In which Dave looks like a twat.

So, um, I wrote a blog with my reactions to a comment (plus a bit of digging around) on another blog. I got called on my reactions and the guy who writes the comics wrote a response. My comment on his site is reproduced with names removed.

"My reaction was much the same as the one I had to learning that the Foo Fighters supporting an organisation that denies the link between HIV and AIDS. In this case I thought that Shamus was a YEC and therefore opposed to an awful lot of what I hold dear. I was wrong. Sorry guys.

To be perfectly honest I wasn’t expecting to be talked about at all. I only added the url for my journal address as a spur of the moment thing, and posted the comments on my journal as a reation to another post on the blog as my immediate thoughts.

Thanks to <commentator deleted> for the Penny Arcade link. I will remember that next time I post anything.

My use of the word “christian”, and “homeschooler” were not intended as derogatory. Given that a large proportion of Americans are christian I have come to assume that anyone from the US is probably a christian until they claim otherwise. As I said, there are plenty of people in the US who homeschool for all kinds of reasons. Regardless of this I try to concentrate on the substance of their posts. Sometimes I fail.

An open respons to Shamus:

If I have misrepresented your beliefs then I apologise. I have (compared to PZ) no real problem with the concept of Einstein (and Spinoza’s) God, nor with a God who hides himself behind quantum effects (like that of Kenneth Miller). I don’t think they’re necessary, but if it gets you through then that’s fine.

I looked at the blog entries dealing with evolution and creationism, rather than the others, and also at some of the links to materials you had used. I didn’t particularly like what I saw.

With regards to your reasons for homeschooling- if you or your wife can do a better job than the teachers in your area then more power to you. I had assumed (incorrectly) that it was because of whatever religious beliefs you had. I looked at links provided by others on Pharyngula’s site and jumped to what were obviously erroneous conclusions, for which I am sorry.

I still enjoy your work, and now I know more about you, and that my assumptions were wrong I have even more respect for you."