Dr Joseph Mastropaolo who has a PhD in kinesiology, is offering $10,000 to anyone “who can prove in front of a judge that science contradicts the literal interpretation of the book of Genesis.”
The challenge has been designed to be played out in the form of a mini-trial, before a judge. One of the rules of the mini-trial is that the evolutionist challenger must also put up $10,000 to match the pocket change being offered by Mastropaolo and the Creation Science Hall of Shame Fame, a website to which he contributes articles. [You can check out the other rules including some preposterous claims for creation which compete for space on this page]
I fail to see how he’s going to win this challenge, let alone attract anyone of integrity to participate. Firstly the $10,000 reward is paltry; in fact it’s an insult. Any number of high school biology students could present the evidence (which is overwhelming) for evolution, but I doubt $10,000 would cover their travel and other costs to attend this proposed circus. Compared to the $1,000,000 being offered by the James Randi Foundation to proponents of the paranormal and supernatural, this prize is laughable.
Secondly scientific evidence is not adjudicated by a judge, no matter how esteemed. Scientific evidence is peer-reviewed. The evidence for creation (sic) is only supported by quacks, pseudoscientists and the religious faithful and nuts alike.
Mastropaolo maintains the absurd belief that evolution “is devoid of scientific evidence.” He further contends that since none of the esteemed list of scientists and institutions he lists on his challenge page have taken up the challenge, he can claim default judgement against the Debate Dodgers as he calls them. He then goes on to proclaim, quite ludicrously that “This is proof positive that evolution is an inverted-fantasy religion taught in the public schools in violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America,” and “These data confirm the scientific peer-reviewed articles of objective, valid, reliable, and calibrated evidence that evolution exists nowhere in the universe, never has, never will, except as an inverted fantasy based on vitalism superstitions 2,500 years old.”
Wow! I for one am left in no doubt that Mastropaolo is just another Creationist blowhard, hoping to create a circus show that will likely spin some money for him and his cronies. Either that or he’s bat-shit crazy.
Lenny Says 