Wednesday, March 12, 2014

#951: Russ Miller


Russ Miller is a young earth creationist and intelligent design advocate, as well as founder of the Creation, Evolution and Science Ministries. Miller indicates that he is well educated, pointing out that he has over 165 college credits, but does not mention a degree or exactly where and what he studied. It seems relatively safe to say that his studies failed to involve any serious science, and if it did Miller failed to grasp it.

He has hosted several creationist seminars, presenting to the audience his views why evolution is not scientific. His arguments consist almost exclusively of PRATTs, many of them originating with Kent Hovind, and are supposed to establish that dinosaurs co-existed with humans in the Garden of Eden.

Diagnosis: “But there is absolutely nothing new or original in this entry,” some readers will say. Exactly. There is absolutely nothing new or original in this entry.

2 comments:

  1. So why is this guy on the Loon list ? I agree with everyone you list except this guy. The fact that he doesn't list a degree but rather excessive credit hours is not a good reason. Many actually take college courses as a means of learning exactly and only what they want to learn not what a formatted degree requires. I have known many that use college for this reason and although not the norm it is effective when you simply want to learn and are not concerned with a degree. Actually someone who does not waste time taking class subjects other then those that deal directly with their interest could easily be considered far more a expert on a particular subject.
    Or is he on your list because he states belief that humans lived with dinosaurs ? If so you may be surprised at the reasons why that really is not a far out claim. Is he on your list because he disagrees with evolution being scientific ? Again if so then you yourself have never openly looked at the reasons why he can make that claim and millions agree.
    I happen to have been able to hear debates on both of these matters. Evolution went out the window when I learned and it was proven that Darwin recanted his whole theory on his death bed. I like your work here I really do. I just think you missed it on this guy. I have never heard of him but his claims are not as far out as you think and really are based in truth not religious blind belief. You would just need to give it your own time to seek it out to understand, it certainly cannot be done in a short blog.
    Keep up the good work

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    Replies
    1. You've evidently not read many of the other entries, but I suspect your comment is a poe. You apparently reject evolution because of the old and utterly ridiculous myth that "Darwin recanted on his deathbed". Heck, even *Answers in Genesis* admits that this is blatantly false.

      And I have heard the reasons why people claim that evolution is "unscientific", and I also know why those reasons are false and revealing a desperate lack of understanding of science. Once again, even the few young earth creationists with real scientific backgrounds such as Todd Wood and Kurt Wise admit that this is a silly claim.

      As for the credentials thing, the point is that Miller clearly wishes to suggest to his readers that he has some relevant expertise for discussing a technical field like biology, and that's why it is striking that *he does not even mention what he has studied or where*. Does he have any relevant background whatsoever.

      As for the idea that humans and dinosaurs coexisted, yes, the claim is demonstrably idiotic. The reason people believe it has nothing to do with evidence, but because of a commitment to religious beliefs not based on evidence that the existence of dinosaurs some 65 million years before humans seems to threaten.

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