Dear Governor Palin:
The internet has been swirling with charges and denials about your creationist beliefs. We understand that although you favor discussion of creationism if it comes up in class, you’ve done nothing to put creationism in the curriculum of Alaska’s schools, and you’ve said that you see no need to do so. But that’s not enough to satisfy your critics.
We’re not talking about the endless — and incorrect — media stories that you want creationism to be taught “side by side” with evolution. We know that’s false. But the question lingers — what do you believe?
Writing this letter is difficult for us, because we respect your privacy, and ordinarily we would have no business prying into your personal religious beliefs. But the circumstances aren’t ordinary, so we must overcome our awkwardness and ask the necessary questions.
Do you truly believe that the earth is no more than 10,000 years old? Do you reject the theory of evolution and all the evidence which supports it, in favor of the Genesis creation account?
This is important — not because a Vice President (and possibly President) needs to know anything about geology, biology, and astronomy, but because the person who occupies such a position needs to be rational. We must know if you understand the difference between science and faith. Do you accept the existence of objective reality, or do you deny it?
Assuming that you believe the Genesis creation account as a matter of faith, do you also accept that science has verifiable evidence supporting a very different description of the world? If the answer to that is “Yes,” can you keep your faith in Genesis apart from the way you evaluate evidence and make decisions in the secular world? If so, we can accept that. But you have to tell us.
The American people like you; however — to put the matter bluntly — we need to know that you have the capacity for rational judgment. Nothing could be more important.
/s/ The Curmudgeon
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[Our related articles are here: Sarah Palin & Creationism.]
Copyright © 2009. The Sensuous Curmudgeon. All rights reserved.
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The Sensuous Curmudgeon 
Good show. Money where mouth is and all that.
I’m not the first to raise this issue. The crazy people were way ahead of me, mentioning creationism along with Sarah’s moose-hunting, gun-owning, and all their other hot button items. Among the non-crazies, I may be one of the last to decide that this creationism business must be addressed.
Sarah won’t respond to me, of course, but she will respond to the issue. These things get around, and the questions won’t go away.
I just checked Google by searching on two words, without quote marks: Palin creationist. Then I searched on Palin creationism. A routine web search (not limited to news or blogs) turns up about a million hits on each. This blog is frequently in the top half of the first page of such searches. I don’t know how Google does that, but it’s okay with me.
Anyway, before election day, Sarah will respond. If she maintains her silence, that too is a response.
Good letter SC, straight forward and to the point.
Although, since she a self professed moose hunter I ain’t lettin’ the dogs anywhere near her.
Moose hunting, okay. But if she’s anti-dog, that’s the final straw!
Curmudgeon,
I have never understood what the people on the left have against Governor Palin, maybe you could enlighten me. I am solidly in the ID camp, however I believe that the earth is around five billion years old. I don’t think it is fair to pick out loony ideas from some on the right and apply it to everyone. (your fourth paragraph) I also have looked (including reading Darwin[all four books] and The Ancestor’s Tale) and can’t find a much (if any) evidence supporting the theory of evolution. There is a lot written about it, however not much proves that random changes and natural selection are at work here. Also I would refer you to a quote from Chesterton: “It is absurd for the Evolutionist to complain that it is unthinkable for an admittedly unthinkable God to make everything out of nothing, and then pretend that it is more thinkable that nothing should turn itself into everything.”
— G. K. Chesterton
Anyway congratulations on a great blog. I don’t agree with much you say, but your blog is excellently done.
“I have never understood what the people on the left have against Governor Palin, maybe you could enlighten me.”
Sorry, you’ll have to ask a leftist.
“… and can’t find a much (if any) evidence supporting the theory of evolution.”
Check out our List-O-Links, which can be accessed at the top of all pages here. Most of your questions should be answered there.
“I also have looked (including reading Darwin[all four books] and The Ancestor’s Tale) and can’t find a much (if any) evidence supporting the theory of evolution.”
Er, what books were you reading? Or did you read them and forget everything. Or maybe you had half your brain sucked out in a freak vacuuming accident. There is a ridiculius amount of evidence for the theory of evolution, it fits the data, makes alot of successful predictions and is the best solution for the big question of our origins. If you deny evolution, then your an I.D.I.O.T., or your living in a fantasy world.
I see relatively recent commets, so I guess this thread is still open.
Has Gov. Palin replied? I recall one article (accurately?) suggesting that she no longer thinks that humans and dinosaurs coexisted, but have heard nothing else.
From what I can tell, most evolution deniers, once they give it some thought, become old-earthers, or hide behind “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Then there is the sticky question of common descent. If they favor ID or “strengths and weaknesses” over “creationism” they have to come to grips with the fact that most major ID activists either concede common descent, or again resort to “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Frank says: “Has Gov. Palin replied?”
No, but after observing her and studying her campaign talk, I concluded that her personal beliefs were of no consequence, as she never tried to impose them on anyone. She’s a creationist, but a benevolent one.