Comments on: Yes Volcanos Are Still Evil

By: sue

sue — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:07:36 +0000

CR, thanks for initiating one of the most amusing — and informative — exchanges I’ve read in quite a while. and thanks to Maria, et al. for the equally informative comebacks. Had only been aware of just the tip of the iceberg (or volcano) in terms of the various impacts of volcanos on life and life conditions before this. :)

By: John

John — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 14:35:15 +0000

I’m no geologist either, but isn’t all that sulfur from the metabolism and weathering ultimately coming from volcanic activity in the first place?

By: yogi-one

yogi-one — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 06:59:42 +0000

Mt Rainier (Tahoma to his friends) is talking to me…telling me all the bad things humans are doing that are causing His stomach to rumble….He says he feels kind of shaky on the Seattle side (that would be the side that blew out last time, ca 1300 AD).

…Now he’s not talking for a little bit…oops.a burp…

I’m outta here if he tells me he feels like throwing up!

Is Mt Rainier evil?

I think not…just a misunderstood monster, like Godzilla.

At least He hasn’t asked me to throw any virgins in…yet!

By: kevin z

kevin z — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:00:27 +0000

lol, cute Ian

By: Ian

Ian — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:38:11 +0000

I really don’t see why everyone is getting into such a lava about this. I know that the coneheads need to vent and the marines need to semper fish, and I hate to pour cold water on a good discussion, but let’s not descend into flaming one another….

By: Georglm

Georglm — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:05:45 +0000

This is trying to making a science out of comparing apples and oranges…and that is exactly what is wrong with theology POV’s. They categorize all things to fit under one of two labels; Good or Bad, so if something in nature isn’t deemed “good” for humans then it automatically assumes the alternative label of “bad/evil” in nature. And based on this assumption one would presume that all things, including those that occur naturally in nature, are either “Good” or “bad”… since humans did (at one point in time) form naturally out of nature… BUT seeing how “good and bad” are man made terms established by humans to explain natural man made behaviors; the labels just don’t form a relevant description of naturally occurring phenomena of this planet… AKA it’s like comparing apple and oranges.
… However, if you want to dig deeper, one could say that the root of all “Evil” is mankind’s need to control. Meaning, subconsciously humans determine phenomena to be “good” if it understood to be within their realm of control, therefore what is perceived to be “bad/evil” is that which man cannot actually control…
If you look at it that way, then one could explain what possessed the author to try to make a science out of comparing apples and oranges. :)

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:24:45 +0000

Hmmmm. Sulfur isn’t a very common element in the crust, and sulfates come from the weathering of sulfur-bearing minerals in contact with an oxygen-rich atmosphere. And most of the sulfur-bearing minerals come from hot water circulating around magma. From volcanoes.

Volcanoes give Earth’s surface lots of stuff that would otherwise be locked away. They’re a critical part of the biogeochemical cycles that include life. Break one part, and we (and our squishy deep-sea friends) are lost.

Besides, deep-sea life evolved on a tectonically active planet. We need our earthquakes and volcanoes, even if they can also kill.

By: Chris Rowan

Chris Rowan — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:37:58 +0000

Don't fall for it - that's exactly what they want us to do. Turning off the volcanoes would result in the marine biosphere killing us all!

By: Joel

Joel — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:19:01 +0000

Lots of bitter animosity amongst blog posters. Let me solve this dispute.

If volcanoes were animate (i.e. conscious beings), and expressed malicious intent, then they would be evil.

Since volcanoes are inanimate (in the sense that they are NOT conscious beings) then they can’t be evil. It’d be like calling a tree good, since trees release oxygen after photosynthesis which we use to breathe.
Sliver fox put it best… volcanoes just are! They are non-condusive to carbon based life, but so is carbon monoxide, space, Venus (the planet), knives, guns, and John McCain. But that doesn’t mean Craig’s article wasn’t amusing.

By: Silver Fox

Silver Fox — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:03:29 +0000

“I’m no geologist…”

Exactly.

Volcanoes have added to the fertility of soils around the world (while also killing off some of the inhabitants trying to exploit – live off the land).Good + bad = ho hum, does not equal evil. That’s a human term.

Volcanoes just are. Deal.