Obama/Biden vs. McCain/Palin

[obucard]

Scientific use of the word "theory" and your use of the word "theory" aren't the same. Theory is a much stronger word in science than it is in the lay population. Yes, evolution is a theory (even your cold, hard, observable facts don't aren't enough to make evolution a law). I'm not going to discuss what is a theory here, but creationist love to mangle that word to death and turn it into something that isn't very concreted.

I think my tone may not have come across as well as I would have hoped. That whole first paragraph should have been written like this. Intelligent Design as a theory says "hey evolution if you're the-way-it-is, then explain how all life began. Oh you can't? So you must be wrong." ID is the equivalent of saying "because you can't explain everything, you're completely wrong." Intelligent Design is a feeble attempt at making Creationism more palatable.

That's where you're wrong. ID uses the "higher power" idea to fill in the gaps evolution leaves behind, particularly in regards to how everything began. ID is far more evolution than creation.

[Fat Strat]

The pregnant daughter is one thing. Hopefully a clever reporter will ask the Gov if she made sure her daughter received abstinence-only education. But overall, it's embarrassing but not damning.

The ethics complaint is another. Do we need another white house leader who will use his/her power to intimidate and punish those who do not go along with him/her? Especially for something as personal as getting back at your sibling's ex? This is the stuff that would make me not vote for a ticket.

Well, another reason.

I don't really mind them talking about the ethics complaint, (although I'm satisfied with the story based on the information I've read about it.)

I do find the jabbering in the press about the pregnant daughter and her husband's 20+ year old DUI arrest to be classless and somewhat hypocritical. What relevance does her husband's DUI 20+ years ago have with her candidacy or her ability to be VP? Nothing that I can think of.

Using the daughter's pregnancy as an attack on Palin's ideals is weak as well, and I would expect it to be fodder for blogs but not the media. Just this morning I saw a discussion panel on "what does her daughter's pregnancy say about Palin?" Come on. Last I checked forgiveness and mercy were the two main tenents of Christian teaching, as is humanity being sinful and prone to mistakes, and, yet, I hear media members suggeting this alienates evangelicals. I don't see it, and so far, I haven't heard anything from conservatives who are concerned about Palin because of this.

[Leroy]

Among the details McCain's campaign found: Palin had once received a citation for fishing without a license.

Now I know jim's gonna be mad.

[clevername]

( =

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/50lies.asp

further proof that you can never, ever trust anything said in mass emails about any political candidate. That goes for both sides.

Unfortunately, that's how a large number of Americans get their information they believe about candidates. It's depressing. Those folks will never read snopes.

[Gashouse]

That's where you're wrong. ID uses the "higher power" idea to fill in the gaps evolution leaves behind, particularly in regards to how everything began. ID is far more evolution than creation.

This is basically where I am now. I pretty much don't agree with the Creation theory as stated in the Bible. I'm much more pantheistic - in that God works through nature, or more accurately - God is Nature. Maybe it's a cheap cop-out as a way for me to justify believing in different things. However it allows me to continue to believe that the earth is +- 5 billion years old, but that God still played the major role in creating it. It also requires me dismissing the Biblical creation story as legend or parable, but there are plenty of other sections of the Bible that are just that, so why can't the creation story be that as well?

Jim - I don't think Creationism is strictly Old Testament. Many cultures and religions have some sort of Creation story. The Creationism discussed at your school board meetings may be strictly OT, but I was speaking in general terms that there are many creation stories. For that matter, epic floods are not unique to Christianity either.

[Popeye_Card]

( =

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/50lies.asp

further proof that you can never, ever trust anything said in mass emails about any political candidate. That goes for both sides.

Unfortunately, that's how a large number of Americans get their information they believe about candidates. It's depressing. Those folks will never read snopes.

The thing that really depresses me is looking at Obama's list vs. McCain's list of emails floating around. McCain only has a handful of rumors floating around about him, and the funny thing is that most are positive rumors.

Do only radical conservatives make these things up and then pass them along? Does Karl Rove actually compose most of these?

[Fat Strat]

However it allows me to continue to believe that the earth is +- 5 billion years old, but that God still played the major role in creating it.

I don't think this is the thread for this discussion, but if you understand Hebrew (the language that the OT was written in) it's not difficult to accept the scientific age of the earth. The word "yom" which usually translates as "day" can also mean days or ages. It's meant to signify the passing of time rather than one 24-hour period.

Considering that man was the last thing that God created (and that the Bible makes mention of things like dinosaurs) it's not difficult at all to mesh the OT text with contemporary science, if you know what you're looking for.

[clement]

I don't really mind them talking about the ethics complaint, (although I'm satisfied with the story based on the information I've read about it.)

But it's an ongoing investigation. Nobody knows what the outcome is (or will be). It'd be different if it were a completed investigation and the results were already out. According to one report, the investigator is uncovering e-mails and phone records as we speak. Of course it might all turn out to be nothing, but nobody knows at this point.

I do find the jabbering in the press about the pregnant daughter and her husband's 20+ year old DUI arrest to be classless and somewhat hypocritical. What relevance does her husband's DUI 20+ years ago have with her candidacy or her ability to be VP? Nothing that I can think of.

Of course it is. But it's par for the course. That's the nature of how the press covers politics in 2008. I'm quite sure it would be just as bad if it were a Democratic candidate.

Using the daughter's pregnancy as an attack on Palin's ideals is weak as well, and I would expect it to be fodder for blogs but not the media. Just this morning I saw a discussion panel on "what does her daughter's pregnancy say about Palin?" Come on. Last I checked forgiveness and mercy were the two main tenents of Christian teaching, as is humanity being sinful and prone to mistakes, and, yet, I hear media members suggeting this alienates evangelicals. I don't see it, and so far, I haven't heard anything from conservatives who are concerned about Palin because of this.

But what do you think would be the response from the politically active evangelicals if it were Obama's daughter? I guarantee you that it would be just as bad, and maybe worse. I agree that it should not be an issue except for the fact that she has made it an issue in her career (in terms of what her views are on birth control and counseling). Sure it's part of the Christian teaching to be forgiving, but that's not the image of evangelicals that you get from the politically active ones that are on television (and the high profile leaders of the political evangelical movement).

John Edwards isn't even a candidate for anything anymore and his sin was covered ad nauseum by the mainstream media. Why in the world would you be surprised that this would not also be covered in an equally sensational manner?

[TimeForGuinness]

10 years ago: BJ's are bad
Now: Teen pregnancy is ok


(joeybombed)

[sighyoung]

It seems that the Alaskan Independence Party website is being joeybombed--it won't open, probably because every reporter, blogger, and casually interested political type is descending upon the website at the same time.