The Fossil Finders
December 1, 2007 1:04 AM Subscribe
Dinosaurs preach Young Earth creationism. "The Fossil Finders are a group of eight homeschooled children on a search for the [Biblical] truth on fossils." (This shorter excerpt cuts to the main argument, involving the discovery of flexible T. Rex tissue. Scientists remain interested in the find.) The video was produced by World's Biggest Dinosaurs, the people who now own the roadside landmark, Cabazon Dinosaurs -- and have turned it into a creation museum. [Previously]
Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 1:58 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 1:58 AM on December 1, 2007
Morningstar Educational Network? Isn't Morningstar one of Satan's names?
posted by stavrogin at 2:14 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by stavrogin at 2:14 AM on December 1, 2007
The same title is used to refer to the messiah and Lucifer (light bringer).
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 2:17 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 2:17 AM on December 1, 2007
Just when I thought I found a Satanist conspiracy I could identify with... damn you, Henry C. Mabuse, God damn you! What am I going to join now? The Wiccan coven at the Y? bleh.
posted by stavrogin at 2:24 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by stavrogin at 2:24 AM on December 1, 2007
Isn't Morningstar one of Satan's names?
In fact, Marjorie Morningstar was well-known to be Jewish! I'm shocked! Shocked! Shocked!
posted by ubiquity at 4:02 AM on December 1, 2007
In fact, Marjorie Morningstar was well-known to be Jewish! I'm shocked! Shocked! Shocked!
posted by ubiquity at 4:02 AM on December 1, 2007
I'm confused.
Who to believe? Science, which clearly has a vested interest in lying to us, or the Christian church, which also has a vested interest in lying to us.
posted by mattoxic at 4:23 AM on December 1, 2007
Who to believe? Science, which clearly has a vested interest in lying to us, or the Christian church, which also has a vested interest in lying to us.
posted by mattoxic at 4:23 AM on December 1, 2007
I believe Morningstar is a vegetarian breakfast sausage.
But I still don't believe in God!
posted by DenOfSizer at 4:57 AM on December 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
But I still don't believe in God!
posted by DenOfSizer at 4:57 AM on December 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
Wait... So... My vegetarianism... is really Satanism in disguise?! Damn you, you delicious tofu devil! And your Dino-Bites Chik'en nuggets! Also, does "GodTube" sound really dirty, or is it just me?
posted by cthuljew at 5:30 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by cthuljew at 5:30 AM on December 1, 2007
Am I the only one who sees their use of a furry and a dinosaur to preach as ironic?
posted by Memo at 5:33 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by Memo at 5:33 AM on December 1, 2007
No, because I'm a dragon.
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 5:55 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by Henry C. Mabuse at 5:55 AM on December 1, 2007
The guy in ... the costume seems ... only able to ... speak in three-word ... bursts.
I guess that's all his walnut-sized brain can string together at once
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:10 AM on December 1, 2007 [2 favorites]
I guess that's all his walnut-sized brain can string together at once
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:10 AM on December 1, 2007 [2 favorites]
LOLMORONZ.
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 6:41 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by John Kenneth Fisher at 6:41 AM on December 1, 2007
I'm a little mystified why a very slick, highly articulated (albeit creepy) CGI T. Rex is sharing the stage with a man-in-dino-suit that has all the production values of a birthday party clown.
posted by McLir at 8:15 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by McLir at 8:15 AM on December 1, 2007
The opening drum burst and first few notes sound exactly like Billy Bragg's alternate version of "Accident Waiting to Happen." It got my hopes up that Billy Bragg was going to be in the video dropping science. But alas, there was only some dumb kids and a ripoff of the Colorado Rockies mascot.
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:38 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:38 AM on December 1, 2007
This is one of the reasons I had to order my kids' science curriculum from Singapore of all places. Singapore has its own problems, but bad science isn't one of them. This is also why people look at me funny when I tell them I homeschool.
Actually, I should show my kids this video and have them write reaction papers. My 7th grader in particular would be appalled.
posted by Biblio at 9:05 AM on December 1, 2007 [2 favorites]
Actually, I should show my kids this video and have them write reaction papers. My 7th grader in particular would be appalled.
posted by Biblio at 9:05 AM on December 1, 2007 [2 favorites]
A man in a costume portraying an amiable talking dinosaur simplifies and distorts a finding in paleontology to a group of eight year old cultists Christians to give the illusion that scientists have discovered that the Bible is literal truth but that Big Science is covering up the story because...uh...the geeky folks at Cell and Nature are actually working for Satan! I'm so glad I watched this, thanks!
What Schweitzer and her colleagues found were fossils that resembled soft-tissue structures like blood vessels, red blood cells and osteocytes because the original tissue, by a lucky geological accident, was replaced with more durable molecules that preserved the form of the soft tissue structures before they could be dissembled and consumed by bacteria and other organisms. As Matthew Collins surmised: "My suspicion is this process has led to the reaction of more resistant molecules with the normal proteins and carbohydrates which make up these cellular structures, and replaced them, so that we have a very tough, resistant, very lipid-rich material - a polymer that would be very difficult to break down and characterise, but which has preserved the structure," he told the BBC. Quite a far cry from the warped and dramatic refrain of the creationists every time any new discovery leads to discussion among (actual) scientists -- which is to say every time a new discovery is made or idea is postulated: "OMGTEHSCIENTISSTSDSCOVERDEVOLUTIONIZRONG!"
For an actual discussion of these finds (which are not new, incidentally), why not read actual scientists on the matter. Also hear Schweitzer's co-author on NPR in conversation with Yale geology professor Derek Briggs and the always excellent Carl Zimmer here.
Who to believe? Science, which clearly has a vested interest in lying to us, or the Christian church, which also has a vested interest in lying to us.
I know how you feel, mattoxic. I hate how "science" is always lying to "us" about "stuff" because of its "agenda". Please tell me you were being sarcastic.
posted by inoculatedcities at 9:32 AM on December 1, 2007 [2 favorites]
What Schweitzer and her colleagues found were fossils that resembled soft-tissue structures like blood vessels, red blood cells and osteocytes because the original tissue, by a lucky geological accident, was replaced with more durable molecules that preserved the form of the soft tissue structures before they could be dissembled and consumed by bacteria and other organisms. As Matthew Collins surmised: "My suspicion is this process has led to the reaction of more resistant molecules with the normal proteins and carbohydrates which make up these cellular structures, and replaced them, so that we have a very tough, resistant, very lipid-rich material - a polymer that would be very difficult to break down and characterise, but which has preserved the structure," he told the BBC. Quite a far cry from the warped and dramatic refrain of the creationists every time any new discovery leads to discussion among (actual) scientists -- which is to say every time a new discovery is made or idea is postulated: "OMGTEHSCIENTISSTSDSCOVERDEVOLUTIONIZRONG!"
For an actual discussion of these finds (which are not new, incidentally), why not read actual scientists on the matter. Also hear Schweitzer's co-author on NPR in conversation with Yale geology professor Derek Briggs and the always excellent Carl Zimmer here.
Who to believe? Science, which clearly has a vested interest in lying to us, or the Christian church, which also has a vested interest in lying to us.
I know how you feel, mattoxic. I hate how "science" is always lying to "us" about "stuff" because of its "agenda". Please tell me you were being sarcastic.
posted by inoculatedcities at 9:32 AM on December 1, 2007 [2 favorites]
Has there not been a fp on GodTube? From the bottom of their page:
"GodTube", "Broadcast Him", "Jesus 2.0", "Godcaster" and other marks are property of Big Jump Media Inc.
posted by tmcw at 9:45 AM on December 1, 2007
"GodTube", "Broadcast Him", "Jesus 2.0", "Godcaster" and other marks are property of Big Jump Media Inc.
posted by tmcw at 9:45 AM on December 1, 2007
My usual response is unchanged.
You claim you have a new science? Let's see it. Where are your new predictions? Where are your new miracle drugs?
If our science is lying, how do you explain modern medicine, the internet, rocket ships? If our geology is a fake, where are your better oil discoveries than ours?
It's funny that I have quite a few friends who have beliefs at variant to the rest of the world -- for example, I give free webhosting to this man (who's generally a very well-informed, liberal guy in his 60s I think) -- but I love them rather than hate them and the main reason to me is that they don't try to impose their beliefs on others and *particularly* not on defenseless kids.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 10:10 AM on December 1, 2007
You claim you have a new science? Let's see it. Where are your new predictions? Where are your new miracle drugs?
If our science is lying, how do you explain modern medicine, the internet, rocket ships? If our geology is a fake, where are your better oil discoveries than ours?
It's funny that I have quite a few friends who have beliefs at variant to the rest of the world -- for example, I give free webhosting to this man (who's generally a very well-informed, liberal guy in his 60s I think) -- but I love them rather than hate them and the main reason to me is that they don't try to impose their beliefs on others and *particularly* not on defenseless kids.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 10:10 AM on December 1, 2007
inoculatedcities, thanks for the great links -- a big improvement on the post. The Talk Reason link led to this essay, "Dino-blood and the Young Earth" which details creationist distortions of the evidence.
posted by McLir at 10:22 AM on December 1, 2007
posted by McLir at 10:22 AM on December 1, 2007
"GodTube", "Broadcast Him", "Jesus 2.0", "Godcaster"
And these don't strike them as heretical?
posted by muppetboy at 10:25 AM on December 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
And these don't strike them as heretical?
posted by muppetboy at 10:25 AM on December 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
It's so funny how God created the earth 6,000 years ago, and then he cleverly created all this evidence to point to a much, much older earth. This way he tricks all those people who rely on satanic things like facts and empirical evidence. They're sure going to be surprised when they die and wake up in hell! lol
God's such a prankster.
posted by mullingitover at 10:40 AM on December 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
God's such a prankster.
posted by mullingitover at 10:40 AM on December 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
Evolution and Intelligent Design should be taught side by side in classrooms, but should get equal time with Pastafarianism. The irrefutable evidence that a decrease in pirates has led to an increase in global warming cannot be ignored or silenced! Think of the children! They have a right to know that when their mom makes them spaghetti and meatballs, they are communing with The Great One (and that TunaMac is evil).
posted by ZachsMind at 11:50 AM on December 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by ZachsMind at 11:50 AM on December 1, 2007 [1 favorite]
I love the "Question Time" segments. Very informative.
"Did God create everything?"
YES HE DID!
"Did God create everything in 6 days?"
YES HE DID!
"Is finding fresh tissue in a dinosaur fossil evidence for a young earth age?"
YES!
I guess the glowing letters and bombastic music are supposed to lend it credibility. Somehow.
posted by Rhaomi at 12:23 PM on December 1, 2007
"Did God create everything?"
YES HE DID!
"Did God create everything in 6 days?"
YES HE DID!
"Is finding fresh tissue in a dinosaur fossil evidence for a young earth age?"
YES!
I guess the glowing letters and bombastic music are supposed to lend it credibility. Somehow.
posted by Rhaomi at 12:23 PM on December 1, 2007
simplifies and distorts a finding in paleontology to a group of eight year old cultists Christians
You had that right the first time. These people are cultists.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:33 PM on December 1, 2007
You had that right the first time. These people are cultists.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:33 PM on December 1, 2007
Hey boys and girls! You don't know jack shit about anything, I'm here to make sure it stays that way!
posted by nola at 12:37 PM on December 1, 2007
posted by nola at 12:37 PM on December 1, 2007
Wait... So... My vegetarianism... is really Satanism in disguise?! Damn you, you delicious tofu devil!
You've never heard of Veggie Tales, have you?
This is one of the reasons I had to order my kids' science curriculum from Singapore of all places.
And is it good? I'm using Singapore Math for my kids but haven't looked at their science curriculum yet.
This is also why people look at me funny when I tell them I homeschool.
Yes, sigh, I hear you there.
posted by Zinger at 2:35 PM on December 1, 2007
You've never heard of Veggie Tales, have you?
This is one of the reasons I had to order my kids' science curriculum from Singapore of all places.
And is it good? I'm using Singapore Math for my kids but haven't looked at their science curriculum yet.
This is also why people look at me funny when I tell them I homeschool.
Yes, sigh, I hear you there.
posted by Zinger at 2:35 PM on December 1, 2007
That's the second link to GodTube I've seen in a week. I've got to do some research. The first was yesterday over at Wonkette, where they showed me that Mormonism is WAY more far out than I ever thought. Perhaps I'll spend Sunday surfing the holy-tubes.
posted by willie11 at 2:46 PM on December 1, 2007
posted by willie11 at 2:46 PM on December 1, 2007
They're all pretty far out. Way far out, even. But isn't that basically why they're religions? If they weren't far out, they'd be ordinary reality, and that's just not good enough for most people.
posted by five fresh fish at 3:22 PM on December 1, 2007
posted by five fresh fish at 3:22 PM on December 1, 2007
Zinger, we use Singapore Math, Science and Grammar and both the kids and I are pleased. A rare thing!
posted by Biblio at 3:25 PM on December 1, 2007
posted by Biblio at 3:25 PM on December 1, 2007
Now, in all seriousness, I ask:
How is this not child abuse?
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 9:42 PM on December 1, 2007
How is this not child abuse?
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 9:42 PM on December 1, 2007
How is this not child abuse?
You can't see bruises on the brain without a CT scan.
posted by cthuljew at 12:02 AM on December 2, 2007
You can't see bruises on the brain without a CT scan.
posted by cthuljew at 12:02 AM on December 2, 2007
Having perused this thread before its links I came across the term "Godcaster"8212;what a horrible word! Unless it's a guitar; then it's an awesome word.
posted by Songdog at 7:40 PM on December 2, 2007
posted by Songdog at 7:40 PM on December 2, 2007
« Older "A single person can profoundly touch the lives of... | Get a Glow on Tonight Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by orthogonality at 1:10 AM on December 1, 2007 [1 favorite]