Bill Nye The Comic Guy
September 6, 2012
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061
866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
Bill Nye (b. 1955), has a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering and worked for Boeing, but he is as much an entertainer and comedian as anything.
He was made semi-famous by the Disney/PBS children’s television program “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” which ran from 1993-98 and which was part science and part comedic. In fact, Nye began his entertainment career as a comedian on the Seattle television program Almost Live. Even his marriage was comedic. He was wed to Blair Tindall in February 2006 (by Rick Warren of Saddleback Church), but the relationship ended seven WEEKS later and Nye eventually acquired a six-year restraining order against his former wife, who had poured weed killer on his garden.
Recently Nye continued his comedic role in posting a YouTube video entitled “Creationism Is Not Appropriate for Children” in which he calls upon parents not to teach their children creationism, claiming that it makes it more difficult for them to “build stuff and solve problems.” Nye bemoans the fact that a majority of Americans believe in creationism, pretending that this is impeding the nation’s scientific progress.
While many have taken Nye’s statements seriously, it is obvious that he made this video in the role of a comedian, because it is thoroughly refuted by the facts.
First, it is impossible to prove that the widespread belief in creationism has limited America’s scientific progress in that America has long been at the forefront of scientific progress. Other nations should look at this fact and conclude that they should emulate America and seek to have less belief in evolution and not more if they want to increase their scientific prowess!
Second, modern science was invented by men who believed in divine creation.
In his book Refuting Evolution, Jonathan Sarfati, who has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, says:
“It is fallacious to claim, as many evolutionists do, that believing in miracles means that laboratory science would be impossible. In fact, most branches of modern science were founded by believers in the Bible’s account of creation.”
Consider some examples:
Physics -- Newton, Faraday, Maxwell, Kelvin, Joule
Chemistry - Boyle, Dalton, Ramsay
Biology - Ray, Linnaeus, Mendel, Pasteur, Virchow, Agassiz
Geology - Steno, Woodward, Brewster, Buckland, Cuvier
Astronomy - Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Herschel, Maunder
Mathematics - Pascal, Leibniz, Euler
Third, a growing number of scientists doubt Darwinian evolution.
These do not necessarily believe in creationism, but they are convinced, simply, that Darwinianism is contradicted by a growing body of scientific facts.
There is the intelligent design movement led by organizations such as the Discovery Institute.
In 1979, Science Digest reported that “scientists who utterly reject Evolution may be one of our fastest-growing controversial minorities,” and stated that, “Many of the scientists supporting this position hold impressive credentials in science” (Larry Hatfield, “Educators Against Darwin,” Science Digest special, Winter 1979, pp. 94-96).
“A 2005 poll by the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Social and Religious Research found that 60% of American medical doctors reject Darwinism, stating that they do not believe humans evolved through natural processes alone. ... The study also reported that 1/3 of all medical doctors favor the theory of intelligent design over evolution” (“Evolution,” Conservapedia).
The rejection of Darwinism hasn’t hindered the practice of science.
Fourth, many prominent scientists and inventors are out-and-out creationists.
This is irrefutable evidence that a belief in creation does not hinder scientific achievement. For example, there is Dr. Russell Humphreys, nuclear physicist with the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who has published over 20 articles in physics journals; Dr. John Baumgardner, whose catastrophic plate tectonics theory was reported in Nature magazine; Dr. Edward Boudreaux of the University of New Orleans who has published many articles and books in physical chemistry; Dr. Duane Gish, who worked for many years in pharmaceutical research at Cornell University, the University of California, and the Upjohn Company, and co-authored many publications in peptide chemistry; Dr. Richard Lumsden, dean of the graduate school at Tulane University who trained 30 Ph.D.s, published hundreds of scholarly papers, and was the winner of the highest award for parasitology; Dr. Joseph Mastropaolo, who holds the patent for crew conditioning for extended manned space missions.
Consider Stephen Grocott, Ph.D. in organometallic chemistry from the University of Western Australia, general manager, Research and Development, Southern Pacific Petroleum. He testifies:
“Science is a wonderful thing. I enjoy it a great deal. As a scientist, I count myself lucky to be able to do science and to be good at it. And as a scientist, I have far more trouble trying to perform the mental gymnastics necessary to explain the world from an evolutionary, long-age viewpoint than I do from the young-earth, creationist viewpoint” (In Six Days, edited by John Ashton, pp. 154).
Consider Raymond Jones, Ph.D., who published 140 research papers, found the solution to detoxify the Leuceana tree for cattle production, and retired from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). When asked about the idea that science would fall apart without the theory of evolution, Jones replied:
“I don’t see that it’s the driving force that enables breakthroughs, or that it features much in most scientists’ daily work. Is having an evolutionary paradigm more enabling of research? I don’t think so. In fact, believing in an almighty all-knowing God, rather than chance, behind everything could be more of a driving force for your scientific work. It gives you confidence that something will be found when you search, because behind it all is a mind greater than your own--‘thinking God’s thoughts after Him’ [to quote Kepler]” (“Standing Firm,” The Genesis Files, edited by Carl Wieland, p. 28).
Consider Dr. Richard Porter, who was Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and Director of Education and Training for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh; he has published over 120 papers in peer-reviewed journals and is author of five textbooks; he was awarded a D.Sc. degree in 2001 by Edinburgh University for his research on spinal stenosis and the Syme professorship for work on congenital talipes. When asked whether it is possible to do research science apart from an evolutionary framework, Dr. Porter replied:
“It is just the opposite. A person who begins with the premise that God has made an excellent design is at an advantage--he is able to ask questions that the evolutionist never thought about. The most important thing in research is to begin by asking the right question. For example, the curve of the lumbar spine toward the front--the lordosis--was thought by evolutionists to be a problem, the result of man having recently adopted an upright position. So, some researchers blamed back pain on this, saying the spine had not yet evolved satisfactorily. If therapists have the wrong starting assumption, then it’s not surprising that treatments for lordosis are unhelpful.
“I start from quite a different position. From my understanding of human anatomy and physiology and my understanding of God, I say that the form of God’s creation always matches its function. So you can be sure that the form of the spine is perfectly designed for its function. God has made a wonderful spine. If you start with that premise, it gives you a head start when trying to understanding the mechanism of the spine” (“Standing Upright for Creation,” The Genesis Files, edited by Carl Wieland, p. 45).
Consider Dr. Raymond Damadian, biophysicist, who invented the MRI scanner. In 1988 he was awarded the National Medal of Technology, America’s highest award for applied science, and a year later, he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame, an honor he shares with Thomas Edison, Samuel Morse, and the Wright Brothers. The first MRI scanner that Dr. Damadian and his colleagues built in 1977 resides at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
In January of 2012, Dr. Damadian was interviewed in his home in New York by Shem Dharampaul of Alberta, Canada. Dr. Dharampaul is a Fellow of the College of Physicians in Canada and is trained in nuclear medicine. Dr. Dharampaul is a personal friend and I have seen this interview in its entirety. Following are some excerpts that I transcribed from the video:
QUESTION: Why do you believe that the Bible is true?
DAMADIAN: If you take the trouble to examine the evidence supporting the Bible and contradicting alternative theories, from my perception, the evidence is overwhelmingly in support of the biblical record and vacates alternative thoughts such as evolution. The evidence for evolution is non-existent. In my opinion, evolution is science fiction.
QUESTION: Does the Bible’s account of creation contradict any known facts of science?
DAMADIAN: No. Absolutely not. In my opinion evolution contradicts them.
QUESTION: Does the Bible’s account of creation contradict any known facts of science?
DAMADIAN: No. Absolutely not. In my opinion evolution contradicts them.
QUESTION: What things would you think that evolution contradicts in terms of known facts of
science?
DAMADIAN: Just as an example, it contracts the first law of thermodynamics. It contradicts the
second law of thermodynamics. And it contradicts a major, fundamental law of physics, which is
the law of cause and effect. The effect can never be greater than the cause, but evolution has to
start with slime mold and end up with a human being. So that is an outright contradiction of the
law of cause and effect. The second law of thermodynamics says that everything is running
downhill. All of the processes of nature are degenerating to the point where the ultimate outcome
is going to be equilibrium where no actions of any kind occur because you have a universal
equilibrium. Evolution says the opposite. Evolution says that by the sheer process of chance
things are not running downhill, they are getting progressively more perfected. That is an
outright contradiction of the second law of thermodynamics. Evolution ducks the question of
where does matter come from. The only way you can start is that you have to make something
out of nothing. You have to start with nothing and end up with matter. When you go from
nothing to something you are violating every one of the laws of physics that we know about. The
first law of thermodynamics, the second law of thermodynamics, and the law of cause and effect.
QUESTION: Why do you not accept evolution, since it is widely held among scientists today?
DAMADIAN: The way I would answer that is because there is no evidence for it. The known
scientific evidence contradict it.
QUESTION: Do you know other scientists who reject evolution?
DAMADIAN: Oh, many. In fact, my general impression is that among the scientists in America
the rejection of evolution is growing very rapidly. Today there is a massive amount of material
that has been written by scientists against evolution. There are many textbooks written by
scientists that challenge evolution for its lack of scientific evidence. One of my favorite quotes in
this context is that of Sir Fred Hoyle, the British astronomer, who said to the effect that if you
can believe that the human body originated from an antique life form such as slime mold entirely
by chance, you should have no trouble believing that a hurricane blowing through a junkyard
will yield a 747 passenger jet.
QUESTION: What message would you like to convey to young people growing up in church
today?
DAMADIAN: I would like for them to understand that there is no scientific evidence for
evolution, that evolution is science fiction, and that the real science is what Genesis describes.
Genesis is the only characterization of origins that is consistent with all of the scientific evidence
that we have.
QUESTION: What would you consider the most important thing in your life to be?
DAMADIAN: The belief and understanding that Jesus is exactly who He said He is, that Jesus is
the son of God, and that He died and was crucified, and that He indeed was resurrected. And
with that understanding there is nothing else to say, because Jesus says Himself as the Son of
God He was there at the beginning and was there at the genesis of Creation.
QUESTION: What do you consider to be the most important book in your life?
DAMADIAN: The most important book is not even debatable; it is the Bible. The source of
wisdom and understanding of all of that we experience and all that we know comes from the
Bible. And the more that you study it and the more that you read it the more you advance your
wisdom and understanding which is fundamental to everything that you do, and your future.
QUESTION: How can you be sure of going to heaven?
DAMADIAN: In John 3:3, Jesus makes this unequivocal. Jesus said, Except that a man be born
again he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. And John 3:16, God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
(For many more examples see Testimonies of Scientists Who Believe the Bible, which is available
as a free eBook from Way of Life -- www.wayoflife.org.)
Bill Nye is a funny man in stating that a belief in creation and a rejection of Darwinism hinders
scientific progress.k?
Recently Nye continued his comedic role in posting a YouTube video entitled “Creationism Is Not Appropriate for Children” in which he calls upon parents not to teach their children creationism, claiming that it makes it more difficult for them to “build stuff and solve problems.” Nye bemoans the fact that a majority of Americans believe in creationism, pretending that this is impeding the nation’s scientific progress.
While many have taken Nye’s statements seriously, it is obvious that he made this video in the role of a comedian, because it is thoroughly refuted by the facts.
First, it is impossible to prove that the widespread belief in creationism has limited America’s scientific progress in that America has long been at the forefront of scientific progress. Other nations should look at this fact and conclude that they should emulate America and seek to have less belief in evolution and not more if they want to increase their scientific prowess!
Second, modern science was invented by men who believed in divine creation.
In his book Refuting Evolution, Jonathan Sarfati, who has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, says:
“It is fallacious to claim, as many evolutionists do, that believing in miracles means that laboratory science would be impossible. In fact, most branches of modern science were founded by believers in the Bible’s account of creation.”
Consider some examples:
Physics -- Newton, Faraday, Maxwell, Kelvin, Joule
Chemistry - Boyle, Dalton, Ramsay
Biology - Ray, Linnaeus, Mendel, Pasteur, Virchow, Agassiz
Geology - Steno, Woodward, Brewster, Buckland, Cuvier
Astronomy - Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Herschel, Maunder
Mathematics - Pascal, Leibniz, Euler
Third, a growing number of scientists doubt Darwinian evolution.
These do not necessarily believe in creationism, but they are convinced, simply, that Darwinianism is contradicted by a growing body of scientific facts.
There is the intelligent design movement led by organizations such as the Discovery Institute.
In 1979, Science Digest reported that “scientists who utterly reject Evolution may be one of our fastest-growing controversial minorities,” and stated that, “Many of the scientists supporting this position hold impressive credentials in science” (Larry Hatfield, “Educators Against Darwin,” Science Digest special, Winter 1979, pp. 94-96).
“A 2005 poll by the Louis Finkelstein Institute for Social and Religious Research found that 60% of American medical doctors reject Darwinism, stating that they do not believe humans evolved through natural processes alone. ... The study also reported that 1/3 of all medical doctors favor the theory of intelligent design over evolution” (“Evolution,” Conservapedia).
The rejection of Darwinism hasn’t hindered the practice of science.
Fourth, many prominent scientists and inventors are out-and-out creationists.
This is irrefutable evidence that a belief in creation does not hinder scientific achievement. For example, there is Dr. Russell Humphreys, nuclear physicist with the Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who has published over 20 articles in physics journals; Dr. John Baumgardner, whose catastrophic plate tectonics theory was reported in Nature magazine; Dr. Edward Boudreaux of the University of New Orleans who has published many articles and books in physical chemistry; Dr. Duane Gish, who worked for many years in pharmaceutical research at Cornell University, the University of California, and the Upjohn Company, and co-authored many publications in peptide chemistry; Dr. Richard Lumsden, dean of the graduate school at Tulane University who trained 30 Ph.D.s, published hundreds of scholarly papers, and was the winner of the highest award for parasitology; Dr. Joseph Mastropaolo, who holds the patent for crew conditioning for extended manned space missions.
Consider Stephen Grocott, Ph.D. in organometallic chemistry from the University of Western Australia, general manager, Research and Development, Southern Pacific Petroleum. He testifies:
“Science is a wonderful thing. I enjoy it a great deal. As a scientist, I count myself lucky to be able to do science and to be good at it. And as a scientist, I have far more trouble trying to perform the mental gymnastics necessary to explain the world from an evolutionary, long-age viewpoint than I do from the young-earth, creationist viewpoint” (In Six Days, edited by John Ashton, pp. 154).
Consider Raymond Jones, Ph.D., who published 140 research papers, found the solution to detoxify the Leuceana tree for cattle production, and retired from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). When asked about the idea that science would fall apart without the theory of evolution, Jones replied:
“I don’t see that it’s the driving force that enables breakthroughs, or that it features much in most scientists’ daily work. Is having an evolutionary paradigm more enabling of research? I don’t think so. In fact, believing in an almighty all-knowing God, rather than chance, behind everything could be more of a driving force for your scientific work. It gives you confidence that something will be found when you search, because behind it all is a mind greater than your own--‘thinking God’s thoughts after Him’ [to quote Kepler]” (“Standing Firm,” The Genesis Files, edited by Carl Wieland, p. 28).
Consider Dr. Richard Porter, who was Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, and Director of Education and Training for the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh; he has published over 120 papers in peer-reviewed journals and is author of five textbooks; he was awarded a D.Sc. degree in 2001 by Edinburgh University for his research on spinal stenosis and the Syme professorship for work on congenital talipes. When asked whether it is possible to do research science apart from an evolutionary framework, Dr. Porter replied:
“It is just the opposite. A person who begins with the premise that God has made an excellent design is at an advantage--he is able to ask questions that the evolutionist never thought about. The most important thing in research is to begin by asking the right question. For example, the curve of the lumbar spine toward the front--the lordosis--was thought by evolutionists to be a problem, the result of man having recently adopted an upright position. So, some researchers blamed back pain on this, saying the spine had not yet evolved satisfactorily. If therapists have the wrong starting assumption, then it’s not surprising that treatments for lordosis are unhelpful.
“I start from quite a different position. From my understanding of human anatomy and physiology and my understanding of God, I say that the form of God’s creation always matches its function. So you can be sure that the form of the spine is perfectly designed for its function. God has made a wonderful spine. If you start with that premise, it gives you a head start when trying to understanding the mechanism of the spine” (“Standing Upright for Creation,” The Genesis Files, edited by Carl Wieland, p. 45).
Consider Dr. Raymond Damadian, biophysicist, who invented the MRI scanner. In 1988 he was awarded the National Medal of Technology, America’s highest award for applied science, and a year later, he was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame, an honor he shares with Thomas Edison, Samuel Morse, and the Wright Brothers. The first MRI scanner that Dr. Damadian and his colleagues built in 1977 resides at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C.
In January of 2012, Dr. Damadian was interviewed in his home in New York by Shem Dharampaul of Alberta, Canada. Dr. Dharampaul is a Fellow of the College of Physicians in Canada and is trained in nuclear medicine. Dr. Dharampaul is a personal friend and I have seen this interview in its entirety. Following are some excerpts that I transcribed from the video:
QUESTION: Why do you believe that the Bible is true?
DAMADIAN: If you take the trouble to examine the evidence supporting the Bible and contradicting alternative theories, from my perception, the evidence is overwhelmingly in support of the biblical record and vacates alternative thoughts such as evolution. The evidence for evolution is non-existent. In my opinion, evolution is science fiction.
QUESTION: Does the Bible’s account of creation contradict any known facts of science?
DAMADIAN: No. Absolutely not. In my opinion evolution contradicts them.
QUESTION: Does the Bible’s account of creation contradict any known facts of science?
DAMADIAN: No. Absolutely not. In my opinion evolution contradicts them.
QUESTION: What things would you think that evolution contradicts in terms of known facts of
science?
DAMADIAN: Just as an example, it contracts the first law of thermodynamics. It contradicts the
second law of thermodynamics. And it contradicts a major, fundamental law of physics, which is
the law of cause and effect. The effect can never be greater than the cause, but evolution has to
start with slime mold and end up with a human being. So that is an outright contradiction of the
law of cause and effect. The second law of thermodynamics says that everything is running
downhill. All of the processes of nature are degenerating to the point where the ultimate outcome
is going to be equilibrium where no actions of any kind occur because you have a universal
equilibrium. Evolution says the opposite. Evolution says that by the sheer process of chance
things are not running downhill, they are getting progressively more perfected. That is an
outright contradiction of the second law of thermodynamics. Evolution ducks the question of
where does matter come from. The only way you can start is that you have to make something
out of nothing. You have to start with nothing and end up with matter. When you go from
nothing to something you are violating every one of the laws of physics that we know about. The
first law of thermodynamics, the second law of thermodynamics, and the law of cause and effect.
QUESTION: Why do you not accept evolution, since it is widely held among scientists today?
DAMADIAN: The way I would answer that is because there is no evidence for it. The known
scientific evidence contradict it.
QUESTION: Do you know other scientists who reject evolution?
DAMADIAN: Oh, many. In fact, my general impression is that among the scientists in America
the rejection of evolution is growing very rapidly. Today there is a massive amount of material
that has been written by scientists against evolution. There are many textbooks written by
scientists that challenge evolution for its lack of scientific evidence. One of my favorite quotes in
this context is that of Sir Fred Hoyle, the British astronomer, who said to the effect that if you
can believe that the human body originated from an antique life form such as slime mold entirely
by chance, you should have no trouble believing that a hurricane blowing through a junkyard
will yield a 747 passenger jet.
QUESTION: What message would you like to convey to young people growing up in church
today?
DAMADIAN: I would like for them to understand that there is no scientific evidence for
evolution, that evolution is science fiction, and that the real science is what Genesis describes.
Genesis is the only characterization of origins that is consistent with all of the scientific evidence
that we have.
QUESTION: What would you consider the most important thing in your life to be?
DAMADIAN: The belief and understanding that Jesus is exactly who He said He is, that Jesus is
the son of God, and that He died and was crucified, and that He indeed was resurrected. And
with that understanding there is nothing else to say, because Jesus says Himself as the Son of
God He was there at the beginning and was there at the genesis of Creation.
QUESTION: What do you consider to be the most important book in your life?
DAMADIAN: The most important book is not even debatable; it is the Bible. The source of
wisdom and understanding of all of that we experience and all that we know comes from the
Bible. And the more that you study it and the more that you read it the more you advance your
wisdom and understanding which is fundamental to everything that you do, and your future.
QUESTION: How can you be sure of going to heaven?
DAMADIAN: In John 3:3, Jesus makes this unequivocal. Jesus said, Except that a man be born
again he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. And John 3:16, God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have
everlasting life.
(For many more examples see Testimonies of Scientists Who Believe the Bible, which is available
as a free eBook from Way of Life -- www.wayoflife.org.)
Bill Nye is a funny man in stating that a belief in creation and a rejection of Darwinism hinders
scientific progress.k?
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