Dembski – A Classless Bitter Soul

A recent blog entry posted by William Dembski – one of the most prolific Intelligent Design proponent – has really infuriated me.

For those who do not know, Dembski posted a photo of the eminent evolutionary biologist Jerry Coyne right next to a picture of Herman Munster – a Frankenstein monster from an old television show. That is right; Dembski is making fun of how Coyne looks. This sort of personal attack is low, despicable and inexcusable, and has provoked me to attack Dembski. Fellow blogger Jason Rosenhouse called Dembski “a classless, no-talent buffoon” in which I unapologetically agree.

That post was posted a couple of weeks ago. Since then I have tracked some of Dembski’s recent posts, and there is hardly any substance in any of them. They are simply short rants filled with bitterness, anger and negativity. You’d expect someone with Dembski’s qualification to do better than that. Don’t get me wrong – it is perfectly OK to post a rant or sarcastic mockery every now and then – but not continuously, not when you make fun of your opponent based on how he/she looks! This is truly sad.

Dembski in a grandpa’s sweater

So here is the list of Dembski’s posts for June 2007 in reversing chronological order.

25th June – Teaching ID = A crime against humanity

More short and bitter post by Dembski. I think he is at war against the Council of Europe. Here is what he is up against.

25th June – Dembski Interview with Mario Lopez

This is a transcript of an interview – perhaps the most positive post for this month.

22nd June – Have I been too hard on the NCSE?

Dembski complains about the National Center for Science and Education because of an advertisement states that an understanding of the separation between state and church, as well as the evolution vs. creationism is a plus.

21st June – Point-Counterpoint: Steven Weinberg vs. Eugenie Scott

I am not too sure what the point is?

20th June – “The Irrationality of Richard Dawkins” — by Frank Beckwith

This is just a re-post of an article. Dembski is having a busy day posting.

20th June – The European Council for the Advancement of Atheism

The Council of Europe has drafted a resolution in which the danger of teaching of creationism and Intelligent Design is denounced bluntly. I don’t know how Dembski equates that as advancement for atheism? For me it is advancement for rationality and common-sense.

20th June – The Church of the Living Darwin

The same cartoon is posted again with a different caption “The Church of the Living Darwin”.

20th June – The Legacy of Dover

A humorous cartoon is posted here with the caption of “The Legacy of Dover”.

19th June – How many honorary doctorates does Judge Jones have now?

Ouch! Dembski is acting like a loser (well, his side was indeed judged losers by Judge Jones) and a sour grape! This is bitterness exemplified.

16th June – ICON-RIDS: Non-Religious ID Scientists and Scholars

Dembski thinks he has found an alliance in non-religious ID proponents. Ironically, on the 20th of June he equates the non-teaching of creationism and ID to atheism – in which the guys at ICON-RIDS turns around and questions Dembski’s position.

15th June – Jerry Coyne — The Herman Munster of Evolutionary Theory

This is the infamous post that got me started. And I always think Dembski looks like your typical geek.

Jerry Coyne

2nd June – The Evolutionary Informatics Lab at Baylor University

A quick re-post.

2nd June – Are there any anti-ID writings that the Panda’s Thumb won’t endorse?

Dembski attacks Chu-Carroll’s book review and writes this about his blog: “Perhaps I’m missing something, but Chu-Carroll’s expertise is in computer programming, where he has a Ph.D. How much math does he actually know?” Well, ironically Dembski’s expertise is in mathematics and so using his own argument, how much biology and theology does he actually know? If you want to criticise a piece of work, then do so with its own merit, not on that person.

You might say that it is his freedom to write whatever he wants, or who am I to tell him how to write. I agree. My point is to bring you attention to the lack of class and professionalism that has shown through Dembski’s posts – and this, we must watch carefully and fight against. Just as we do with the lack of positive content and advancement of knowledge is reflected in the ID movement in general.

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