Member of House Science Committee: Evolution is a lie from the pits of hell

[Syt]

http://news.yahoo.com/congressman-calls-evolution-lie-pit-hell-175514039.html

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia Rep. Paul Broun said in videotaped remarks that evolution, embryology and the Big Bang theory are "lies straight from the pit of hell" meant to convince people that they do not need a savior.

The Republican lawmaker made those comments during a speech Sept. 27 at a sportsman's banquet at Liberty Baptist Church in Hartwell. Broun, a medical doctor, is running for re-election in November unopposed by Democrats.

"God's word is true," Broun said, according to a video posted on the church's website. "I've come to understand that. All that stuff I was taught about evolution and embryology and Big Bang theory, all that is lies straight from the pit of hell. And it's lies to try to keep me and all the folks who are taught that from understanding that they need a savior."

Broun also said that he believes the Earth is about 9,000 years old and that it was made in six days. Those beliefs are held by fundamentalist Christians who believe the creation accounts in the Bible to be literally true.

Broun spokeswoman Meredith Griffanti told the Athens Banner-Herald (http://bit.ly/Us4O0Z ) that Broun was recorded speaking off-the-record to a church group about his religious beliefs. He sits on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

It seems unlikely that Broun's remarks were supposed to be kept private. The banquet was advertised, Broun spoke before an audience and the video of his remarks was posted on the church's website.

[The Brain]

I want to get Georgia off my mind.

[Martinus]

I wonder if he is black. That would confirm Lettow's theory that blacks are deleterious to American education.

[Eddie Teach]

A picture of Jimmy Carter making a facepalm would come in handy right now. But Google has failed me. 

[Phillip V]

Did a quick wiki search on Congressman Broun. He's been married four times.

[Martinus]

Did a quick wiki search on Congressman Broun. He's been married four times.

And this proves exactly...?

[Syt]

Here's the video:

http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2012-10-05/broun-evolution-big-bang-theory-are-lies-straight-pit-hell

Evolution and the big bang theory are "lies to keep me and all the folks who are taught that from understanding that they need a savior," U.S. Rep. Paul Broun said in a recently released video.

In the video, taken from the 2012 Sportsman's Banquet at Liberty Baptist Church in Hartwell, Broun also repeated fundamentalist Christian tenets that the Earth is less than 10,000 years old and the Holy Bible is a guidebook to every aspect of life.

Talking Points Memo first posted a short clip of the 47-minute speech Friday afternoon. The full speech was posted Thursday, according to the Liberty Baptist Church's YouTube page.

Broun, a Republican from Oconee County, is a medical doctor and running unopposed in District 10 on the November ballot. He serves on the Congressional science and technology, and homeland security committees.

"God's word is true. I've come to understand that. All that stuff I was taught about evolution, embryology, the big bang theory; all of that is lies straight from the pit of hell," Broun told the crowd.

"And it's lies to keep me and all the folks who are taught that from understanding that they need a savior. You see, there's a lot of scientific data that I've found as a scientist that this really is a young earth. I don't believe that the earth is but about 9,000 years old. I believe it was made in six days as we know them. That's what the Bible tells us."

Meredith Griffanti, the Washington, D.C., spokeswoman for Broun, made just a brief statement about the video.

"Dr. Broun was speaking off the record to a large church group about his personal beliefs regarding religious issues," she wrote in an email.

In the full video, he told the crowd that he was inspired by God to make his first run for Congress in 1990. He was elected in 2007.

In the video, he also shared stories of how he acquired some of the hunting trophies that adorn his Washington, D.C., office. In particular, there was a story of shooting a bear in the chest and then the bear running for 15 minutes. When they found it, Broun said the bear's heart and lungs were destroyed by his bullet.

"I can tell you as a medical doctor, in four minutes, your brain dies," he said. "How that bear did that, I don't know."

In another story, Broun said he believes God guided a bullet to kill a lion that was about to bound into the back of a truck he was riding in.

I like that U.S. politics has room for these nutters and gives them a voice. Eccentricity in politics is fun. As long as it doesn't become a mainstream phenomenon.

[Tamas]

Did a quick wiki search on Congressman Broun. He's been married four times.

And this proves exactly...?

Well, usually the most zealous are so zealous because they have been crapping all over the morals they are posing to defend, and are trying extra hard to hide that.

Like that Magyar Guard nazi chick who was found to had been an established p0rn actress.

[Lettow77]

 Well, this is embarrassing. 

More grist for the mill:

"America has to stand up and decide if we want to be a socialist nation or if we're going to be a free nation."
"..he criticized President-elect Barack Obama's call for a civilian national service corps, suggesting that Obama might use it to establish a Marxist dictatorship"
"In May 2009, Broun proposed failed legislation that would have proclaimed 2010 "The Year Of The Bible".

I should mention I know extremely respectable, upper middle class men with college educations, a great deal of intellectual curiosity and attainment, world-travelling experiences and so on, who believe the same things. It can't be helped.

[Eddie Teach]

Did a quick wiki search on Congressman Broun. He's been married four times.

And this proves exactly...?

That he's not a very good Christian. Or that he's a douchebag who's impossible to live with.

[Sophie Scholl]

Did a quick wiki search on Congressman Broun. He's been married four times.

And this proves exactly...?

Well, usually the most zealous are so zealous because they have been crapping all over the morals they are posing to defend, and are trying extra hard to hide that.

Like that Magyar Guard nazi chick who was found to had been an established p0rn actress.

Pics/name?

[jimmy olsen]

One would think an idea like the Big Bang would be easy for theologists to reinterpret and co-opt into their theology.

[Razgovory]

Did a quick wiki search on Congressman Broun. He's been married four times.

And this proves exactly...?

Well, usually the most zealous are so zealous because they have been crapping all over the morals they are posing to defend, and are trying extra hard to hide that.

Like that Magyar Guard nazi chick who was found to had been an established p0rn actress.

I thought all Hungarian chicks worked in porn.  What's the big deal?

[Phillip V]

One would think an idea like the Big Bang would be easy for theologists to reinterpret and co-opt into their theology.

Not exciting/angry enough. Pews would be unfilled; coffers empty.

[Lettow77]

 Do you really suppose it's a ploy to bring people in through anger and fleece them? That's a very dim view of human nature. Surely they just oppose it because it didn't come from their polis; it is a northern notion, from people invariably set against their interests, and a distrust born from concern for their communities and the folks they care about leads them to reject it.

Or maybe it is just an example of mos maiorum, a fidelity to the beliefs and practices of those that came before them. There are lots of motivations that could have sprang from good intent. Good faith and intent should be presumed wherever possible.