I took this belief to be implied by the OP and all the anti-creationist activity out there. If they weren’t good at what they did, we wouldn’t need to debate them, they would fall apart on their own (or at least not pose a danger of converting anyone who wasn’t already a creationist).
Of course that’s no proof. Maybe they are no good at what they do, but no-one has bothered to really check this, and (some) scientists pay them attention because they perceive them as a (social) challenge. I agree that we should look for evidence first.
(some) scientists pay them attention because they perceive them as a (social) challenge
I think that this is enough to explain everything that we see. This is not evidence against their effectiveness, but that’s my null hypothesis.
I think that it’s telling that when the ACLU wanted to challenge the TN law against teaching evolution, they chose Scopes, whose school district had assigned him a book containing evolution. The creationists, and perhaps their opponents, cared more about the nominal law than the facts on the ground. But when Scopes challenged them by asking his students to turn him, they had to prosecute.
(I certainly agree that they lie; I’m just skeptical that they’re particularly effective lies. I think it’s better modeled as selecting people who are better at lying to themselves than people who think about what lies are effective.)
I took this belief to be implied by the OP and all the anti-creationist activity out there. If they weren’t good at what they did, we wouldn’t need to debate them, they would fall apart on their own (or at least not pose a danger of converting anyone who wasn’t already a creationist).
Of course that’s no proof. Maybe they are no good at what they do, but no-one has bothered to really check this, and (some) scientists pay them attention because they perceive them as a (social) challenge. I agree that we should look for evidence first.
I think that this is enough to explain everything that we see. This is not evidence against their effectiveness, but that’s my null hypothesis.
I think that it’s telling that when the ACLU wanted to challenge the TN law against teaching evolution, they chose Scopes, whose school district had assigned him a book containing evolution. The creationists, and perhaps their opponents, cared more about the nominal law than the facts on the ground. But when Scopes challenged them by asking his students to turn him, they had to prosecute.
(I certainly agree that they lie; I’m just skeptical that they’re particularly effective lies. I think it’s better modeled as selecting people who are better at lying to themselves than people who think about what lies are effective.)