There is an incredible hero among us. He is trying to save our lives--literally in the scientific, medical sense he is trying to save our lives.
The thing is, Democracy can only exist if the people can find the truth somewhere, preferably in quantity. These days every reporter is suspect--in fact are there true reporters on the evening news? That depends. If someone is trying to hijack our Democracy, the reporter knows it, and talks about something like credit card interest rates, that may be good information but is it the main, most relevant, news? If it's the most critical thing to know (in order to make informed decisions at election time) and we never hear it, then no. If the difficult is avoided then truth is hidden forever.
That makes a real hero even more rare and valuable. This hero also gives us a fascinating look into the world how distraction and deception are used to deflect our attention from what we are really losing--or giving away without a thought. I do not wish to offend true believers, or question their motives. I certainly do not wish to hurt the feelings of those who believe in their church. I do question the motives of someone who would deny the gift of science given to us by God (in by belief).
First, the amazing thing I learned from Dr. Zimmerman and then what we can do to help him save our lives...
You may have noticed that there is a huge debate about whether or not evolution is true--if we were created by God then where evolution and the Bible disagree--the argument goes--then it must be that evolution is wrong and God is right. That is why evolution is no longer being taught in some schools and in others it's taught as one "theory."
So I understand that there are those who want America to be a theocracy and not a Democracy. (I don't understand that they don't understand that a dictator has never been a good idea, but that's another story.) These are the people who want the Bible, and not evolution, taught in our schools. But why evolution? Why did they start with evolution? Why not just fight science in general?
First, it's a distraction. Sadly, there are many more people who think evolution is less worth a battle than is science in general... what's the big deal really if we don't say we evolved? The reason, the big deal is... because without evolution all other scientific study, beginning with biology is no longer viable. In effect science in general is ruined.
Why? If you can't explain why we are taller as a people than our ancestors in the 19th century (for instance), if the Bible doesn't cover the 19th century and the fact that as we evolved we became taller, then we can't study it. If it's not in the Bible it's off limits or it's "one possible theory". Well, that one possible theory was solved a long time ago. We have made hundreds of thousands of advancements in medicine alone because of evolution, and there is no medicine without biology.
So for years we have let some "preachers" tell their congregations that evolution is a lie, that the Bible is the absolute authority and nothing is open to debate, and we let them say it without one challenge. We let them say the Bible exactly true and there is no metaphor and no room for learning and growing in our knowledge of the Bible. We might disagree with them but no one has stood up and said... "that is absurd."
Worse, no other Clergy have openly disagreed. They have let it stand that "if that preacher says it then we won't disagree." It's as if they have free speech and we are polite.
Today we are in danger of losing everything because of an unwillingness of one Pastor to stand and say that another is using the Bible to manipulate. Well today thousands of Pastors have stood up and said no. No, you cannot use the Bible for your own agenda. God's agenda is important and God gave us the gift of Science.
It's called the ["Clergy Letter Project."http://blue.butler.edu/~mzimmerm/rel_evol_sun.htm] Dr. Zimmerman asked Clergy if they would band together and say no, and many said yes. If you are a Christian, a scientist or a concerned citizen please look at the Clergy Letter. Please ask a pastor you know to sign. It's brave, it's honorable and it makes the signer an American Hero. Best of all, it is standing up for God, for Christ, for them being worshiped rather than some preacher being worshiped while, God is just the front man.