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Special Greetings for Darwin Day Celebration

Published on Darwin Day (February 12, 2006)

 

I am most pleased to hear the fact that you are celebrating Darwin Day. This is an important tribute to one of the greatest scientists of the 19th century, whose evolutionary principles have altered our conception of the human species and the nature of life.

At a time when narrow minded zealots are attacking Charles Darwin, it is fitting that members of your group are commemorating his life. The great heroes of human history are its scientists and thinkers who have broken new ground and thus contributed to human understanding not those who preach ignorance or would chain us to illusions of the past. Congratulations!

Sincerely,
Paul Kurtz,
Chairman, Center for Inquiry/Transnational

Dear Mukto-Mona,

This month I join with you in celebrating Charles Darwin, whose life and work embodied the virtues exemplified by your community of freethinkers and humanists: intellectual honesty, unfettered critical inquiry, and compassionate care and concern for others.

It will be my great pleasure to visit Bangladesh and India later this month, where I will meet with colleagues to discuss ways to work together towards our shared ideal of the open, secular society in South Asia and everywhere.

With all best wishes,

Austin Dacey, Ph.D.
United Nations Representative
Center for Inquiry-Metro New York
1 Rockefeller Plaza, #2700
New York, NY 10020
tel: 212.265.2877
fax: 212.265.2844
www.cfimetrony.org/un.html

At a time when irrationality seems to be overtaking much of the world, nothing could be more important than what you are doing to promote reason, freedom of expression, and attention to what science and the natural world have to teach us all. By "all," I mean all--from Islamic mobs who actually believe that cartoons are worth killing people over, to right-wing Christian fundamentalists who

want American children in the twenty-first century to be taught that the earth was created in seven days. As the great freethinker Thomas Paine said, "The only weapon against errors of every kind is reason."

--Susan Jacoby
author, "Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism" and program director of the Center for Inquiry-Metro New York

DARWIN, WHY WERE YOU NOT BORN SOONER?

I think it a reasonable assumption if our founding fathers who were deists had known about Darwin’s evolution theory, they would be atheists.

Newton Joseph, Ph.D.

We are glad to know that the organisation Mukto Mona is going to celebrate Darwin Day on the 12th of February. It is a shame that in the 21st century religious fundamentalism is raising its head all over the world. All of them have on thing in common- they want to take over the minds of the people and lead them in their own paths and exploit them.

The forces of obscurantism, whichever religion they may belong to want to take the society back to the times where the superstitions hold sway and priest Craft reigns supreme.. hey need to be countered in every way. Shedding light on the theory of evolution is one of the most effective ways of doing it. wish you al! l success in your activity.

Narendra Nayak,
President, Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations

I am writing to commend Mukto-Mona for rolling out its drums in solidarity with the Darwin's Day Celebration. It is a great delight to know that your organisation is taking part in this important event. Darwin's evolutionary theory exploded the religion-induced myths and misconceptions about nature and "Origin of Species".

 It naturally eliminated the creationist supernatural nonsense and its most unintelligent design.

Have a great day

Leo Igwe
Executive Secretary Nigerian Humanist Movement

Greetings and congratulations to Mukto-Mona on the occasion of Darwin Day. The days when religion and science were seen as competitors and enemies need to be set aside. Rather, religionists need to approach their beliefs from the secure base of reason and with the scientific principles exemplified by great scientists such as Charles Darwin.

Faith, we need to acknowledge, is just that - faith, not knowledge, but an act of irrational, unprovable belief. That fact in no way diminishes its impact upon our lives and our psyches.  Ironically, the precise and expansive understanding of our world and the greater universe science gives us has the potential to deepen our faith, and to make its impact upon our lives even greater, so long as we try not to deny what is empirically evident. It is only when we cling to myths that have been proven false that faith weakens. I wish Mukto-Mona the best in their efforts to further the cause of rationalism and science.

Pamela Taylor
Co-Chair, Progressive Muslim Union

Dear Mukto-Mona

Congratulations on celebrating Darwin Day.

On behalf of the Muslim Canadian Congress, I would like to share our deep appreciation of your initiative.

The theory of evolution does not in any way diminish our faith, rather it epitomizes the Muslim tradition of seeking knowledge no matter where we find it.

The scientific principles exemplified by great scientists such as Charles Darwin were instrumental in triggering the current age of reason and rationality, unencumbered by the weight of dogma and mythology that has held humanity back for so long.

I wish Mukto-Mona the best in your effort to bring Darwin into the narrative of the Muslim world and contributing to the ending the stigma associated with scientific endeavour.

Tarek Fatah
Muslim Canadian Congress

I am glad to know that MM is celebrating Darwin's day by publishing  articles addressed to Darwin's theory of evolution of species and mankind. His theory has revolutionized our thinking and concept about origin of life, species and human beings. Following his footsteps the scientists has been trying to make his theory full proof scientifically. It is no matter whether Darwin died as Christian or not, his theory of evolution stood the test of time as it is immaterial what was personal faith of Sir Isaac Newton, his Gravitation concept was the key factor in understanding phenomenon related to gravitation.

Ajoy Roy
Professor of Physics (Retd.)
Dhaka University

 

I am very happy to know that Mukto-Mona is sincerely trying to popularize Darwin and his theory among common people especially among Moslems. Muslim fundamentalists are very active against scientific reasons and modern ideas among our uneducated mass. Even many academically educated people of Muslim society blindly believe in the ridiculous teachings of Mollas. In this situation MUKTO-MONA’S activities are very much useful to motivate our people. Keep in touch. With love and blessing.

Syed Hasan Imam
Actor, Bangladesh

 

It's a very good thing to celebrate a Darwin Day. The evolution theory shows us very clearly that our universe was not made in one piece like it is today just to permit the rising of the human being, and hence there were (and are) no (human) gods at all that made it. Congratulations for your page on Darwin, it's great.

Johannès Robyn,
President of the "Atheist Union" (Europe)

Charles Darwin’s theories of evolution and natural selection always challenge our thoughts and religious convictions on the life on earth. His theories and researches on our origin have been thought-provoking for more than 150 years, and will continue to question our free mind.  

It gives me a great pleasure to know that Mukta Mona is celebrating the birthday of this famous naturalist who presented a distinctive insight into our ancestors, and I wish the day a success. 

Sincerely,
Abdus Shahid 
Associate Professor of Accounting
The College of New Jersey 

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