Darwin's Plantation: Evolution's Racist Roots
Offline I wanted to share with you guys a post that I left on another site about a book called "Darwin's Plantation: Evolution's Racist Roots". this book basically attempts to blame Darwin's evolution for a supposed "major increase" in racism. I negatively criticized the book. tell me what you think. here's what I said:
"This book is another attempt by Answers In Genesis(AIG) to distort the truth and out right lie. This book takes Darwin out of context and is historically inaccurate.
This book falsely portrays Darwin as a racist when in fact he was much less racist than most white christian creationists that lived during his time. Darwin was actually against slavery unlike many white christians of his day. One of the first critics of evolution was a christian who traded slaves and was the captain of the Beagle.
AIG dishonestly attempts to blame evolution for a major increase in racism in western civilization; western civilization was very racist long before Darwin was even born, this major increase in racism never happened. White people viewed themselves as superior long before Darwin and evolution. The idea that Whites are superior to other races is based on western technology and military power NOT evolution. In fact racism has decreased in the 150 years since Darwin's masterpiece "The Origin Of Species" was publish.
This book was clearly created to slander Darwin and mislead people who don't know the facts. "
- Login to post comments
I don't think honesty registers as a concern for anyone at AIG at any point.
Bottom Line: The science of Evolution provides evidence that we are one single human species and that no one "race" is biologically superior or inferior to any other. You can credit Darwin for at least jump starting us toward this fact.
The history of the religious using race as justification for all manner of atrocity is fairly well documented.
Incidentally the very first organization ever to argue for creationism in public schools at the expense of Evolution teaching: ? The KKK.
This website might provide you with a little ammuntion in this particular argument.
http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/rncse_content/vol22/9274_racism_and_the_public39s_pe_12_30_1899.asp
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."
George Orwell
yeah, I pretty much said that AIG wasn't honest. and not to blame evolution for racism. And that christian creationists are guilty of racism.
Wow, two comments.
1. Even if true, this wouldn't negate the thousands of years of bigotry, sexism, and oppression committed by the Church and Christianity.
2. It goes to show the logical fallicies constantly used by theists. Even if true, this basic fact doesn't make evolution incorrect. A perfect example of attacking the messenger and finding alternative ways to bring down evolution since they can't do it scientifically and intellectually.
"Those who think they know don't know. Those that know they don't know, know."