Kirk Cameron And Ray Comfort Still Spewing Their Lies, Misrepresentations, And Scientific Ignorance

A reconstruction of Lucy on exhibit at the 

National Museum of Natural History in

the United States. Image credit: Mpinedag. 

Running out of new material to throw against evolutionists, Christian evangelists Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort had to dig up and rehash a decade old video segment from their television show Way of the Master. But here's the problem - the segment is rife with lies, misrepresentations and sheer ignorance.

The five-minute video which is a clip from an episode of the Way of the Master that first aired in 2005 (or 2006) had Comfort and Cameron trying to debunk the theory of evolution by arguing that no transitional fossils have been found to prove that modern man evolved from ape-like ancestors. Comfort re-uploaded the clip on the YouTube channel for Living Waters, the Christian ministry started by Comfort.

Of course, the scientific community disagrees. Many transitional fossils have been found. These may not number to the thousands that creationists like Comfort and Cameron would want to see but they pretty much support the evolutionary theory.

The God that Comfort and Cameron believes in forbids lying but the two evangelists lied several times during their attempt to take down evolution. They made their biggest lies when they grossly misrepresented facts and the scientific community's stance on Lucy, the Nebraska Man, the Piltdown Man and the Neanderthal Man. An article on the Iron Chariots website did a great job in discussing all these lies and misrepresentations. I highly suggest that you read it.

What's so damning about the re-uploading of the video on YouTube is that Comfort hasn't learned anything from the tons of blogs and websites that pointed out the lies and misrepresentations in the clip. In the video, Cameron says that "nearly all experts agree that Lucy is just the skeleton of a three foot tall chimpanzee". What experts are Cameron referring to? This is just a blatant lie. Anyway, below is the video, the comments section of which is rife with Christians gobbling up the lies of the two evangelists.

Bill Nye The Science Guy Explains The Theory Of Evolution Using Emoji

The usage of emoji continues to rise as more and more people get connected to the internet to communicate and interact with other people. First gaining widespread use in Japan, emoji is now spreading all over the world. Basically ideograms and stylized smileys, emoji have jumped from Japanese electronic messages to global usage through phones like iPhone, Android and Windows Phone. They're also widely used in a lot of emailing services and social media sites.

Bill Nye, the American science educator and author more well-known for his nickname The Science Guy has teamed up with the technology company General Electric to create what they call an Emoji Table of Experiments. In the table of experiments, you can find several science tutorials like igniting lead, needle in a balloon, bubbles & dry ice, and so much more. Check out the tutorials here.

In the following video brought to you by Mashable, Nye explains the basic concepts of the theory of evolution using emoji. He explains how every living thing on earth evolved from simple molecules over millions of years to their current form.

Bill Nye has recently written a book which was published last November by the St. Martin's Press. Called Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, the book was inspired by Nye's controversial debate with Young Earth Creationist (YEC) Ken Ham in February of this year.

Bill Nye Says Pope Francis' Comments On Evolution And The Big Bang Are Helpful

Bill Nye, the American science educator who is equally known by his nickname "The Science Guy", recently appeared on the television show CBS This Morning to talk about and promote his just-released book Undeniable: Evolution and the Science of Creation, a book inspired by his controversial debate with creationist Ken Ham last February at the Creation Museum in Kentucky.

In the show, Nye reiterated his position that the future of the world will be much brighter if the young people of today are constantly educated about the trappings of science. He also stated that the downside to debating creationists like Ken Ham is that it somehow "energizes their base".

When one of the show's hosts asked Nye's thoughts on Pope Francis' recent proclamations that the concepts of evolution and the big bang theory are real, Nye answered that these are "helpful". The Catholic Church's acceptance of the evolutionary theory is not new. Christian apologists who embrace the scientific theory often refer to it as "theistic evolution".


Nye was also asked to reveal what his favorite scientific fact is. Nye's answer: "My favorite scientific fact is that we are made of this stuff of exploded stars. We are made of star dust. And so therefore, we are at least one of the ways that the universe knows itself."

Sounds familiar? Yes, because the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has been saying the same thing. That is if you are familiar with Tyson's work. A couple of years ago, Tyson was asked by a reader of the Time magazine the question, "What is the most astounding fact that you can share with us about the universe?"

Tyson's answer? Listen to it below. It's fascinating.

The 5 Most Common Filipino Misconceptions About Atheists In The Philippines

Majority of the more than 100 million people who call the Philippines home adhere to a religion. Most of them are Christians. A sizable chunk of them are Muslims. Then there are the minorities like Buddhists, Hindus, etc. In other words, the Philippines is a nation of believers. Most Filipinos subscribe to the notion that there is a higher power, a supreme being. They believe that they were created by a Creator. That they were put on Earth to live out a purpose. That there is life after death. That this post-death affair will be either of two things - eternal damnation or eternal bliss.

Filipinos who are religious strongly cling to their beliefs. This is not at all surprising given the fact that most Filipinos grow up in communities wherein almost every aspect of life is affected in one way or another by religion. A great example is the immense influence of religion on the country's educational system. This rings true whether a school is a public institution or a private one. From kindergarten to college, students are exposed to religious influence. Most private schools in the country are run by or are connected to religious organizations so their curriculum often include religious teachings.

Even public schools that are not supposed to be endorsing a particular brand of religion in accordance to the separation of church and state law often subject students to the trappings of religious belief. Displaying Christian crosses in public classrooms is an all too common practice in the country. This is of course a violation of the Philippine Constitution but you don't see people questioning or protesting it. This speaks a lot of how embedded religion is in Filipino society.

With all of that said, if you are an atheist in the Philippines, consider yourself to be in the lion's den. This is not the Netherlands. Don't expect to receive a pat on the back when you out yourself as an unbeliever. The truth is that coming out as godless in this country carries with it a lot of risks that can be quite serious. You might be disowned by your family. Your lover might break up with you. You might not get that job, or that promotion. You might lose friends. You can kiss your political ambitions goodbye. In short, you are entering a world of possible turbulence that can turn your life upside down.

This begs the question "How did it come to this?" Why the negative reaction when you come out as an atheist in this country? A major driver of this negativity are the rampant misconceptions that a lot of Filipinos harbor about atheists. Below is an overview of five of such common misconceptions.

1) Atheists worship Satan.

Satan from the series The Bible on the History Channel.

Many religious Filipinos consider atheists to be on equal footing with devil-worshipers. This often stems from the line of thinking that goes "If you don't worship God, then who do you worship? If you are not on the side of God, then you are on the side of his enemy Satan." Needless to say, this line of thinking is borderline wrong and grossly misinformed. Atheists don't worship any supernatural being. Not believing in God includes not believing in everything connected to him like the Devil and angels and demons and the concept of heaven and hell. How can you worship something that you believe is non-existent. To not believe in God but believe in the Devil is bollocks.

2) Atheists are communists.

In the Philippines, atheism has become almost synonymous to communism. Proclaim yourself an atheist here and some people will picture you waving the hammer and sickle flag or donning a beige-colored hat with a big red star in the front. However, atheists don't like being equated with communists as much as communists don't like being equated with atheists. And rightly so. Atheism is rejection of a deity while communism is a system of government. There's no glue connecting the two.

The idea that atheists are communists stemmed from the efforts of religious apologists who used the barbaric acts of well-known communists like Joseph Stalin, Pol Pot and Mao Zedong to discredit atheism. These apologists often make the argument that the atrocities done by these communists were due to their not adhering to a god. This is of course a lie. These men being atheists isn't the reason why they murdered millions of people. They committed atrocities because of their dogmatic Marxism and communist ideas. For a detailed debunking of this myth being perpetuated by Christian apologists, read this and this or this.

3) Atheists are rebelling against God.

Savages from the film King Athur.

Religious people think that atheists believe that God exists but because of their hard-headedness they want to rebel against him. Like teenagers rebelling against their strict and over-protective parents. Atheism is looked upon by religious people as a mere phase, one that atheists will eventually get over with. Like teenagers getting over their rebellious ways. This is of course wrong thinking. Atheists aren't rebelling against anybody. Again, how can you be rebellious against someone you believe do not exist. Not believing in the Tooth Fairy does not mean that you are rebelling against the Tooth Fairy.

4) Atheists are sinners who don't want to accept responsibility over their wrong-doings.

Al Pacino as the sin-loving Tony Montana in the film Scarface.

In other words, religious people think that atheists reject God as an excuse to keep on sinning. With that said, they imply that selfishness is the sole reason why atheists don't believe in God. Atheists just love stealing that they reject God to escape their self-guilt. This paints atheists as the most shallow and selfish kinds of people. Needless to say, the idea that atheists don't believe in God because they are enjoying their sins too much is bollocks. In contrary, people turn to atheism because they don't see substantial evidence that a supreme being exists. That's all. Sinning has nothing to do with it.

5) Atheists believe they came from monkeys.

Orangutan mother and child in Borneo. Photo by Hadi Zaher via Flickr.

This is a classic one. If you come out as an atheist, expect people to be asking you if you believe that you came from monkeys. Then a debate on the evolutionary theory will possibly commence. And your theist friends will ask you, "If we came from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?" Why are there still orangutans in the jungles of Borneo? Why are there still gorillas in the mountains of Africa?

Of course, anyone who is familiar with the real tenets of the evolutionary theory knows that we did not come from monkeys. Instead, we humans and monkeys evolved from a common ape-like ancestor. Majority of Filipinos are not aware of this simple fact.

So there you have it. Five of the most common misconceptions by Filipinos about atheists and atheism in general. If you have anything to add, feel free to chime in on the comments section below.

New Book By Biologist Douglas J. Emlen Delves Deep Into Why Animals Evolved And Developed Extreme Weaponry

Why does some beetles have long and heavy horns? What's up with narwhals and their nasty tusks? Why did the now-extinct saber-toothed tiger develop long canine teeth? These are just a few of the dozens of important questions that evolutionary biologist Douglas J. Emlen set out to provide answers for in his new book titled Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle.

Evolutionary biology is a very complex topic but thanks to Emlen's writing style that is both clear and engaging, you can learn a lot about it without having to go through exhaustive scientific jargon. In short, Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle can be palatable to readers who usually don't thumb through science-based books. Emlen also keeps things interesting by narrating stories of his excursions into forests, jungles, and savannahs where he studied animal weaponry for years.

Another unique feature of the book is the way Emlen constantly makes parallels between the weaponry that animals developed and the weapons that we humans created. For instance, Emlen points out a similarity between beetles battling and hardened knights trying to bludgeon each other in medieval Europe. In essence, Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle is not merely a biology book, it's also a history book on how mankind evolved with regards to developing defense mechanisms like weapons of mass destruction. 

Animal Weapons: The Evolution of Battle is published by Henry Holt and Co. It's available on hardcover and it's 288 pages long. The author is a professor at the University of Montana. Accompanying Emlem's text in the book are illustrations by David J. Tuss.

Photo by Gustavo F. Duran.

Listen to author Emlen talk about the process through which he came up with the book below. If by any chance you can't view or listen to the SoundCloud file, you can read the full transcript of the audio that follows it.

"I'm a biologist, I study beetles. I know this is an odd qualification for authoring a book on the world's biggest weapons but it's more relevant than you might think. Many beetles wield spectacular weapons. In some dung beetles for example, horns can be longer than the rest of the male beetle making way more than a third of its body weight. That would be like you and me producing another leg and wearing it around on our heads.

Rhinoceros beetles have pitchfork horns that jut forward from their faces like spatulas and stag beetles have mandibles or mouth parts that are so big the males have to waddle instead of walk. What's not to love? These are magnificent creatures. These are among the most extraordinary animals ever described. And each of these beetles produces weapons that are so big they look absurd like they should tip over or trip or collapse under the weight.

Why are their weapons so big? Is there such a thing as too big? These are the kinds of questions that I set out to answer and these are the animals that I studied. As a scientist I wanted to understand the biology of these extraordinary weapons. I've watched these beetles for long hours in tropical forests. I've dug them out from African Serengeti dirt with armed rangers sitting perched over my back on the tops of cars with rifles to protect me and watch out for lions or cape buffalo. I've reared thousands of these beetles in my laboratory. I even started a study of their genes and the developmental pathways that orchestrate their growth.

But still the answer to the riddle of these weapons was left hanging. So after twenty years traveling the globe in search for answers, I chose to step back and try a completely different approach. To look beyond the beetles. For this search, I went to libraries instead of rain forests, to dusty museum floors, to internet search engines, and I pored through hundred years of literature to glean all that was known about weapons in all animals living and extinct. I was especially interested in the extreme weapons, the biggest of the big, the Boone and Crockett champions of the animal world.

Photo of beetle by Jacinta Valero via Flickr.

It turns out, there are all sorts of fantastic weapons in surprising places. So we've all seen the antlers on deer or elk but huge weapons crop up in all kinds of species from tiny little New Guinean flies to earwigs, ants, wasps, New Zealand crickets, walruses and crabs. These are the stories that I set out to tell in this book weaving together for the first time the narratives of nature's heavily-armed creatures but in the process of weaving together their histories, it became clear that there was another species that belong in the mix, and that was humans. The more I saw common threads, themes uniting the stories of these diverse animal species, the more convinced I became that these threads apply to our own species too.

And in the end, my book about animal weapons evolved into a book about extreme weapons everywhere. I started poring deeper and deeper into the literature surrounding our past, searching for the environments and circumstances in which our most extravagant weapons evolved. And to my amazement, these circumstances were the same. I realized I can't tell one story without telling the other. Back and forth I went as the biology of animal weaponry and our weapons fused inextricably woven into a single tale.

So this is a book about extreme weapons. What happened then is that a journey that began with biology became the story of all weapons as readers collide between beetles and battleship crabs and the Cold War. What lessons can we glean from these animals around us? And where does this insight leave us today in a post-Cold War world filled with the deadliest weapons of all time, nuclear, biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction. The answer surprised me and I'm guessing it will surprise you too."

Christian School Textbook Proclaims That Darwinian Evolution Is A Retreat From Science

A textbook in a private Christian school is spreading lies about the theory of evolution and the people who believe in it. Someone with the username Dozer11 on Reddit posted on the social site a photo he took from a page of said book. In what looks like a chapter with the title Evolution: A Retreat From Science, the page claims that "the more scientists tried to prove Darwin's philosophy of evolution, the more they realized that his ideas could not possibly be true". It also adds that "almost no one accepts Darwin's specific ideas". These are of course blatant lies.

The page also featured the late G.A. Kerkut's seven evolutionary assumptions which Kerkut felt lacked sufficient evidentiary support. These assumptions have since been taken and interpreted by creationists as supportive of their creationist views instead.

Another Reddit user commented that the textbook may have been a book titled Science: Earth and Space by A Beka Book, a foundation  with the "mission of providing Christian schools with high-quality textbooks and teaching aids to help each school fulfill its educational goals".

The description for the book goes: "Students in grade 8 will investigate geology, oceanography, meteorology, astronomy, and environmental science with the goal of discovering the thoughts of the Creator through the ingenious structure and orderly function of His creation. Science: Earth and Space is written from the Christian perspective that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. From geology to astronomy, the goal is to learn how man might make better use of creation. Textbook includes 27 hands-on activities. Designed to be used in grade 8 and is 440 pages."

Photo by Dozer11 via Reddit

If you can't see the photo above, here's what it says: "Detoured from their true calling of mastering nature for the benefit of mankind, some scientists devoted their energies to trying to prove Darwin's ideas. The more scientists tried to prove Darwin's philosophy of evolution, however, the more they realized that his ideas could not possibly be true; in fact, almost no one accepts Darwin's specific ideas today. Rather than rejecting evolution completely and returning to the Scriptures, these scientists chose to look for new ways to make Darwin's general philosophy of evolution work. Evolutionist G.A. Kerkut lists seven general principles of  this philosophy: [click here for a list of said principles]"

Ken Ham: Dinosaurs Were Vegetarians But Because Adam Sinned, They Became Meat-Eaters

Answers In Genesis through their YouTube channel uploaded a video of Ken Ham yet again pushing his belief that animals and dinosaurs used to live together. As to the point in history when dinosaurs existed, it couldn't be millions of years ago because when dinosaur fossils are dug up today, they don't have labels attached showing their dates. That's the logic of Ken Ham.

In the description of the video is a link to a very long article by Ham titled What Really Happened to the Dinosaurs?. As to be expected, it's an article full of lies and foolish arguments that would've been avoided had Ham opened a real science book or two. But if you have seen the debate between Ham and Bill Nye a few months ago, Ham made it known that nothing is going to change his mind. That said, expect more dinosaurs-lived-along-humans stories from Ham in the near future.

A Recap Of 'Your Inner Reptile', Episode Two Of Neil Shubin's 'Your Inner Fish' On PBS

Episode two of Your Inner Fish, the three-part science series on PBS picks up right where the first episode left off.  Host and narrator Neil Shubin (an evolutionary biologist) takes us on a journey that presents evidence for the transition from reptiles to mammals in the evolutionary process.

 About 375 million years ago, a fish-like creature crawled out of the water into land. From this creature evolved amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. A huge achievement in the search for evidence of this process was the discovery of the bones of a creature which was part-reptile and part-mammal. As Shubin puts it, this creature was in "the cusp of the transition from reptile to men." It was a key moment in the evolution of the human body.

 The modern human body carries features that it inherited from ancient reptilian ancestors. These features are in our skin, our hair, our teeth and in our reproductive process. The human teeth contains remnants of our reptilian ancestors. The hair we have is believed to have started developing after the Permian extinction millions of years ago wherein our ancestors had to burrow underground to escape the extreme environmental conditions caused by a catastrophe.

Extensive research by scientists prove that the bones in our ears have evolved from the jaws of our reptilian ancestors. This transition can be observed in the development of the ears in opossums.


The most interesting part of the episode concerns the fact that we humans have a yolk sac in our early development process. This can be seen in the first few weeks of conception (in an 8-week old fetus). This yolk sac gets smaller as the human embryo develops. This sac is a window back in time that reveals our evolutionary history. Here's the interesting part: although the sac is there, it doesn't contain any yolk. It's because it's merely a remnant of our evolution. It's something from a time where our ancestors used to lay eggs.

The amnion, the sac of fluid which cushions the human embryo, is also a gift from our reptilian ancestors. When our ancestors moved out of the water about 375 million years ago, they need to find a way to prevent their eggs from drying out in the new environment. Amphibians solved this problem by simply returning to the water to lay their eggs. Reptiles, on the other hand, came up with a more radical solution. They enclosed their embryos in a sac of fluid and covered them with protective shells. This enabled them to be able to lay their eggs on shore (away from the water).

Humans have egg and yolk genes. The yolk sacs that human embryos have are evidence for this. But these have been rendered dysfunctional by the evolutionary process. Our DNA tells us that we have come from egg-laying animals. We carry the genetic signature of such ancestors.