Hmm, this line of thought sounds very familiar:
“If their name is uncertain, however, their mission appears clear enough: to overthrow the Nigerian state, impose an extreme interpretation of Islamic law and abolish what they term “Western-style education”.
In an interview with the BBC, the group’s leader, Mohammed Yusuf, said such education “spoils the belief in one god”.
“There are prominent Islamic preachers who have seen and understood that the present Western-style education is mixed with issues that run contrary to our beliefs in Islam,” he said.
“Like rain. We believe it is a creation of god rather than an evaporation caused by the sun that condenses and becomes rain.
“Like saying the world is a sphere. If it runs contrary to the teachings of Allah, we reject it. We also reject the theory of Darwinism.””
Oh wait! That’s the same paranoid creationist garbage we hear in the United States! Except, you know, the US is one of the most advanced nations in the world and Nigeria is an undeveloped nation home to corruption and scandal and unrest and disease and and and…
Good to know the Nigerian Taliban isn’t much different than our Fundamentalist Christian Taliban. Crazies no matter where you are!
I'm reminded of Dawkins' "Growing up in the Universe" lecture, where he highlighted the idiocy of that way of thinking:[paraphrasing] "Imagine if all the theories concerning how the dinosaurs died out were like creation myths.Scientists from one country would believe it was because a virus wiped them out. Why? Because their parents believed it.Another would say they died out because a comet struck the earth. Why? Because their parents…"
Although I do like the quote from above:"Like saying the world is a sphere. If it runs contrary to the teachings of Allah, we reject it. We also reject the theory of Darwinism."
And the Germ theory. And the theory of Gravity.We're also against moveable type and the refrigeration of food…
I’m reminded of Dawkins’ “Growing up in the Universe” lecture, where he highlighted the idiocy of that way of thinking:[paraphrasing] “Imagine if all the theories concerning how the dinosaurs died out were like creation myths.Scientists from one country would believe it was because a virus wiped them out. Why? Because their parents believed it.Another would say they died out because a comet struck the earth. Why? Because their parents…”Although I do like the quote from above:”Like saying the world is a sphere. If it runs contrary to the teachings of Allah, we reject it. We also reject the theory of Darwinism.”And the Germ theory. And the theory of Gravity.We’re also against moveable type and the refrigeration of food…
One might argue that the Nigerian Muslims behind this particular quotation have far more to lose than the various fundamentalist Christians in the USA – after all, the Christians already have their holy book primarily ignored or watered down by most of their supposed adherents in the US of A. Nigeria, though…that's a true bastion of creationism. Not as much as 2000 Afghanistan was, but up there.
I mean, at the rate people are westernizing in Nigeria, poor Mohammed Yusuf might actually have to see a woman's ankles, or hear her say "no". Clearly, he has the most to lose of anyone.
*sigh*
One might argue that the Nigerian Muslims behind this particular quotation have far more to lose than the various fundamentalist Christians in the USA – after all, the Christians already have their holy book primarily ignored or watered down by most of their supposed adherents in the US of A. Nigeria, though…that’s a true bastion of creationism. Not as much as 2000 Afghanistan was, but up there.I mean, at the rate people are westernizing in Nigeria, poor Mohammed Yusuf might actually have to see a woman’s ankles, or hear her say “no”. Clearly, he has the most to lose of anyone.*sigh*
Wow. Even my pet creationist isn't this bad.
Wow. Even my pet creationist isn’t this bad.
"Like saying the world is a sphere. If it runs contrary to the teachings of Allah, we reject it."
That strikes me as a lot more intellectually honest than most of what creationists tend to say.
Of course, it also really highlights the disconnect between them and us. Associating themselves with flat-earthers is probably not the best PR move, because that might give some of the 'moderate' or 'more liberal' creationists pause (or at least in my wildest dreams, perhaps…)
“Like saying the world is a sphere. If it runs contrary to the teachings of Allah, we reject it.”That strikes me as a lot more intellectually honest than most of what creationists tend to say.Of course, it also really highlights the disconnect between them and us. Associating themselves with flat-earthers is probably not the best PR move, because that might give some of the ‘moderate’ or ‘more liberal’ creationists pause (or at least in my wildest dreams, perhaps…)