what a bunch of monkeys...: "GOALS Governing Goals . To defeat scientific materialism and its destructive moral, cultural and political legacies. . To replace materialistic explanations with the theistic understanding that nature and hurnan beings are created by God. " yeah right http://www.antievolution.org/features/wedge.html THE WEDGE STRATEGY CENTER FOR THE RENEWAL OF SCIENCE & CULTURE INTRODUCTION The proposition that human beings are created in the image of God is one of the bedrock principles on which Western civilization was built. Its influence can be detected in most, if not all, of the West's greatest achievements, including representative democracy, human rights, free enterprise, and progress in the arts and sciences. Yet a little over a century ago, this cardinal idea came under wholesale attack by intellectuals drawing on the discoveries of modern science. Debunking the traditional conceptions of both God and man, thinkers such as Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, and Sigmund Freud portrayed humans not as moral and spiritual beings, but as animals or machines who inhabited a universe ruled by purely impersonal forces and whose behavior and very thoughts were dictated by the unbending forces of biology, chemistry, and environment. This materialistic conception of reality eventually infected virtually every area of our culture, from politics and economics to literature and art The cultural consequences of this triumph of materialism were devastating. Materialists denied the existence of objective moral standards, claiming that environment dictates our behavior and beliefs. Such moral relativism was uncritically adopted by much of the social sciences, and it still undergirds much of modern economics, political science, psychology and sociology. Materialists also undermined personal responsibility by asserting that human thoughts and behaviors are dictated by our biology and environment. The results can be seen in modern approaches to criminal justice, product liability, and welfare. In the materialist scheme of things, everyone is a victim and no one can be held accountable for his or her actions. Finally, materialism spawned a virulent strain of utopianism. Thinking they could engineer the perfect society through the application of scientific knowledge, materialist reformers advocated coercive government programs that falsely promised to create heaven on earth. Discovery Institute's Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture seeks nothing less than the overthrow of materialism and its cultural legacies. Bringing together leading scholars from the natural sciences and those from the humanities and social sciences, the Center explores how new developments in biology, physics and cognitive science raise serious doubts about scientific materialism and have re-opened the case for a broadly theistic understanding of nature. The Center awards fellowships for original research, holds conferences, and briefs policymakers about the opportunities for life after materialism. The Center is directed by Discovery Senior Fellow Dr. Stephen Meyer. An Associate Professor of Philosophy at Whitworth College, Dr. Meyer holds a Ph.D. in the History and Philosophy of Science from Cambridge University. He formerly worked as a geophysicist for the Atlantic Richfield Company. THE WEDGE STRATEGY Phase I. Scientific Research, Writing & Publicity Phase II. Publicity & Opinion-making Phase III. Cultural Confrontation & Renewal THE WEDGE PROJECTS Phase I. Scientific Research, Writing & Publication Individual Research Fellowship Program Paleontology Research program (Dr. Paul Chien et al.) Molecular Biology Research Program (Dr. Douglas Axe et al.) Phase II. Publicity & Opinion-making Book Publicity Opinion-Maker Conferences Apologetics Seminars Teacher Training Program Op-ed Fellow PBS (or other TV) Co-production Publicity Materials / Publications Phase III. Cultural Confrontation & Renewal Academic and Scientific Challenge Conferences Potential Legal Action for Teacher Training Research Fellowship Program: shift to social sciences and humanities FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN SUMMARY The social consequences of materialism have been devastating. As symptoms, those consequences are certainly worth treating. However, we are convinced that in order to defeat materialism, we must cut it off at its source. That source is scientific materialism. This is precisely our strategy. If we view the predominant materialistic science as a giant tree, our strategy is intended to function as a "wedge" that, while relatively small, can split the trunk when applied at its weakest points. The very beginning of this strategy, the "thin edge of the wedge," was Phillip ]ohnson's critique of Darwinism begun in 1991 in Darwinism on Trial, and continued in Reason in the Balance and Defeatng Darwinism by Opening Minds. Michael Behe's highly successful Darwin's Black Box followed Johnson's work. We are building on this momentum, broadening the wedge with a positive scientific alternative to materialistic scientific theories, which has come to be called the theory of intelligent design (ID). Design theory promises to reverse the stifling dominance of the materialist worldview, and to replace it with a science consonant with Christian and theistic convictions. The Wedge strategy can be divided into three distinct but interdependent phases, which are roughly but not strictly chronological. We believe that, with adequate support, we can accomplish many of the objectives of Phases I and II in the next five years (1999-2003), and begin Phase III (See "Goals/ Five Year Objectives/Activities"). Phase I: Research, Writing and Publication Phase II: Publicity and Opinion-making Phase III: Cultural Confrontation and Renewal Phase I is the essential component of everything that comes afterward. Without solid scholarship, research and argument, the project would be just another attempt to indoctrinate instead of persuade. A lesson we have learned from the history of science is that it is unnecessary to outnumber the opposing establishment. Scientific revolutions are usually staged by an initially small and relatively young group of scientists who are not blinded by the prevailing prejudices and who are able to do creative work at the pressure points, that is, on those critical issues upon which whole systems of thought hinge. So, in Phase I we are supporting vital witting and research at the sites most likely to crack the materialist edifice. Phase II. The pnmary purpose of Phase II is to prepare the popular reception of our ideas. The best and truest research can languish unread and unused unless it is properly publicized. For this reason we seek to cultivate and convince influential individuals in pnnt and broadcast media, as well as think tank leaders, scientists and academics, congressional staff, talk show hosts, college and seminary presidents and faculty, future talent and potential academic allies. Because of his long tenure in politics, journalism and public policy, Discovery President Bruce Chapman brings to the project rare knowledge and acquaintance of key op-ed writers, journalists, and political leaders. This combination of scientific and scholarly expertise and media and political connections makes the Wedge unique, and also prevents it from being "merely academic." Other activities include production of a PBS documentary on intelligent design and its implications, and popular op-ed publishing. Alongside a focus on influential opinion-makers, we also seek to build up a popular base of support among our natural constituency, namely, Chnstians. We will do this primarily through apologetics seminars. We intend these to encourage and equip believers with new scientific evidence's that support the faith, as well as to "popularize" our ideas in the broader culture. Phase III. Once our research and writing have had time to mature, and the public prepared for the reception of design theory, we will move toward direct confrontation with the advocates of materialist science through challenge conferences in significant academic settings. We will also pursue possible legal assistance in response to resistance to the integration of design theory into public school science curricula. The attention, publicity, and influence of design theory should draw scientific materialists into open debate with design theorists, and we will be ready. With an added emphasis to the social sciences and humanities, we will begin to address the specific social consequences of materialism and the Darwinist theory that supports it in the sciences. GOALS Governing Goals To defeat scientific materialism and its destructive moral, cultural and political legacies. To replace materialistic explanations with the theistic understanding that nature and hurnan beings are created by God. Five Year Goals To see intelligent design theory as an accepted alternative in the sciences and scientific research being done from the perspective of design theory. To see the beginning of the influence of design theory in spheres other than natural science. To see major new debates in education, life issues, legal and personal responsibility pushed to the front of the national agenda. Twenty Year Goals To see intelligent design theory as the dominant perspective in science. To see design theory application in specific fields, including molecular biology, biochemistry, paleontology, physics and cosmology in the natural sciences, psychology, ethics, politics, theology and philosophy in the humanities; to see its innuence in the fine arts. To see design theory permeate our religious, cultural, moral and political life. ... continued
on hindsight, he does behave like a shill for this Dizzzcovery Zzzzenter... yet another bunch of religious fundamentalists... what a plague...
If I hadn't read this I would not have believed it could be true. At least they're honest about their propaganda campaign. I guess I am still an optimist, because it still shocks me that anyone could be so arrogant, so blind as to assume that his personal conception of a 'God' should be the basis for legislation that would affect others who don't believe in that same little 'God' fantasy. It makes me want to start my own church, the 'Moon is made of Green Cheese' Church, and then form an organization which aims to promote a science 'consonant with Green-Cheesian theistic convictions'. History will view these faith-mongers as merely a bump on the road to a fully secular society. However, it may be a few more millennia than I initially calculated before the change is complete.
traderNik, You might like to consider amalgamation of your church with the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. http://www.venganza.org/
The Center is directed by Discovery Senior Fellow Dr. Stephen Meyer. An Associate Professor of Philosophy at Whitworth College, Dr. Meyer holds a Ph.D. in the History and Philosophy of Science from Cambridge University. He formerly worked as a geophysicist for the Atlantic Richfield Company. far be it for people to attempt to persuade people and work towards maintaining a sense of divinity in society. you people are fucking pricks. 2cents, keep trying douche-bag, god will soon be dead, replaced of course by yourself and egomaniacal fucks like yourself. pricks ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_persecution
"Do not mock the mocking, or the sacred semolina of His body will be upon you, and low, it shall be moist and starchy (if not properly rinsed). The coldness of his shoulder-like meat-ball will chill your shaky-cheese until it no longer shakes appropriately. I fear for your immortal sauce! Repentâ¦repe-entâ¦â¦re-epe-e-ent!" http://www.venganza.org/about/open-letter/responses/
Sorry neophyte... I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you responded from the heart without actually reading the OP. You can see that their agendum is far more insidious than simply 'maintaining a sense of divinity in society'. The goal is the reversion of our society back to one dominated by religious thought. Once again... it is still shocking to me that in this day and age in the West, there exist people that would willfully ignore the obvious fact that it's immoral to try to impose their personal preferences on me. The only explanation that's left is that can't see it. And anyway, why the hell can't you and your fellow Jesus-Christers maintain your own sense of divinity? Do you see the Buddhists clamoring for legislation that will allow them to maintain their sense of divinity? I know why... because you're scared of the secular trend in modern culture. You don't like the fact that your kids can't avoid seeing an (almost) naked woman on every billboard. Instead of dealing with the fact of modern life (and 90% of these people live in the cities) you try to do the ostrich thing. If you don't like modern urban life, move. The clock is never going to be wound back. It is finished. By the way... there's another group of religiously inspired people who don't like the modern Western way of life.... Religion is a private matter. Okay?