Ben Carson touts creationism during Nashville speech

To hear a Ben Carson interview:http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/2015/11/01/ben-carson-touts-creationism-during-nashville-speech/75019604/
Dave Boucher, The (Nashville) Tennessean 8:33 p.m. EST November 1, 2015

In an interview with The Associated Press days after GOP front-runner Donald Trump criticized Ben Carson's church, the retired neurosurgeon said his relationship with God was "the most important aspect." (Oct. 29) AP

NASHVILLE — Republican presidential contender Ben Carson restated his views on creationism Sunday, wrapping up his weekend in Tennessee with a visit to one of Metro Nashville's largest churches.

Carson delivered two speeches Sunday morning at Cornerstone Church in Madison. The words from Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who's recently surged in GOP presidential polls, sounded at times like a stump speech and a sermon.

"They say, 'Carson, ya know, how can you be a surgeon, a neurosurgeon, and believe that God created the Earth, and not believe in evolution, which is the basis of all knowledge and all science?'," Carson said during his second speech, referencing "progressives."

"Well, you know, it's kind of funny. But I do believe God created us, and I did just fine. So I don't know where they get that stuff from, ya know? It's not true. And in fact, the more you know about God, and the deeper your relationship with God, I think the more intricate becomes your knowledge of the way things work, including the human body."

This is not the first time Carson has spoken about his doubts on evolution. Several national publications, including the Washington Post, BuzzFeed and others, have noted a speech from 2012 and other comments where Carson likened the big bang theory to "fairy tales" and questioned the motivation behind Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.

Carson, a Seventh-day Adventist, recently described himself in an interview with CNN as "not a real religious person."

"I'm a person who has a deep and abiding faith and relationship with God," Carson told CNN. "But I'm not really into a lot of religious dogma and rituals — 'You can't do that, and you can't do this.' I don't believe in that. I believe you have to have a deep and abiding faith in God."

His views and speeches on faith and religion have endeared him with evangelical voters in Iowa and elsewhere, helping him tie or pull ahead of business tycoon Donald Trump in several recent GOP presidential primary polls.

Carson spent Friday in Memphis before joining Franklin Mayor Ken Moore at his home Saturday morning for a fundraiser. Carson also attended a fundraiser Saturday in Belle Meade before speaking during both Sunday morning services at Cornerstone.

Tennessee is among several Southern states participating in the March 1 "SEC primary." The relatively early date of the primary and the still-crowded GOP presidential field mean conservative-leaning Tennessee could play a key role in choosing the Republican party's presidential nominee.

Ask your doctor if the 2000-year-old insane bullshït ramblings of ignorant, superstitious Bronze Age goat-herders is right for you.

He says he "did just fine" but not really. I don't doubt he is financially set but..dude you went out in public saying you cured prostate cancer with tree bark and aloe vera. You are so far from fine it's not even funny.

I have to wonder if Donald Trump didn't secretly hire this guy. You know how some girls have that fat/ugly friend so that they always seem to look good in comparison? Yeah, that is what Trump did with Carson.

Obama is a "christian", and no one has a problem with it, so why do people have a problem with carson being one?

There is a world of difference between merely believing in God and thinking evolution and all this other stuff is bunk and that dinosaurs co-existed with humans.

On top of that is this person is a doctor so he should at least have a smidge of intelligence. Most Christians do not see evolution as just some fairy tale.

Here is a big difference between this guy and Trump: I actually don't think Trump truly believes most of the crap he spouts. He merely knows how to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
Obama is a "christian", and no one has a problem with it, so why do people have a problem with carson being one?

Good for him. As I"ve said repeatedly before, Carson is a very intelligent man and doesn't surprise me that he hasn't been deceived by the lies of evolutionary theory. He is a very good man but I"m not sure if I want him as President even though he recognizes the lies of evolution which is a huge plus. He just doesn't have the passionate fire of candidates like Trump, Rubio, Cruz, or Christie. Even Fiorina has more than him. I'd still prefer him over any democrat any day of the week though.

Originally posted by Star428
Good for him. As I"ve said repeatedly before, Carson is a very intelligent man and doesn't surprise me that he hasn't been deceived by the lies of evolutionary theory. He is a very good man but I"m not sure if I want him as President even though he recognizes the lies of evolution which is a huge plus. He just doesn't have the passionate fire of candidates like Trump, Rubio, Cruz, or Christie. Even Fiorina has more than him. I'd still prefer him over any democrat any day of the week though.

So you feel an intelligent man would think he cured his prostate cancer with a mixture of tree bark, aloe vera, and other ingredients?

Originally posted by Omega Vision
The problem isn't with Carson's Christianity, it's with his beliefs that are pretty radical regarding things like evolution.

Who ****ing cares what he believes about creation or evolution, they have already taken place. JHFC, its like people get so overboard about someones beliefs, and these beliefs don't even affect anyone else.

Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
Who ****ing cares what he believes about creation or evolution, they have already taken place. JHFC, its like people get so overboard about someones beliefs, and these beliefs don't even affect anyone else.

Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
Who ****ing cares what he believes about creation or evolution, they have already taken place. JHFC, its like people get so overboard about someones beliefs, and these beliefs don't even affect anyone else.

Well I would care if our president was so utterly stupid he thought evolution wasn't a thing. It's one thing to merely believe in God since we technically have no evidence to contradict God exists. We do however have evidence to contradict a variety of things creationists claim.

Originally posted by Omega Vision
Something like that isn't irrelevant though. Someone who doesn't believe in evolution is likely to hold other backward beliefs. Add to that his bizarre ideas about the holocaust and his comparison of Obamacare to slavery and you have a guy who's clearly just a bit out of touch with reality.

And you don't think Obama is out of touch reality? Funny, cause he clearly is, look at Obama care, its horrible, and everyone is in denial about it.

http://nypost.com/2015/11/02/obamacares-death-spiral-stage-one-denial/

Originally posted by Surtur
Well I would care if our president was so utterly stupid he thought evolution wasn't a thing. It's one thing to merely believe in God since we technically have no evidence to contradict God exists. We do however have evidence to contradict a variety of things creationists claim.

People get to caught up in his beliefs, while swallowing Obama's lies with two scoops of shit.

Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
People get to caught up in his beliefs, while swallowing Obama's lies with two scoops of shit.

It's less about beliefs and more about intelligence. Let me ask: would you be confident in a president if said president legitimately thought the world was not round, but flat?

See technically the knowledge of whether or not the world is round isn't required in order to run the country..but with the wealth of evidence out there that shows the Earth isn't flat wouldn't it worry you that despite all that this person still thought "world is flat, we'll totally sail right off it if we go too far".

So he can believe in God, fine. But if he legitimately believes something like..the planet is less then 10,000 years old..well, I know 12 yr. olds who know better.

LOL. No surprise that the atheist natives of KMC get riled up over this. Seriously though, I don't want an atheist President any more than I want a Muslim or Satanic one. I want a CHristian. It's a very important issue to me. Trump is also Christian and I'm sure most of the other Republican candidates are too.

EDit: By "Christian" I don't necessarily mean a person whom atheists would call a"Bible Thumper" but someone who at least believes in the Holy Trinity God. They don't have to be a church goer or quote the Bible all the time.

Originally posted by Surtur
It's less about beliefs and more about intelligence. Let me ask: would you be confident in a president if said president legitimately thought the world was not round, but flat?

See technically the knowledge of whether or not the world is round isn't required in order to run the country..but with the wealth of evidence out there that shows the Earth isn't flat wouldn't it worry you that despite all that this person still thought "world is flat, we'll totally sail right off it if we go too far".

So he can believe in God, fine. But if he legitimately believes something like..the planet is less then 10,000 years old..well, I know 12 yr. olds who know better.

I don't think he said the earth was flat. People are just trying to discredit him because he's taking shots at people's beliefs. Maybe he's doing it for attention, have you ever thought of that?

Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
I don't think he said the earth was flat. People are just trying to discredit him because he's taking shots at people's beliefs. Maybe he's doing it for attention, have you ever thought of that?

I know he never said it was flat...it was an example. If he's trying to get attention by making himself sound stupid then..well, that is up to him I guess.

But keep in mind..some people running tend to have certain talking points about themselves. Trump goes on about how he has been a successful businessman and all that stuff. Seems like Carson tries to come off as an intellectual.

Comparing Obamacare to the holocaust was just a sound bite to get attention, you honestly think he was serious?

Originally posted by Star428
LOL. No surprise that the atheist natives of KMC get riled up over this. Seriously though, I don't want an atheist President any more than I want a Muslim or Satanic one. I want a CHristian. It's a very important issue to me. Trump is also Christian and I'm sure most of the other Republican candidates are too.

It's less being riled up and more just noting "wow this guy is dumb".

But see your attitude shows an attitude I see a disturbing amount of religious people having. You'd rather have a stupid religious person as president then a smart atheist.

Originally posted by Time-Immemorial
Comparing Obamacare to the holocaust was just a sound bite to get attention, you honestly think he was serious?

I personally don't care what he compares the Holocaust to. It's a stupid thing to say, but it is not the problem. This is a doctor who tells people he cured his prostate cancer with tree bark and aloe vera. Since he said this long before he was ever running for president I don't think you can say he was just doing it for attention.

Plus what is he a 13 yr. old girl? Why does he feel the only way to get attention is by saying stupid shit?

Originally posted by Omega Vision
Something like that isn't irrelevant though. Someone who doesn't believe in evolution is likely to hold other backward beliefs. Add to that his bizarre ideas about the holocaust and his comparison of Obamacare to slavery and you have a guy who's clearly just a bit out of touch with reality.

Yes and what we don't need is a sweet-voiced psychotic who takes this fantasy nonsense seriously. Religious types are entertaining on social forums like killermovies but they shouldn't be deciding policy. People who aspire to positions of power (like the presidency) should base their views on logic and evidence, not crazy fairy tales.

The American electoral system is a disgrace. It's said that democracy is the best form of government. People like Ben Carson make me doubt that.