The Life of Brian;

A Life in science - audio lecture by Sir Brian Heap (online at the Faraday Institute)

Quotes and comments;

1. Heap (an evolutionist) tells a joke about a preacher ''oh Lord, don't let evolution be true... but if it is, don't let it be widely known.''
- I guess that about sums up the Faraday kind of thinking. You obviously don't get ahead in British society if you dare to deny the English saint called Darwin :=)
- Heap is one of those people who say; 'because there is no conflict between 'science' and 'religion' there can't be any conflict between Christianity and Darwinism. There's only one problem; evolution isn't science, it's philosophy. Evolutionism (an invention of Greek philosophy) is more than two millennia old. To call it scientific is as ridiculous as calling Christianity scientific. The idea of evolution is philosophical speculation; i.e. about the ultimate nature of reality.

2. Heap says 'the Templeton foundation has come out against the idea of intelligent design... at least in terms of how it's presented by the Discovery Institute.' (Never mind ICR :=)
I find it hilarious that the discovery institute can be categorized as some wild eyed Americans. The Brits love to portray Americans as irrational enthusiasts.
- I'd long been puzzled at this hostility to any idea of creation or of design (not to mention the total lack of a critique about evolution.) but this clears things up; the Faraday institute is against design because of money. (Heap admits that it's a policy of the board.)

3. I did appreciate the fact in the Q+A someone did admit that attendence in the English church is in serious decline. What makes this so extraordinary is that this is a taboo; you're not supposed to ever mention this. (i.e. in 'high church' circles) If you listen to Faraday lectures you'd have NO idea what utter horror certain sections of London (and other British cities) are... of the grotesque underclass, of the endemic crime, of the Islamic terrorist crowd, etc. Reality is never allowed in the window of the Faraday lecture class. They present a fantasy world; society as lecture room... as academic retreat from the ugly realities of the society. (But then again; who needs parishioners if you have a multi billionaire financing you.) The fellow says; 'we have such a hard time attracting the bright person....' Well the fact is the problem they have is attracting the soccer hooligan; the local barmaid, the average bloke. That's whose abandoned the church of england. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)

Notes;
1. I have no problem with them having this policy. (I am disappointed by their refusal to engage with creationists. The bible clearly commands Christians to go to a brother if they have a dispute with him; but apparently they don't feel the need to respond to such commands.)
2. I'm not claiming the people connected with the Institute are only pretending to be evolutionists. I don't think that's the case at all.
3. I'm not claiming there isn't some value in what the Faraday Institute is doing.
4. Of course our socialist universities ignore the public just as much as groups like this do.
5. I don't especially recommend the talk; I thought it was mainly interesting for what it revealed about the policies of the Faraday Institute.