Some people have a flair for writing. P. Z. Myers is one of those, though his flair may be wasted a bit because he’s a practicing, teaching biologist (there probably is something to the oft-observed fact that so many great writers are scientists in their first professions, including people like Arthur Conan Doyle, Oliver Sacks, and Hans Zinsser).
Myers wrote this today, and I just wanted to memorialize it, so you, too, can admire the craft and skill that went into it:
If you want to take a look at one of the sources of creationist thought, the workshop where the red-hot anvil of pseudoscience and the inflexible hammer of theology are used to forge the balloon animals of creationism, The Journal of Creation (formerly the Creation ex nihilo Technical Journal) is now online . . .
“The workshop where the red-hot anvil of pseudoscience and the inflexible hammer of theology are used to forge the balloon animals of creationism.”
In just a few words, he captures the essence of the thing so perfectly!
File it under “Quotes that Should Be Famous.”
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
I’m not sure it’s fair to say Myers knows “nothing” about theology, but he makes no bones about not being a Bible scholar. I think it would be fair to say that he appears to know a bit more about Christian theology than creationists know about biology.
Maybe an object lesson in either staying out of things we know little about, or in admitting our blindnesses?
There’s a high, comedic irony about noting Myers’ blind spots while he’s pointing out the blind spots of others.
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Unfortunately, PZ doesn’t know anything about theology and apparently doesn’t care to inform himself.
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Here are some phrases that you are probably glad you didn’t write.
http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/004830.html
From Bush,
“It surprised me, frankly, because the impression you get from people who are reporting out of Iraq is that it’s like totally dysfunctional — that’s what your — I guess your kind of — your friend or whoever you talked to is implying.”
“And the reason I say that, it just shows how difficult it is to do what some assume can be done, which is, like, totally seal off the border.”
“I mean, I think it’s a wonderful story about a mom and a wife who, instead of getting, like totally distraught with the circumstances, says, I’m going to go back to school.”
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I missed the stupid goes up to 11 line — and, though I’ve never seen the whole Spinal Tap movie, among my son’s rocker crowd, that’s a common line.
And the last time my son and I were shopping for amplifiers, we found two that go up to 20. One of his friends claims to have a know that goes to 11 to modify Fender amps . . .
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Oh, that is really wonderful.
I also liked “The stupid goes up to 11” from Respectful Insolence.
(Spinal Tap joke, if you aren’t familiar with the movie)
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