Young Earth Creationists elected to lead the DUP

[Altfish]

Good grief ...

Edwin Poots elected DUP leader to succeed Arlene Foster

 

[Rival]

I'm not sure what impact this is going to have on policy, though? Not sure who really cares.

 

[icehorse]

what could go wrong?

 

[The Hammer]

I'm not sure what impact this is going to have on policy, though? Not sure who really cares.

"Poots, 55, is a young Earth creationist from the party’s conservative Christian wing who believes the planet is 6,000 years old, a belief that could impede the party’s effort to court new voters."

"London and Dublin will wait to see if he ceases cooperation with the Irish government or impedes checks on goods coming from Great Britain, acts that could trigger a wider political crisis."

"The party’s focus on internal structures and purging Foster’s lieutenants overlooked the bigger challenge of stemming a haemorrhage of voters, said Tonge. “All that stuff is fiddling while unionism burns because what really matters is the DUP appealing to a wide section of unionism.”

 

[Rival]

"Poots, 55, is a young Earth creationist from the party’s conservative Christian wing who believes the planet is 6,000 years old, a belief that could impede the party’s effort to court new voters."

"London and Dublin will wait to see if he ceases cooperation with the Irish government or impedes checks on goods coming from Great Britain, acts that could trigger a wider political crisis."

"The party’s focus on internal structures and purging Foster’s lieutenants overlooked the bigger challenge of stemming a haemorrhage of voters, said Tonge. “All that stuff is fiddling while unionism burns because what really matters is the DUP appealing to a wide section of unionism.”

This looks like it has nothing to do with his beliefs, though. It's just inner party struggles as usual. Folks not wanting to vote for the DUP is nothing new, really.

 

[The Hammer]

This looks like it has nothing to do with his beliefs, though. It's just inner party struggles as usual. Folks not wanting to vote for the DUP is nothing new, really.

Maybe... IMO personal beliefs will always impact policy. Therefore it is perfectly acceptable to criticize the beliefs of a politician if there are worries it will impact their official duties.

 

[Rival]

Maybe... IMO personal beliefs will always impact policy. Therefore it is perfectly acceptable to criticize the beliefs of a politician if there are worries it will impact their official duties.

This is not generally the case in the UK. Personal beliefs are usually squarely kept to oneself, such as Blair's Catholicism. Thatcher, who was a well-known Christian, made sure that what she called 'matters of conscience' were not part of policy, and were left squarely to the individual. Talking about God or religion is not done here by politicians at all, so the fact that Edwin's beliefs are being brought up is bizarre and the idea that they'll effect policy is even more bizarre. No-one cares what beliefs you have as long as you do your job. The DUP already has a reputation for not keeping their religion from their politics, which is why their voterbase is not exactly huge to begin with. They're already seen as a strange fringe party that elects folks like this.

Regardless, I'm not sure how this particular belief can affect policy.

 

[Revoltingest]

Good grief ...

Edwin Poots elected DUP leader to succeed Arlene Foster

All of our recent Presidents have believed in sky fairies.
Magical thinking is very common. So that, in & of itself
doesn't bother me. Where does it lead them? That matters.

 

[RestlessSoul]

It’s fair to say that the DUP springs from a deep well of weirdness. Arlene Foster wasn’t exactly what you call a modern, progressive thinker. Not sure much has changed with this new fella in charge.

What matters is, to what extent is the Unionist community in NI willing to compromise with it’s neighbours? Sinn Fein are a socially conservative bunch too, by and large.

 

[Altfish]

All of our recent Presidents have believed in sky fairies.
Magical thinking is very common. So that, in & of itself
doesn't bother me. Where does it lead them? That matters.

But this nut job is hostile gays and divorce too - it is a step backwards for the DUP - from the early 20th Century to 18th Century

 

[RestlessSoul]

But this nut job is hostile gays and divorce too - it is a step backwards for the DUP - from the early 20th Century to 18th Century

I don’t think they ever entered the 20th Century tbh

 

[Altfish]

I don’t think they ever entered the 20th Century tbh

I was being generous

 

[Subduction Zone]

Enjoy our pain!

 

[Suave]

Good grief ...

Edwin Poots elected DUP leader to succeed Arlene Foster

Good grief ...

Edwin Poots elected DUP leader to succeed Arlene Foster

Besides various radiometric dating methods, there are annual ice core layers indicating the Earth has existed for well over 10,000 years. I'm confident if Edwin Poots were to realize there is this evidence showing the Earth is far older than six thousand years, then he would acknowledge young Earth creationist beliefs are invalid.

 

[Revoltingest]

But this nut job is hostile gays and divorce too - it is a step backwards for the DUP - from the early 20th Century to 18th Century

Our nutjobs have their faults too, eg, anti-gay marriage,
pro-war against commie & Muslim countries, unquestioned
devotion to Israel, advocating taking bleach internally, etc.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Our nutjobs have their faults too, eg, anti-gay marriage,
pro-war against commie & Muslim countries, unquestioned
devotion to Israel, advocating taking bleach internally, etc.

But between November and January you jettisoned demagoguery, through an electoral process that proved itself robust. I envy you that.

 

[Altfish]

Besides various radiometric dating methods, there are annual ice core layers indicating the Earth has existed for well over 10,000 years. I'm confident if Edwin Poots were to realize there is this evidence showing the Earth is far older than six thousand years, then he would acknowledge young Earth creationist beliefs are invalid.

No - because his holy book tells him.

 

[ratiocinator]

Besides various radiometric dating methods, there are annual ice core layers indicating the Earth has existed for well over 10,000 years. I'm confident if Edwin Poots were to realize there is this evidence showing the Earth is far older than six thousand years, then he would acknowledge young Earth creationist beliefs are invalid.

Wow - you expect a YEC to take notice of objective evidence!?

 

[Yerda]

The DUP is like every other right wing party. Chock full of opportunistic theives and bigots. Their voters (also bigots) could do the world a grand favour by catapulting themselves into the Irish Sea.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Good grief ...

Edwin Poots elected DUP leader to succeed Arlene Foster

I am so sorry.