Minnesota creationist update

I am such a trendsetter. First I pick up on the Paszkiewicz story weeks before the NY Times, and now another creationist I took a shot at, Julie Haberle, is written up in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Ms Haberle is responsible for a set of anti-evolution billboards going up in the region, and she does not come off very well. Here are a few quotes from her that expose her shortcomings.

Julie Haberle, 55, said she once believed creationism "was absolutely nuts" and has over the past nine years come to the contradictory conclusion that "evolution is just silly."

"I'm just a hack."

"I'm not a biblical scholar and don't pretend to have one original thought on the site."

Contradictory hack without a single original thought? Couldn't have said it better myself. Oh, and speaking of me, I'm quoted, too—and look, Ma, I'm famous!

"It's kind of standard creationism stuff," said Paul Z. Myers, a biology professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris and one of the nation's most ardent critics of intelligent design. "It's not a serious site -- it's just chunks of arguments strung together."

Before I get too cocky, though, the article also notes that the billboards are cheap: somewhere shy of $10,000 each. That's cheap? I think each one greatly exceeds the entire yearly budget of MnCSE.

Greg Laden, another ardent critic of ID and UM professor who was quoted, has also commented on this article.

More like this

Hey, Minnesotans—anyone want to tune in to KKMS Christian radio right now? I'm about to be tied up in class stuff for a while, so I'll say more later—it seems we have a new creationist group mobilizing in the state. I caught a few bits of the radio show (that hurt—it's a fundagelical radio station…
Julie Haberle, the born-again who splattered Minnesota billboards with creationist apologetics, has revamped her website. It's prettier and twice as stupid now; it still has the very clumsy bulletin board that was utterly ruled by evolution supporters poking holes in her bad arguments. What the…
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Some of you may recall that I got rather cranky with some sensitive Catholics who wanted to cancel a play — "The Pope and the Witch", currently playing on the Twin Cities campus. Unfortunately, although we'd hope to go, we had this succession of snowstorms that made traveling impractical this past…

Sounds like the churches-are-tax-exempt federal dollars hard at work again.

By DavidByron (not verified) on 18 Dec 2006 #permalink

Yet another case of Christians with warped priorities-imagine how much food or how many vaccinations could be bought for $10K.

I do get paid a small stipend by Seed for maintaining this blog, but I'm afraid it's not enough that I can afford $10,000 billboards to promote the site.

"...I'd like it if I could keep some kind of a media frenzy going with it"

She's just so honest! It's adorable. Delusions of grandeur anyone?

Who's your Daddy, Julie?
I'm just a hack
Hold that thought.
I'm not a biblical scholar and don't pretend to have one original thought
Observed.
This thing's evolving
Now, why would that be?
Twit!

Bob von Sternberg? He's not....?

By Ian H Spedding FCD (not verified) on 18 Dec 2006 #permalink

Bob von Sternberg? He's not....?

By Ian H Spedding FCD (not verified) on 18 Dec 2006 #permalink

What's with the delayed-action posting?

By Ian H Spedding FCD (not verified) on 18 Dec 2006 #permalink

"I'm not a biblical scholar and don't pretend to have one original thought on the site."

But that's not a problem 'cause I really believe, you know? I really thi-, that is, I just feel that ring of truth. It seems so perfect to me! Only a Creator God, no wait, a Father God could make it seem so. And I do praise Him and pray ceaselessly!

I don't know what I'm talking about but I'll bet your fate against my comfort that I am right.

Ahhh . . .

By Crudely Wrott (not verified) on 18 Dec 2006 #permalink

"It's not a serious site -- it's just chunks of arguments strung together."

Of course, there's nothing wrong with stringing *valid* arguments together...probably this is ripe for misinterpretation....