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Readings and Ramblings

This is Readings and Ramblings. It is readings because this is a site for blogging about books and I intend to do that. It is ramblings because I might want to write about something else now and then.

Mars Life - Ben Bova Imagine that you were a scientist exploring Mars and you discovered the ruins of an extinct civilization. Then imagine that you discovered unrefutable fossils. This would cause quite a sensation back on Earth, wouldn't it? Don't count on it if right-wing religionists are in power. Imagine that you present your undeniable hard evidence and they call it just scientist propaganda to force an unproven theory down their throats just like Darwinism. Then imagine that on Earth the effects of global warming were in full force with most of Florida under water and Louisiana turning into an inland sea. That would call for some very serious and drastic solutions, wouldn't it. Don't count on it if right-wing religionists are in power. In the face of this emergency they are cutting the budgets of every scientific research project they can. They are even trying to eliminate science classes in the public schools. They are trying to suppress the astounding discoveries on Mars.
Frankly, I cannot think of even one good thing about religion and I just love stories like this that illustrate the venal and bullying nature of religion. Throughout all of history it has retarded the advance of humanity and has always promoted ignorance over learning and discovery. Religion has always encouraged burning at the stake those who would expose the people to truth and in this story the religionists are getting themselves in a position to be able to do the same thing again. It is only a work of fiction, but as you read it you should see that it does a good job of describing the way creationists and right-wingers in general operate. I do think it is a bit unrealistic about what they would do in the face of the most dire effects of global warming though. They would not be just cutting budgets for science education and research. They would be still actively denying that there is any global warming at all.