It's Beyond Hypocrisy, Professor Kingston (February 2011)

I feel compelled to address a frightening disconnect witnessed on Bill Maher show last Friday.

Congressman Jack Kingston, adamant in refuting data supporting Global Warming, in almost the same breath, denied Evolution, insisting he could not accept the idea he was descended from monkeys or that humans evolved from primitive creatures emerging from the sea.

He argued that Global Warming was an unproven theory, demonstrating how he doesn’t understand the meaning of the term, theory.  In a tolerant forum, I’d be willing to consider any scientific theory’s weak points or assumptions.  But when it came to evolution, Kingston was as rigid as a medieval Pope.  His view is infallible, inflexible, and cannot be challenged.

Indeed it called to mind a quote from St. Augustine (354-430 CE):  “A good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who make empty prophecies.  The danger already exists that mathematicians have made a covenant with the Devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of Hell.”  In other words, beware and condemn anyone who uses logic and knowledge to predict lunar eclipses, the rise and fall of tides, or the progression of a malady.  Every effect and outcome is God-ordained and prediction manifests the sin of pride.

This is from St. Augustine of Hippo, known for the centralization of the Roman church, the infallibility of the Pope, and a determination to stamp out heresy in the early church.

A thousand years later this wall of intransience still confronted Bruno, Galileo, Kepler, and Copernicus.

Bob Dylan sang about St. Augustine as a symbol of faith, sacrifice and martyrdom (though Augustine of Hippo was not martyred):

I dreamed I saw St. Augustine,

Alive with fiery breath,

And I dreamed I was amongst the ones

That put him out to death.

Oh, I awoke in anger,

So alone and terrified,

I put my fingers against the glass

And bowed my head and cried.

I would certainly challenge this legacy.  It’s unclear what Dylan was getting at.  The first line parodies an old Wobbly song about Joe Hill.

Several writers blame Augustine for the disappearance of nascent scientific and philosophical inquiry that later defined the Dark Ages.  I like to believe this kind of anti-intellectual, counter-intuitive, anti-science mindset was left behind seven hundred years ago.  Appears I could be wrong about that.  Apparently Augustine’s influence is manifest nearly seventeen hundred years after his death.  Hardly ironic.  Mostly sad.

                                                                  XXX