Thog's Science Masterclass #9

[realthog]

I'm not sure if this quite qualifies as science, even though clearly the methodology of science has been put to use by numbskulls on behalf of numbskulls. Jonathan Stein has posted the ghastly details on his Mother Jones blog:

Mayor of SC Town "Just Curious" if Obama is the Antichrist

When PolitiFact did a fact-check of the "Is Obama the Antichrist?" question back in April, I thought it was a touch ridiculous. They got multiple professors of religious studies to chime in and did a serious examination of the text of Revelation. They found that not only is Obama not the Antichrist (stunning!), the chain email that suggests he is has no familiarity with the Bible and is a pretty pathetic piece of work, even for a smear email.

But that's not a surprise, right? This is an email claiming a prominent American politician is the Antichrist. Of course it's insane. No one needs a fact-check to prove that. Right?

Oops. The mayor of a South Carolina town apparently does. He forwarded the email after receiving it and when called on the fact that he was perpetuating a smear, he said, "I was just curious if there was any validity to it. I was trying to get documentation if there was any scripture to back it up."

I'm going to start sending out emails claiming that this man is a half-wit. I'm just curious if there is any validity to it.

Just to remind you: this is the 21st century we live in, not the 11th. And we in the US live in a technologically advanced, information- and education-oriented society, right? Yet even here on LJ I've come across people convinced Obama is either the Antichrist or the Antichrist's precursor.

Heigh-ho. These small-town mayors -- backbone of the nation, they are.

Later: Apparently the offensive e-mail claims Revelation says the Antichrist will be of Muslim ancestry. Spot the chronological error, folks!
 

Comments

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Is Mayor Funderburk the AntiFact?

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Or the Great Bozo 666?

[plattcave.livejournal.com]

Or the Nabob of the Beast.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

For that, following Spiro and his Scribe Safire (which is a transliteration of the Hebrew word meaning, ahem, 'scribe'), one would have to be a member of the chattering classes of liberal persuasion.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

"Or the Nabob of the Beast."

No, no! It's gotta be The Numbskull of the Beast!

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Thou insultest all clowns, my dear sir. Possibly all clones as well.