Scientist PZ Myers gives an interesting talk (about 17 minutes long) comparing and contrasting how two different creationist organizations (Discovery Institute and Answers in Genesis) distort scientific information. The topic is spiders! I find them fascinating. Others don’t share my enthusiasm. But the topic is kind of timely since “Spiderman No Way Home” seems to be breaking box office records. Watch here
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Can’t say I’m surprised the young earth creationist are distorting the scientific facts. I’ll definitely watch it later on. I also really enjoy spiders. But just got back from hiking a lot. Left last night and , or rather early this morning and hiked 18 miles. Slept for 5 hours and then hiked back.
I found a Spined Micrathena spider today. I don’t know a whole lot about their natural history. There is a fantastic podcast called “ The Common Descent Podcast” and one of their episodes, # 123, is about spiders. After I read for a while I want to check out the link though. Got Brom’s new horror novel, “ Slewfoot “ and want to read it. I may try to see the new Spider-Man movie since Toby pops in it at some point. His trilogy was by far my favorite. Though I’ve only seen one or maybe two of the films with all the superheroes in it in the last decade and the new Spider-Man was in them or maybe one of them was a standalone Spider-Man film I’m not sure. Never caught the superhero bug.
Ironically last night I dreamed that in my new house my bedroom wall was al” glass tanks and each one had a different spider species in it. Probably because I built spider walks and nooks in my bedroom for free roaming spiders. I remove the highly venomous ones though. Not to many spiders get in though. I clean the abandoned webs.
I’d love to see the movie.
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Few share my fondness for spiders. But the American Museum of Natural History has a wonderful recurring exhibition about spiders: Spiders Alive!
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Finally, something we can agree, eh?! 
Joking aside, thanks for sharing this. Looking forward to watching it.
EDIT: Also, spider fans may wish to check out The Dark Den YouTube channel. Although he mainly focuses on tarantulas, his collection is very impressive! Spider haters will want to stay away… FAR AWAY! 
I think for many their hate is inspired by a reflexive response akin to that of cats toward snakes … and cucumbers.
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Who knew I needed this cat video in my life! 
Also for those who prefer to read rather than to watch, here is the article the excellent spider video @beaglelady linked to is based on:
Good news for Spider Haters this article does have any images of creepy-crawlies! Bad news spider lovers, the article does have any images of creedpy-crawlies 
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Good article, but he doesn’t mention AiG’s nonsense about spiders. That’s only in the video
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*If, Given the advanced genetic and manufacturing technologies available today, it is remarkable that spider silk still cannot be duplicated, how can you then turn around say that webs exhibit many characteristics of human engineering, and engineering of a very high order?
@LM77 Liam, thank you for the article, however it seems that BOTH sides have problems here.
ID says that evolution is a “purely blind material process.” Scientism seems to agree, but it is not. It is not purely material because it is purpose driven. The purpose of evolution is to tailor life to the changing contours of our planet and its environment. It is not purely blind because it involves organisms which are able to adapt to the environment.
Evolution is an important part of life. Life is in no way “a purely blind material process.” In this respect ID is correct. Contrary to what the article says. Complexity IS evidence of rational design and evidence for EC.
Both ID and Scientism benefit from this false understanding of evolution because it makes legitimate criticism of evolution appear to be anti-science, and it gives ID an easy means to discredit evolution without offering an alternative.
God guides evolution and no argument based on separation of God and science can change that. We can and must reconcile Christianity and science if we are to survive.
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