeled a blatant racist by many in contemporary society.

So, if I am right and Charles Darwin was a racist by today’s standards, why not simply accept it and move on? Why did so many resort to name-calling?

• "You are an absolute @$!*!, a $#!*, a prostitute, a whore in the name Jesus. . . You deserve the worse that a hell could provide . . . I truly despise you Ray." G.E.
• "Ray you are nothing be a deceitful snake oil salesman..."
• "I truly find you detestable."
• "You are disgusting Ray. A disgusting inhuman wretch."
• "You really are pond scum."
• "Ray, I can't state enough how much of a pitiful little rat you are. You are a coward of the highest order."
• "You should go back to your home country and convert some stupid people there.
• "No! We don't want him back!"
• "You stink."

In a debate, when your opponent falls back on childish name-calling, it reveals that he is feeling frustrated because he is losing the argument. I can understand why so many feel that way. In November, 2009, more than 100,000 university students are going to see how they have been duped by an unscientific theory. Then again, they may simply read the Introduction, write me off as a buffoon--the crazy banana guy, and be strengthened in their convictions that evolution is indeed true. Let’s see what happens.

One more thing. I have never hidden my agenda. All I want is for people to doubt evolution enough to re-examine the claims of the gospel. This is because I believe that there’s nothing more important than where you will spend eternity. I love you guys, and I will be praying for you more often. No doubt you will be "thinking" for me. Thanks.

Notes:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21362732/
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2677098.ece

PS: An Atheist wrote and said, "What do Darwin's personal views on race have to do with our modern understanding of evolution? Nothing. Absolutely nothing, Ray. Even a fool knows this."
Indeed, Darwin’s racism has nothing to do with the credibility of the theory of evolution. It should stand or fall on its own merits. However, the theory itself teaches that all men are not created equal. Darwinian evolution doesn’t say that human beings are made in the image of God and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. It rather states that they are mere animals, some closer to apes than others. It opens wide the door to racism.