“Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.”

–          Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

What is it about science that makes religious people cringe? 

 When Georgia Representative Paul Broun told his fellow churchgoers that evolution and the Big Bang theory are “lies straight from the pit of hell,” I was so in awe of his arrogance and ignorance that I had to bring his story to light.

 What ever happened to the separation of church and state?  Is it, like other aspects of the constitution, being trampled on?  Like our right to assemble– just ask the Occupy movement about that.  

 There has been so much rhetoric about how science should be presented to the masses by politicians.  There are now expectations that children should be taught “intelligent design” which is nothing more than religion wrapped in a pseudo-scientific package.

 But what makes this particular case so bad is that Broun is on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.  How can a politician, especially one who is also a medical doctor, sit on such a board and make statements such as these?

 He was speaking at a church function for a local sportsman’s banquet where he made these comments that reflect his religious beliefs.  He excused his comments by saying that it was a private function and he was speaking off the record.  Broun is entitled to his opinions, but to state them as facts calls into question his qualifications to sit on this committee.

 Well, what he should remember is that he is a politician speaking in front of people.  His words are going to get recorded.  Just ask Mitt Romney about his 47 percent comment.

 Second– in this day of technology fueled reporting, could he have been any bigger of an idiot?  You cannot so much as go to the library and not expect to be filmed, audio recorded, tweeted, Facebooked or any other number of technology driven tags.

 My issue isn’t that he said that the Big Bang theory is from the pits of hell, but the fact that he sits on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.  I would imagine that the people on this committee are supposed to believe in science and the scientific method. 

 Still, when he comments that the Earth is about 9,000 years old, contrary to evidence, his seat on this committee should be vacated and given to someone who does not allow their religious beliefs to override their job. If the world is actually 9,000 years old, then those poor dinosaurs may not be real either.

 A recent change.org petition is calling for Broun to resign from the House Committee. There are two in fact– one that calls for Broun to step down and another that lumps him with Rep. Todd Akin, inventor of ‘legitimate rape’– and calls for both of them to abandon their post.

 Instead of petitioning for his removal, perhaps voters should also look at the number of roll call events that he has missed.  According to a govtrack.us report, he has missed four percent of his recorded or roll call votes, which the site points out is well over the median of 2.5 percent.

 Dr. Broun is one of the early Tea Party types that were voted into office before the big “white wash” of 2010.  What’s worse is that he is running unopposed in the upcoming election. That’s a shame because his district includes Athens, which has a fairly liberal voting base.

 I can only hope that he and his ilk are soon voted out of office.  Then they can see what true evolution looks like.