Racism and evolution

JOHN BOY:

Hello Helen.

A couple comments...

Let's look at what the text you quoted actually says, ok? [Emphasis Mine]

So, even the article you quote doesn't fully support what you are saying
that there is a link between racism and evolution. Also, what part of
Darwin, specifically, do you read in a "straight forward" manner and see
that racism is inherent in evolution? No evidence to support that
claim--you seem to accept it as an article faith.

Darwin was no more racist than any other "enlightened" countryman of the
time in England; and, in fact, he even seemed to be less racist than most
and was a strong abolitionist from the actual readings of Darwin that I have
done.

But, you are correct, that racists did misuse the science of evolution to
support their racism. They also misused the Bible to support their racism.
Both groups were wrong. Agreed?

I'm glad you find such messages plainly evident. Many other believers,
however, do not (with some of the quotes from "EXCREATIONIST" as example).
After all, if there wasn't a preceived problem with racists using the Bible
in support of their abhorrent views (the KKK and Christian Identity Movement
spring to mind) why would Ken Ham write a book on the subject which combats
the misuse of the Bible in support of racism, One Blood?

Check out the homepage of the KKK, sometime Helen. Count the number of
times "God", "Jesus", "Christian", and "Prayer" come up. [Quite often--I
just checked.]

Here's an interesting bit from their kid's site: [Emphasis Mine]

Now, I could quite easily start a new thread playing this same silly game
you just tried asking rhetorically "Is Christianity Racist?", citing many
sites, historical documents, speeches, leading Christian leaders of the
time, and so on to selectively point to that conclusion. Unfair? Yes. It
is just as unfair as your poor attempt to do the same with evolution.

If I were to do such a thing it would quite rightly be seen as little more
than a flaming troll. Why are you engaged in similar tactics?

Really? Evolution actively "supports and encourages racism"? Can you give
any specific examples? Last time I checked an evolutionary textbook it did
quite the opposite. Have you ever considered reading Stephen J. Gould's
Mismeasure of Man, which explores this very topic about the misuse of
science to support many terrible things from history: from racism, to
eugenics, etc.?

It appears that you are operating by a double standard: When someone misuses
the Bible to support their claims, they are in obvious error. When someone
misuses Evolution to support their views, they are simply reflecting the
racism inherent in the theory. Hmmm.

Helen, your argument via 80 year-old textbooks is just plain silly. There
is nothing to support racism within evolutionary theory.

Take care.

P.S. While you are quite correct to decouple the concept of slavery from
the concept of racism, it leaves you with a new problem: direct support for
slavery is easily found within the Bible, independent of race. Hmmm. Best
not to travel down that path...