Reptile Thread

[bassilisk]

Two hours into his debate with scientist and television personality Bill Nye, Creation Museum Founder Ken Ham was asked whether anything could make him abandon his belief in an Earth less than ten thousand years old. "As far as the word of god is concerned, no, no one is ever going to convince me that the word of god is not true," Ham said.

The central hypothesis of creationism, in the eyes of the creationist, can never be disproven, no matter the quality, quantity, or immutability of the available information. And where science is unable to answer a question–such as the nature of consciousness, creationism provides an answer that encourages you to stop looking.

So there you have it.

You're in, or you're out....

[westen44]

It mystifies me why young earth creationists such as Ken Ham get so much attention.  He does not speak for the millions of old earth creationists who don't believe in his nonsense.  Years ago I used to enjoy watching a show on Trinity Broadcasting Network every Saturday after work called Reasons to Believe.  It was hosted by a Canadian astrophysicist who mostly talked about old earth creationism.  Eventually, young earth creationists must have protested so much the show got cancelled.  At least that's my understanding.  Ross even had a political science Ph.D. on there who simplified things by putting Ross's terminology into common language.  I found it all very helpful and interesting.  It was a unique TV show.  I haven't seen anything else comparable to it since then (about twelve years ago or so.)

[Granny Gremlin]

The ark story was floating around ancient Babylonia at least 1500 years before Genesis was written. Likewise with many other O.T. stories.

To be fair, that actually gives it more weight, vs automatic discredit.  The OT is the Reader's Digest condensed version of Babylonian myth, including the Epic of Gilgamesh (deluge/flood) as well as the creation story, with some extra bits added (and curious as to which bits were left out).

[uwe]

[Dave W]

Two hours into his debate with scientist and television personality Bill Nye, Creation Museum Founder Ken Ham was asked whether anything could make him abandon his belief in an Earth less than ten thousand years old. "As far as the word of god is concerned, no, no one is ever going to convince me that the word of god is not true," Ham said.

The central hypothesis of creationism, in the eyes of the creationist, can never be disproven, no matter the quality, quantity, or immutability of the available information. And where science is unable to answer a question–such as the nature of consciousness, creationism provides an answer that encourages you to stop looking.

So there you have it.

You're in, or you're out....

Bill Nye, the failed-standup-comedian guy? The "science educator" who thinks there are 67 genders? He's not a scientist. But he's the perfect guy to debate Ken Ham. Two charlatans.

[bassilisk]

I always felt that in this kind of "debate" 2 out of 3 falls in a steel cage was just as telling.

[Barklessdog]

Hello everyone,

Ducking out of the darkness!

You have caught my attention with this reptile talk.

My daughter bought a bearded dragon about a year ago and I never realized a reptile could have so much personality!

He comes when you call him, enjoys human company, likes to be touched, and does a lot of head banging.

I went to the local reptile show and see these people with giant monitor lizards that claim they are just like dogs.

Crazy world.

[Dave W]

Welcome back, John. 

[bassilisk]

Reptiles often get the short end regarding their personalities and general intelligence.

I had a tortoise that I bought when it was only a month or two old and kept for 15 years, until it got too big to manage in my apartment.

They may be slow, but they certainly know what they want. She would come out of her house and literally hunt me down to get fed.
She'd come up behind me and nip at my feet until food came from the sky! 

[uwe]

An Old Testament tortoise then, the shell boggles. 

[Dave W]

Can any of you tell me what this is?

[bassilisk]

Without knowing where that was taken I'm going to hazard a guess and say it's a tegu.




Apparently they can make an excellent pet.
https://pethelpful.com/reptiles-amphibians/why-tegus-are-the-best-pet-lizards

[uwe]

That's what I thought too (sometimes also "teju"). In the last 15 years or so so they have become popular as pets because they are not very demanding or particular nor do they need too much heat/sun (some subspecies can even hibernate in European climate). The species itself was only discovered relatively late but became popular quickly because - similar to iguanas (but it is closer related to skink lizards) - it breeds well on farms (for its leather and its meat). They are also rather peaceful, so this one must have been provoked or goaded with food.

The issue people get with them is that - similar to monitors - they grow and grow and grow, becoming ultimately too large for people that don't have the space. 5 feet head to tailend is not unheard of.

They are from South America, but if one escaped in the warmer parts of the States or Europe, it would have a good chance of survival. And of course, undeterred by recent Supreme Court rulings and US Immigration Laws, they are already here ...

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/article100938872.html

Anything will breed and live happily ever after in Florida, polar bears maybe excepted.

[Barklessdog]

Just like owning a dog

[Barklessdog]

Is this Uwe at his new place?