re: #141 a marine mom

From what I have been able to ascertain from all the believers and deniers is that the believers don’t want to have the debate and the deniers want one.

This, by itself, tells us nothing. Creationists want a “debate”, in fact they’re often very good at it. But the point of the debate is not to critically examine the field of evolution, but to throw obfuscation (or FUD) over the whole issue, so that they with some rhetorical skill can appear to have a good point.

There is nothing clandestine about the scientists who have realized this tactic and hence refused to engage in debates. It doesn’t mean creationism has a point.

The underlying point I’m trying to make is that it’s much easier to smear an issue, than to build one up. For every bullshit claim it takes seconds to conjure, a debunker could spend hours or days trying to show why it’s bullshit. The cards are always stacked against someone working to promote truth, in any issue.

You may frame it as if “believers” (in which I assume you include the actual scientists) don’t want to debate. That’s not true, even the leaked “scandal” emails shows that the scientists debate. They might however want to pick whom they debate, and why.