Talk:Santorum Amendment

What does the amendment say? Is the quote given identical to the original amendment, or is it a watered down conference statement? It doesn't seem to have any content. At the very least, I would want to know on which side of the creationism/evolution debate it belongs. AxelBoldt

Johnson as author

What is the basis for saying Johnson was the author? This may be true, but I would like to know the source. Thanks. --VorpalBlade 14:38, 18 Apr 2005 (UTC)

As far as I know he helped draft the language, though the authorship may be shared with Santorum lackeys. A lexus-nexus search of articles from that time will show that. Joshuaschroeder 16:00, 18 Apr 2005 (UTC)

What is the basis for saying Johnson isn't a creationist? As defined on that wikipedia page he sure is one. Joshuaschroeder 16:00, 18 Apr 2005 (UTC)

The two definitions at dictionary.com show:

cre·a·tion·ism n. Belief in the literal interpretation of the account of the creation of the universe and of all living things related in the Bible

creationism

n : the literal belief in the account of creation given in the Book of Genesis; "creationism denies the theory of evolution of species"

I think this is the most common meaning, and it doesn't apply to Johnson. By your definition, 90% of Americans are Creationists.

Just out of curiousity, what have you read by him? --VorpalBlade 18:03, 18 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I have read Defeating Darwinism for one, which is basically anti-evolution in its endeavor and at the time of its publishing there really was no "Intelligent Design" reworking yet available. I've also read at least half a dozen articles by the man. He is definitely a lawyer and not a scientist (he has a hard time grappling with very basic scientific concepts in some of his books), but his goal is to influence the public sphere and not the scientific one and to that end he is a success in his own way.

Just because the dictionary defines creationism narrowly doesn't mean an encyclopedia should have such a narrow definition. Both creationists and non-creationists editting the page on creationism agree on the broader definition. Since the wikilink is to that article, if people are curious they can read why Johnson is considered a creationist by the broad standard. I wouldn't describe Johnson as a Young earth creationist, though as an article a few months back in Christianity Today pointed out, he does make arguments that are very sympathetic to them. He isn't as "old Earth" as many of the others in the ID movement. These all amount to nitpicking in areas that aren't really required for the nitpicking, and so if you want to include them here, that might be okay, but it would probably be better to include them on his wikipedia page. Joshuaschroeder 21:36, 18 Apr 2005 (UTC)

The real question is not "is it technically accurate?" The real question should be "what is the most accurate, and least misleading, way to describe his books?" I think mine is better. Do you think mine is inaccurate?

The book you read is a simple book intended for high school students and college freshman. You should read Darwin on Trial and his other serious works. --VorpalBlade 14:20, 19 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I read parts of Darwin on Trial -- the parts about science any way. I think the current description is okay, though we may have to change it a bit to keep the thing NPOV. Joshuaschroeder 14:47, 19 Apr 2005 (UTC)

I can live with that, I think. Maybe we should break it into two sentences. --VorpalBlade 16:28, 19 Apr 2005 (UTC)