Irelands minister of science: "evolution is a hoax"

[wautd]

Source

Ireland’s science minister to launch a book which blasts evolution as a hoax

IN DUBLIN tomorrow a book rubbishing evolution will be launched – by Ireland’s Minister of State for Science, Technology and Enterprise, Conor Lenihan!

The Origins of Specious Nonsense is the creation of John J May, who states:

Charles Darwin and his modern ‘disciples’ – Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel C Dennet (sic), Christopher Hitchens et al are the high priests of the highly improbable foisting the impossible on the impressionable.

Lenihan, according to Michael Nugent of Atheist Ireland, has agreed to launch the book because the author is a friend of his. Said Nugent:

This is an abuse of his Ministerial position, and an attack by the Irish government on both scientists and science education.

He points out that last year Lenihan told a Science Foundation of Ireland summit that:

The relevance and value of science must continually communicated to the general public, and how it is articulated is vital in defining how science is perceived. The task of communicating the message that ‘science matters’, that ‘science delivers’ and, above all, that investment in science in Ireland is value for money and an integral part of our economic development must be addressed by all across the scientific community.

Nugent added:

Minister Lenihan is now advancing this noble vision by attending a ‘Gorrillas and Girls’ party and a photo shoot with ‘Charles Darwin’ and ‘King Kong’, where he will launch the book.

This is the type of argument that appears in the book to which Lenihan is giving the credibility of his Office:

The Empire State building cannot be supported on a styrofoam coffee cup from Dunkin Donuts, nor a rocket go to the moon on a litre of petrol from Shell, nor the sea fit into a child’s bucket on a Californian beach, yet there is more chance of all three happening (which never will) than for the awful soul-destroying fiction of evolution to be true. The frog never changed into a prince, the gods of Egypt are fantasies, Dracula never existed, the King was naked, and evolution is a demonstrable hoax just as surely as Santa Claus.

Nugent concludes:

Of course, this is the same Conor Lenihan who five years ago described Turkish workers in Ireland as ‘kebabs’ during a Parliamentary debate. Lenihan was then Minister for Overseas Development and Human Rights; in the magical world of Irish politics, he was later appointed Minister for Immigration policy.

The book’s author – “a leader and teacher in a Christian faith”– describes it thus:

The Origin Of Specious Nonsense is a plea for sanity and reason in a dangerous world further morally polluted by the corrupting hoax of evolution as tragically illustrated by the Columbine High School killers ten years ago in the USA. Those two deluded young men spoke on video about ‘helping out the process of natural selection by eliminating the weak’.

He adds:

My book unambiguously demolishes the unscientific idea that we came from muck that somehow, someway, somewhere grew the astonishingly complicated chemicals and they somehow, someway, somewhere grew from slime to fish to animals – to man.

Update: We have just that learned Lenihan will not now launch the book after the author asked him to withdraw in the wake of controversy on the web. May said he had asked Lenihan not to launch the book:

Because I am so embarrassed that the Minister for Science has been so insulted and eviscerated on a political website. He doesn’t even believe in my central argument.

Nice going Ireland. Lest we forget to steriotype you guys.

[LaCroix]

Fuck.

They finally crossed the pond and gained a beachhead...
Not that creationism is unknown in Europe, but until now, it was political suicide to be associated with it.
I think it is a good sign that he finally chose to cancel it (for NOW, at least), but this book should have been shoved across the desk and right into the rubbish bin when it was laid upon it. With a huge amount of laughter. Even when coming from a friend.

[Sarevok]

+http://www.theoriginofspeciousnonsense.com/

The books website....

I am at a loss of words to describe the contents of the website. For the record I lived for a year in Ireland once, Galway city to be precise and I found the Irish to be very nice people. Seeing someone like this man becoming a high government official in Ireland is just depressing.

[Thanas]

What do you expect? The Irish are hardcore Christians and not of the European "science is science, religion is religion and beer is beer" variety.

[Masami von Weizegger]

Lenihan again?! The stupid bastard.

I'm more worried about the political apathy towards this in Ireland. There is no evolution/creation debate in Irish schools and most people, Catholic or not, accept the theory of evolution. This book won't change that.

The real problem is no-one gives a shit that our Minister for Science, Technology and Enterprise is a stupid fucking bastard which next to no knowledge on any of the things that make up his job because, surprise, you don't have to know anything about your cabinet position in Ireland to get appointed to it!

Not many people are going to raise a fuss because nobody cares anymore. Politics in Ireland has become so cynical and jaded, it's just a diseased hog rolling in its own shit.

Of course, Lenihan has NOT declared that evolution is a hoax but rather has agreed to publish a book stating this, supposedly because the author is a friend of his. That is a small distinction. But, I imagine if this friend wrote a book called "Catholic Priests are Child Molesting Bastards" then the friendship would not have covered publication costs.

[LaCroix]

I expected the Spanish or the Italians to be the first, but Ireland had a good start out of the last curve and finished first. (Or last, if you want to see it that way.)

[Temujin]

Charles Darwin and his modern ‘disciples’ – Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Daniel C Dennet (sic), Christopher Hitchens et al are the high priests of the highly improbable foisting the impossible on the impressionable.

The hypocritical irony is strong with this one.

The relevance and value of science must continually communicated to the general public, and how it is articulated is vital in defining how science is perceived. The task of communicating the message that ‘science matters’, that ‘science delivers’ and, above all, that investment in science in Ireland is value for money and an integral part of our economic development must be addressed by all across the scientific community.

Ah yes, science is only good in how it benefits us (us being Lenihan and his ilk). Just like American conservatives who only love science when in gives them shiny new toys to kill foreign people or allow big business to make a profit.

The book’s author – “a leader and teacher in a Christian faith”– describes it thus:

The Origin Of Specious Nonsense is a plea for sanity and reason in a dangerous world further morally polluted by the corrupting hoax of evolution as tragically illustrated by the Columbine High School killers ten years ago in the USA. Those two deluded young men spoke on video about ‘helping out the process of natural selection by eliminating the weak’.

Surprised he didn't use the Nazis as an example.

Nugent concludes:

Of course, this is the same Conor Lenihan who five years ago described Turkish workers in Ireland as ‘kebabs’ during a Parliamentary debate. Lenihan was then Minister for Overseas Development and Human Rights; in the magical world of Irish politics, he was later appointed Minister for Immigration policy.

And of course he's a discriminating scumbag to boot. Well at least he's consistent with his own stereotype.

[DPDarkPrimus]

Update: We have just that learned Lenihan will not now launch the book after the author asked him to withdraw in the wake of controversy on the web. May said he had asked Lenihan not to launch the book:

Because I am so embarrassed that the Minister for Science has been so insulted and eviscerated on a political website. He doesn’t even believe in my central argument.

So then why the fuck help launch the book?!

[Masami von Weizegger]

Update: We have just that learned Lenihan will not now launch the book after the author asked him to withdraw in the wake of controversy on the web. May said he had asked Lenihan not to launch the book:

Because I am so embarrassed that the Minister for Science has been so insulted and eviscerated on a political website. He doesn’t even believe in my central argument.

So then why the fuck help launch the book?!

Supposedly because the author and the minister are such good buddies and Lenihan is a believer in the golden mean, "We should consider both arguments equally valid" type of bullshit.

I'm much more inclined to believe he's a Minister for Science that is a stupid git myself. As I said, cabinet positions in Ireland are not given based on any competence or interest in that area so it's not so shocking that the biggest fundie dumb fuck of the lot managed to fall into this position.

[Thanas]

Just a question, Masami - your location reads Illinois. I take it you are an Irish expat?

[Kanastrous]

My wife and I were starting to plan a trip to Ireland in a few months. Now I'm trying to decide if I wouldn't rather spend the tourist dollars somewhere else. Although I don't know that any of the other destinations in which we're interested are any more free of crazy idiots in power, than Ireland apparently is (although Ireland is probably still ahead of the US on that score but hey, this is where I live...)

Not that I think my small pile of tourist dollars makes any real difference at all to whatever nation we visit. It's just...if there are options, why spend the dollars where people like that are placed in positions of power?

[Masami von Weizegger]

Just a question, Masami - your location reads Illinois. I take it you are an Irish expat?

Yeah, I am. I've been here four years now but I still keep up with the Irish news, apparently so I can bang my head on my desk due to two hemisphere's worth of domestic shit instead of one.

[CJvR]

Uhh...? O...k...

Now be a good minister and put on this long sleved jacket and go with these nice gentlemen in white. They will make all the evil monkeys go away.

I thought we were spared that sort of stupidity over here!
Reminds me of an old Yes Minister episode:

...you could make Hacker Cabinet Minister responsible for the arts!
- But isn't he a complete philistine?
- Yes.
But then the Industry Secretary is the idlest man in town.
The Education Secretary is illiterate!
The Employment Secretary is unemployable!

[Liberty]

Um...the minister of health said he does believe in evolution. So the title of this thread is not quite right.

And what does it mean that "he" was publishing the book? Does the minister of health own a publishing company?

[Masami von Weizegger]

Um...the minister of health said he does believe in evolution. So the title of this thread is not quite right.

And what does it mean that "he" was publishing the book? Does the minister of health own a publishing company?

The details seem to be getting muddled now.

According to the Irish Times, Lenihan, the Minister of Science in question, was going to attend the launch of the book (The Origin of Specious Nonsense). Lenihan's defense, such as it was, was that he was attending the launch as a TD (member of parliament) supporting a constituent (which is not an entirely unusual occurrence given the parochial nature of Irish politics) and not as the Minister of Science endorsing the contents of the book.

He is, as far as I can ascertain, not publishing the book or financing the publishing of the book.

[Manthor]

So ultimately it is politics isn't it?Just business as usual.

[mr friendly guy]

Not that I think my small pile of tourist dollars makes any real difference at all to whatever nation we visit. It's just...if there are options, why spend the dollars where people like that are placed in positions of power?

Well didn't Ireland's economy take a hit from the GFC. I hear from Irish colleagues that they are no longer so generous with Doctor's pay having to cut it. I am sure if I google more I would find other bad news about the Irish economy since the GFC. I am not sure if they have recovered somewhat, but given what I heard I am sure they would be interested in your ahem stimulus package.

[LaCroix]

As I said, cabinet positions in Ireland are not given based on any competence or interest in that area so it's not so shocking that the biggest fundie dumb fuck of the lot managed to fall into this position.

According to the web, his brother is also a minister, his father was a big guy in politics, his aunt as well,and his grandfather was a big guy as well...

They are something like the Irish Kennedy family!

[PaperJack]

Read his "Interactive Book Demo".

His argument is basically the classic, rehashed:

our body is too complex to have been created by random chance, so somebody must have designed it!

[Zaune]

They are something like the Irish Kennedy family!

Suggesting that the Kennedys themselves weren't Irish might have got you lynched in some parts of the country, at least if Bob Geldof's memoirs are to be believed.

[Kanastrous]

Doesn't the Kennedy family descend from Brian Boru?

[Masami von Weizegger]

Doesn't the Kennedy family descend from Brian Boru?

That's a common enough claim. Brian Boru's full name was Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig with Kennedy being an Anglicization of Cennétig.

I've heard that it was proven that the Kennedy family, including JFK, descended from Brian Boru himself, but I've never seen any evidence, just assurances that there is evidence. At the very least, it is highly likely that the Kennedy's have roots to Cennétig mac Lorcáin, Brian Boru's father.