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Creationist beliefs won't affect new role: Poots
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
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Incoming Environment Minister Edwin Poots has insisted his creationist religious beliefs will not stand in the way of doing a good job.
The DUP Lagan Valley Assembly member, who is expected to take over the office from Sammy Wilson within weeks, reiterated his controversial view that the planet was created 6,000 years ago, but said his philosophy included the necessity of protecting God’s Earth.
Mr Poots said he believes the Earth was created by God around 4,000BC, according to the genealogical information outlined in the Bible.
“I am a Bible-believing Christian and I do not see that will impact in any way, shape or form on my role as Environment Minister,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.
“If you believe God made this Earth, you will believe you should look after something he has given us. I will seek to look after God’s creation and I do not believe in any way, shape or form that being a Christian affects your ability to protect the Earth that God has given you.”
Mr Poots said he did not believe there was scientific evidence to back up the theory that the Earth is billions of years old.
Earlier this week, a fundraising drive by the National Trust claimed the Giant’s Causeway was formed 60 million years ago.
Questioned about this, Mr Poots said: “I don’t believe the Giant’s Causeway is 60 million years old. If other people make an issue of that, it’s up to them.
“The Giant’s Causeway is a fantastic site, an asset which needs us to sell it and make it marketable. Whatever length of time it has been in existence will not undermine that message.”
His views were branded “reactionary” by the Humanist Association of Northern Ireland, which believes there is no supernatural explanation for the universe.
Brian McClinton, a director, said: “It’s obviously not true. All the scientific evidence shows the earth is about three to four billion years old and the universe is 13-14 billion years old so his view would not fit with this calculation.”
Mr McClinton said Mr Poots’s view was derived from the theory of the 17th century Archbishop Ussher, who believed the universe was created on October 23, 4004BC, after basing his calculations on the genealogical information outlined in the Old Testament.
“It’s all nonsense really. Fossil evidence points to a much older earth than that,” he said.
“It’s an indication of an obsolete, backward scientific knowledge. It’s a bit ironic that the minister is so ignorant about the environment.
“It’s unfortunate that the Minister for the Environment has a blinkered notion of the history of the Earth.”
Alliance leader David Ford said: “Edwin Poots has his own beliefs and is entitled to hold them. The Department of the Environment must, however, operate using the best available scientific evidence when making decisions.”
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87 Comments
What does it matter to all ye people if hes a christian or not. He is free to believe what he wants to believe, as are you. Read the article 'We should be pulling our weight on climate change: Poots '. It shows no evidence of him being hindered by religion or faith. He is well resoned and doing his job. His relgious believes gives no one the right to say that he is not right for the job. His goal is to perserve and protect the earth, what else do you want?
Posted by Rf | 23.08.09, 13:55 GMT
god bless mr poots.
i was at the alleged 'creationist' school Emmanuel College in Gateshead a few years back when the media tried to cook up a story about how terrible such beliefs are.
One thing i remember is that the school actually encouraged ALL beliefs and faiths, genuinely.
What it wouldn't suffer glady were students with NO beliefs at all. It is NOT OK to judge others, and it is certianly not OK if we have nothing to offer ourselves as an alternative that might work for the greater good
Posted by alan clayton | 04.07.09, 21:55 GMT
Jock,
I have to honestly say that I could not make head nor tail of your last response - could you post a more comprehendable version?
Posted by Eamon | 04.07.09, 15:41 GMT
Jock,
that's a pretty low response. Christine offered no evidence to back up her claims. At least you advanced us out-of-date science...
As for your accusation that scientists are soley responsible for polluting the world and developing weapons of mass destruction - that's a pretty childish ad hominem attack. How about vaccines, x-ray machines, MRI scanners? How about all the comforts of this modern life?
By the way, what is your view on the 'moon dust' theory now Jock?
Posted by Eamon | 01.07.09, 05:45 GMT
Eamon,
I was aware that the cosmic dust estimates of the late 18th century were wrong, but it was a theory that concerned 20th century scientists until data gathered via space age probes dissolved their concerns. Why you attribute wrong, theoretical science assertions to wrong, creationist beliefs as defined & taught by self-serving Theologians & Theocrats is a mystery. If in fact there was no creation factor, then the electromagnetically driven spontaneity of natural physics & all the life forms it made manifest in the primeval soup don’t exist nor indeed do we. Evolution is a myth.
Posted by jock | 01.07.09, 01:19 GMT
Christine,
You will have noticed that those who have been using the term “civilised world” have been subjecting you to the insults & innuendos that constitute the tactics of the uncivilised. It is interesting how their repressed fear of divine retribution incites them to attack Christians & vest their faith in scientists who – having polluted this world with chemicals & weapons of mass destruction – have united to develop an escape vessel. Its only an international space station yet but they’ll get there, they hope. Will they take their faithful with them? That is the $64 question.
Posted by jock | 30.06.09, 11:00 GMT
Jock,
the Creationist "Moon Dust Hypothesis" eh?
The core of this is old calcuations by a scientist called Hans Petterson. He calculated an upper limit on cosmic dust of 14,000,000 tons per year hitting the earth. Most of his colleagues thought this was way too high.
If this figure was true - and the Earth was billions of years old then than the moon would be deep in a sea of dust.
However, satellite measurements show only 30,000 tons per year. Once more, creation 'science' bites the dust!
Posted by Eamon | 30.06.09, 04:38 GMT
Those who still believe this earth is billions of years old, are either wholly ignorant of space age science or wilfully ignore it as a means of further suppressing their fear of the catastrophic spontaneity of natural physics that the ancients attributed to the wrath of god. Prior to the space age, scientists believed the moon was also billions of years old. By measuring the constant volume of cosmic dust settling on both earth & moon they now know that neither could billions of years old.
Posted by jock | 30.06.09, 02:20 GMT
The Plagiarist, Alias Neil
I suggested that you read The Facts of Life by Richard Milton. You came back with a criticism of Milton & his book presented as though it were your own learned opinion. It was not. It was plagiarised via Wikipedia from the palaver of lies Richard Dawkins wrote in New Statesman on 28/8/1992 about Milton, his book & his publisher. They are tragic souls who plagiarize anything from an angry old man in his twilight years who squandered most of his three score & ten on a fools mission to try an validate a hypothesis based on 19th century ignorance of anatomy.
Posted by jock | 29.06.09, 03:47 GMT
"the National Trust claimed the Giant’s Causeway was formed 60 million years ago"
Thats because every shed of geological evidence from across the world from numerous scientists agree it IS 60M yrs old!
Christians are obviously right... millions of scientists, from hundreds of different disiplines, over 150 years from across the globe are clearly operating to perpetuate a global conspiracy! Burn them I say!
No - much more sensible that it was made 6000 yrs ago by a fairy in the sky. I dispare
Posted by Neil | 28.06.09, 09:47 GMT
Neil
You either haven't read Milton's Facts of Life or you were incapable of understanding it because the ignorance you attributed to Milton was either a stark reflection of your own ignorance or that of his critics you paraphrased.
Darwinism began as a racist theory of white suprematists that was based on wrong anatomical assumptions. During the traumatic years, 1945-1955 inclusive, it became the anti-Christain religion of athiests, humanists,& traumatised adolesants like Dawkins then was.
Posted by jock | 28.06.09, 04:00 GMT
Boz, every one has an agenda. Most Christians are just honest enough to state what they believe rather than play some charade of pretending to be unbiased. The facts are that many respected scientists do not believe in evolution, many more see irreconcilable problems, there is proof that others tamper with their findings to fit their agenda.
You can’t do much with 500 words, but lets not vilify Christians and elevate Scientists as mini-gods.
Posted by Martin | 27.06.09, 09:44 GMT
Jock
Where do I begin with Milton?
he misunderstands the first thing about natural selection. He thinks the phrase refers to selection among species. In fact, modern Darwinians agree with Darwin himself that natural selection chooses among individuals within species. Such a fundamental misunderstanding would be bound to have far-reaching consequences; and they duly make nonsense of several sections of the book.
Posted by neill | 26.06.09, 15:36 GMT
Unless your a conspiracy theorist and treat the story in the same light as weather baloons.
Posted by Ulysses31 | 26.06.09, 14:15 GMT
@Ulysses31. Yes, the wallabies love poppies, and sometimes even resort to creating crop circles (http://bit.ly/IY0wN).
Posted by Boz | 26.06.09, 13:34 GMT
Yes, Jock, but that still doesn't explain the eccentricity of wallabies.
Posted by Ulysses31 | 26.06.09, 10:55 GMT
@Jock. Just because it's in a book doesn't make it true. This is the same mistake that fundamentalists make: it's written down, so it's true. Milton's ideas are valid; but they are not supported by thorough scientific investigation, so they are not considered to be our best understanding of how things work. With testing, some of his ideas might come to be accepted. Until that happens, though, they remain speculation, not, as he grandly advertises: "fact".
Posted by Boz | 26.06.09, 09:54 GMT
god will take care of everything, he's magic, he can do anything and he is watching all the time, except ah, er, um when theres a disaster, it was meant to happen for a reason, and er um stuf.
pure codswallop, how these people get into office by the electorate speaks volumes.
Posted by stephen 1 | 26.06.09, 07:25 GMT
It is quite apparent that Mr. Poot, & indeed, his critics who speak of a billions of years old Earth, are wholly ignorant of the origins of monotheism & the catastrophic history of our solar system as confirmed by the scientific data gathered by manned exploration of the moon & robotic exploration of the greater solar system. It is also clear that those who still believe in Darwinism & a 4.6 billion years old earth are wholly ignorant of the scientific facts reported by science reporter Richard Milton in his book ‘The Facts of Life.
Posted by jock | 26.06.09, 03:10 GMT
I blame the wallabies. They are responsible for alot more than people expect. Especially the stoned ones.
Posted by Ulysses31 | 25.06.09, 13:58 GMT
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