Nancy W. -
Helpful Score: 1
The Los Angeles times Book Review said that "Shermer is savage about the short comings of intelligent design..." I would use a less passionate terminology. Savage is an eye catching word I suppose, but I would use the term 'Balanced'. For those of us who have teetered on the brink of accepting evolution wholeheartedly compared to halfheartedly,especially if due to being raised in a literal based bible believing family, this is a book that understands the acceptance transition. If I am going to walk away from one acceptance I need to knowledgeably defend my new stance to the old guard I am leaving behind.
As an involved long-term megachurch-goer I can say with some authority that the vast majority of pew sitters in my Southern Calif church do accept evolution, but being zip-lipped about it is wise till the belief transition works it slow way out. As Shermer writes in chapter 8, "...those with a college education,those between the ages 18 and 54,and those from the Northeast and West are more likely to accept evolution, Whereas those without a college degree ,aged 55 and older ,and from the South are more likely to believe in creationism. What these statistics tell us is that the nonscientific ,demographic reasons for rejecting evolution,most notably religion and politics, are very strong."
This book throws no stones, is not determined to make anyone feel foolish for their belief system or acceptance system. Here is a scientific,yet gentle to the faith you hold dear, treatise on why there is good reason to be sensible about the data evolution has brought to the table. Here is encouragement to hold your beliefs in one hand and your modern science in the other without conflict or sacrificing of your intellect.
Shermer writes at the tail end of his book a King James version creation/evolution coda. It is flat out witty. Those three pages alone are worth the price of admission:)
As an involved long-term megachurch-goer I can say with some authority that the vast majority of pew sitters in my Southern Calif church do accept evolution, but being zip-lipped about it is wise till the belief transition works it slow way out. As Shermer writes in chapter 8, "...those with a college education,those between the ages 18 and 54,and those from the Northeast and West are more likely to accept evolution, Whereas those without a college degree ,aged 55 and older ,and from the South are more likely to believe in creationism. What these statistics tell us is that the nonscientific ,demographic reasons for rejecting evolution,most notably religion and politics, are very strong."
This book throws no stones, is not determined to make anyone feel foolish for their belief system or acceptance system. Here is a scientific,yet gentle to the faith you hold dear, treatise on why there is good reason to be sensible about the data evolution has brought to the table. Here is encouragement to hold your beliefs in one hand and your modern science in the other without conflict or sacrificing of your intellect.
Shermer writes at the tail end of his book a King James version creation/evolution coda. It is flat out witty. Those three pages alone are worth the price of admission:)
