What's worse than Christian Creationism?

Same as what's even worse than Christianity: Islamic Creationism. One of the heavyweights in the Islamic Creationism world (I don't mean that as per his brains), a certain Adnan Oktar, is hard-set working on his 'anti-Darwinism' magnum opus, a 14-part 'encyclopedia' of Islamic Creationism titled Atlas of Creation, which he claims will disprove Darwin's 'dead' theory.

"Darwin and his theory are dead," says Mr. Oktar, founder and honorary president of the Science Research Foundation, an Istanbul outfit dedicated to debunking the Victorian-era English naturalist. Darwin, says his 52-year-old Turkish scourge, is "Satan's biggest trick on humanity."

The Science Research Foundation? Well, gotta congratulate him – I don't think he could've found a better extreme as far as misnomers go. (Seriously, anything that has anything to do with creationism, of whichever religious flavor, has less to do with science than ... well, theology. Dang, out of metaphors.)

Nice to see he believes in Satan, too. Poor ol' Lucifer is only too forgotten in this day and age. Love the trident, though – could poke myself some serious trolls and cretins with that diabolical thing.

Also weighing in on his side are very aggressive lawyers. They've repeatedly gone to court in Turkey to silence critics whom Mr. Oktar accuses of spreading "lies and insults." Scores of Web sites have been banned at his behest.

These include the site of Oxford's Prof. Dawkins, which Mr. Oktar -- who writes under the pen name Harun Yahya -- got blocked last fall after it posted an article entitled "Venomous Snakes, Slippery Eels and Harun Yahya." Prof. Dawkins responded to the ban by posting a Turkish translation of the article. Mr. Oktar derides Prof. Dawkins, an outspoken atheist, as "a pagan monk."

Waving that Freedom of Speech flag is such a dream these days, isn't it? Also shows how very mature Oktar is – and knowledgeable, if he seriously confuses atheism (lack of belief in God or any gods) with paganism (worship of Mother Nature and such – NOT satanic rituals as ignorant Hollywood and brainwashing Church will have you believe).

Thankfully, Oktar isn't devoid of opponents, and as luck would have it (for us, definitely not for him), his most prominent 'rival' is none other than Dr. Richard Dawkins, the most famous and pronounced 'Evolutionist' and atheist on the current planet. I don't think Oktar could've hoped for a larger opponent than Professor Dawkins.

"He is a complete and utter ignoramus," says Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist and Oxford University professor.

Sometimes, long sentences are needed not.

At a Vatican-sponsored conference on evolution earlier this month in Rome, a Turk who introduced himself as a brain surgeon took the floor to expound -- in fluent English -- on Mr. Oktar's views on fossils. Organizers snatched away the microphone.

Mike Egnor, shut up already! ... Oh, wait. Nevermind.

This little detail is interesting:

In 1986, Mr. Oktar published his first book, "Freemasonry and Judaism," a tirade against the perils of atheism. He then spent 10 months in a mental hospital. Mr. Oktar says he was never mentally ill but was institutionalized to stifle his views. Military doctors later declared him mentally sound, he says, but he complains that Turkish media "propagated the idea that I was a lunatic."

Gee, whatever would make them think that? What with having ridiculous and illogical views on science and its followers, following ignorance-promoting beliefs, and peddling muck that has been thoroughly disproven an innumerable number of times by an equally-innumerable number of scientists who are incredibly more educated and intelligent (and respected, and credentialed, and ...) than he is? How awful!

He's offered a reward of 10 million Turkish lira (around $6 million) to anyone who can produce a fossil that proves evolution. He has also invited his Oxford foe to a debate.

Prof. Dawkins says he has no intention of accepting, as that would only "give legitimacy" to "this weird phenomenon." Mr. Oktar, he says, "doesn't know anything about zoology, doesn't know anything about biology. He knows nothing about what he is attempting to refute."

Of course. Ad Hominem – the last refuge of the idiot pseudo-intellectual once he realizes he's been bettered by a 'foe' such as Dawkins, who has more credentials than can fill a military archive, more knowledge than most encyclopedias, and more credibility, honor and professionalism than most academics combined. Tsk tsk tsk. Poor Oktar – smells like just another self-wanking ignorant bullshitter who will soon land in a dumpster yet have no idea as to how he got there. Ah well.

I do wonder why no-one's jumped at the incredible easy chance to claim his ruddy 6 million USD (originally 10 million Turkish) just for the effort of wasting about ten minutes or less with a slideshow explaining how fossils 'prove' Evolution. As if Evolution wasn't already established as a 'scientific fact' anyway. Loon.