The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe
Podcast: July 20th 2005 (Download MP3)
Topics:
Issue #1. Habemus Potter – The Pope on Potter and Evolution
Issue #2. Science or Fiction
Issue #3. Ghostbusting – Skeptics’ Guide Host on Penn &Teller: Bullshit!
Issue #4. Ask the Skeptic
Issue #5. Website of the week: Quackwatch (http://www.quackwatch.org/)
Issue #1. Habemus Potter – The Pope on Potter and Evolution
- The previous pope, John Paul II, had officially supported the science of evolution, declaring that “truth cannot contradict truth.” What does the new Pope have to say on Evolution? In a related story, Pope Benedict has made written condemnations of the popular childrens’ book series, Harry Potter, saying it interferes with the development of Catholic faith.
QUESTIONS FOR POPE ON EVOLUTION STANCE
from The New York Times
Three scientists, two of them Roman Catholic biologists, have asked Pope Benedict XVI to clarify the church's position on evolution in light of recent statements by Cardinal Christoph Schonborn, an influential theologian, that the modern theory of evolution may be incompatible with Catholic faith.
The scientists asked the pope to reaffirm earlier statements on the subject by Pope John Paul II and others "that scientific rationality and the church's commitment to divine purpose and meaning in the universe were not incompatible." It is crucial, their letter says, "that in these difficult and contentious times the Catholic Church not build a new divide, long ago eradicated, between the scientific method and religious belief."
New York Times article-membership required
LifeSiteNews.com
Wednesday July 13, 2005
Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels - Signed Letters from Cardinal Ratzinger Now Online
RIMSTING, Germany, July 13, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - LifeSiteNews.com has obtained and made available online copies of two letters sent by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was recently elected Pope, to a German critic of the Harry Potter novels. In March 2003, a month after the English press throughout the world falsely proclaimed that Pope John Paul II approved of Harry Potter, the man who was to become his successor sent a letter to a Gabriele Kuby outlining his agreement with her opposition to J.K. Rowling's offerings. (See below for links to scanned copies of the letters signed by Cardinal Ratzinger.)
As the sixth issue of Rowling's Harry Potter series - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - is about to be released, the news that Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger expressed serious reservations about the novels is now finally being revealed to the English-speaking world still under the impression the Vatican approves the Potter novels.
In a letter dated March 7, 2003 Cardinal Ratzinger thanked Kuby for her "instructive" book Harry Potter - gut oder bose(Harry Potter- good or evil?), in which Kuby says the Potter books corrupt the hearts of the young, preventing them from developing a properly ordered sense of good and evil, thus harming their relationship with God while that relationship is still in its infancy.
"It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly," wrote Cardinal Ratzinger.
The letter also encouraged Kuby to send her book on Potter to the Vatican prelate who quipped about Potter during a press briefing which led to the false press about the Vatican support of Potter. At a Vatican press conference to present a study document on the New Age in April 2003, one of the presenters - Fr. Peter Fleedwood - made a positive comment on the Harry Potter books in response to a question from a reporter. Headlines such as "Pope Approves Potter" (Toronto Star), "Pope Sticks Up for Potter Books" (BBC), "Harry Potter Is Ok With The Pontiff" (Chicago Sun Times) and "Vatican: Harry Potter's OK with us" (CNN Asia) littered the mainstream media.
In a second letter sent to Kuby on May 27, 2003, Cardinal Ratzinger "gladly" gave his permission to Kuby to make public "my judgement about Harry Potter."
The most prominent Potter critic in North America, Catholic novelist and painter Michael O'Brien commented to LifeSiteNews.com on the "judgement" of now-Pope Benedict saying, "This discernment on the part of Benedict XVI reveals the Holy Father's depth and wide ranging gifts of spiritual discernment." O'Brien, author of a book dealing with fantasy literature for children added, "it is consistent with many of the statements he's been making since his election to the Chair of Peter, indeed for the past 20 years - a probing accurate read of the massing spiritual warfare that is moving to a new level of struggle in western civilization. He is a man in whom a prodigious intellect is integrated with great spiritual gifts. He is the father of the universal church and we would do well to listen to him."
English translations of the two letters by Cardinal Ratzinger follow:
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Vatican City
March 7, 2003
Esteemed and dear Ms. Kuby!
Many thanks for your kind letter of February 20th and the informative book which you sent me in the same mail. It is good, that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because those are subtle seductions, which act unnoticed and by this deeply distort Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly.
I would like to suggest that you write to Mr. Peter Fleedwood, (Pontifical Council of Culture, Piazza S. Calisto 16, I00153 Rome) directly and to send him your book.
Sincere Greetings and Blessings,
+ Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
=======================
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Vatican City
May 27, 2003
Esteemed and dear Ms. Kuby,
Somehow your letter got buried in the large pile of name-day , birthday and Easter mail. Finally this pile is taken care of, so that I can gladly allow you to refer to my judgment about Harry Potter.
Sincere Greetings and Blessings,
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Links to the scanned copies of the two signed letters by Cardinal Ratzinger (in German) - In PDF format:
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/ratzingerletter.pdf
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005_docs/ratzingerpermission.pdf
Issue #2. Science or Fiction
Each week our host will come up with three science news items, two genuine, one fictitious. He will challenge our panel of skeptics to sniff out the fake – and you can play along.
This week has a theme – the last 50 years.
Item #1: Over the last 50 years, the average height of Americans has increased by 3 inches.
Item #2: Over the last 50 years, the temperature in Siberia has risen by 3 degrees Celcius
Item #3: Over the last 50 years, the average IQ of Americans has risen by 3 points per decade.
So...which one is false? Follow this link to find out.
Issue #3. Ghostbusting – Skeptics’ Guide Host on Penn &Teller: Bullshit!
On July 11th 2005, Penn & Teller’s Showtime series, Bullshit! (http://www.sho.com/site/ptbs/home.do) aired an episode called “Ghostbusters” about the pseudoscience of ghost investigation. Steven Novella, host of the Skeptics’ Guide, was one of two featured scientists/skeptics on the show.
The show is generally popular with skeptics as it takes a very entertainingly critical view of all things ridiculous. However, below is an article somewhat critical of the Ghostbusters episode.
Google Group email
Listen, guys!
Guys, you know me... this is friend and fellow skeptic Dave Palmer (he's a magician too).
This week, P&T BS took a break from their political ranting of late (their show on gun control was new low) to tread back into a genuinely on-topic area: ghost hunters.
That's a topic you could really do a proper hatchet job on. They had plenty of footage of two ghost hunter teams waving electric field meters around and taking pictures of blank walls. They could have shredded each and every claim the "paranormal researchers" made. Instead, the show consisted almost exclusively of Penn calling them wack jobs and assholes. Yeah, that's what brings people in the tent, but they really didn't do ANY significant debunking.
Take the electric field meters. Please. The ghost hunters were finding "anomalous readings" EVERYWHERE. Near the end of the show, they spent about 30 seconds explaining that electric fields ARE everywhere in everyday life.
But wait, rewind the tape there: the ghost hunters REPEATEDLY used the
phrase "anomalous readings," which suggests that they KNEW about the normal
fields, and these readings were not due to explainable causes.
No, I don't think for a second that's REALLY the case, but it's something they shoulda gone into.
And then there was the digital photo that had two "orbs" on it. Penn clearly didn't have a clue, he said they were probably "smudges on the wall or something." Orbs have been thoroughly explained. Shame on P&T's research department (which Penn was bragging on earlier in the show) for not bringing that up.
Next week, they're back to rabid libertarian politics with a show on how endangered species are bullshit. In the promo, they even trotted out the tired old right wing canard "99% of all species that have ever lived are extinct." *sigh*
Issue #4. Ask the Skeptic
Question: “My name is Derek Bartlett and I am the founder of Cape And Islands Paranormal Research Society (CAIPRS). I have to say the air between Skeptics and ghost hunters is fascinating. I believe that both should be intertwined, so that A: teams like mine can be grounded by the skeptical society and B: Skeptics can have a first hand look at what we do. So with that question out there. CAIPRS is looking for skeptics to join our team as either as a consultant or actual physical member. Please forward any questions or contact information to thesociety@caiprs.com”
Derek Bartlett
Founder
CAIPRS.COM
Answer: Um, did you see the Bullshit! episode on ghostbusting? We’d be happy to consult for any ghostbusting group and explain the process of real science.
Issue #5. Website of the week: Quackwatch (http://www.quackwatch.org/)
Quackwatch is an excellent website with numerous essays on all forms of health fraud and dubious health practices. The site is maintained by Stephen Barrett, MD, a retired oncologist.