Claim CH010.1:
Learning creationism stimulates mental health, because it is consistent
with people's innate thoughts; joy, from scientific discovery; and morals,
because it promotes awareness of a creator to whom one must give account.
Source:
Morris, Henry M., 1974. Scientific Creationism, Green Forest, AR: Master
Books, p. 14.
Response:
- These claims have no support. There are healthy, joyful, and moral
people who accept evolution as well as who are creationists. There are
unhealthy, unhappy, and immoral people among creationists.
The claims have no logical basis, either:
- Intellectual honesty demands that evidence be followed whether we like
the conclusion or not. Creationism demands that certain conclusions
not be overturned by any amount of evidence. Some people might
think that intellectual dishonesty and living in denial are
incompatible with mental health.
- Joy is more likely to come from noncreationist scientific discovery
for the simple reason that creationism discourages scientific
discovery; anything incompatible with the creationists' foregone
conclusions is not pursued.
- Many people consider it more moral to do good for the sake of doing
good rather than for fear of punishment. In Kohlberg's stages of
moral development, fear of punishment is the very first stage.
- Reading the Talk.origins feedback gives the impression that learning
creationism stimulates anger and defensiveness.
created 2003-5-30
