Laminin

{{christianity}}
[[File:Laminin.gif|thumb|left|Laminin in a nice, tidy diagram. In reality its conformation is far more convoluted.<ref>[http://lorenakoran.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/laminin.jpg Laminin under an electron microscope]</ref>]]

'''Laminin''' is an extracellular [[protein]]. The three short arms of the [[molecule]] are particularly efficient at binding with other similar molecules, thus forming sheets that make up basement membranes while the fourth, longer arm can bind with [[cells]].

==Appearance==
Three short arms, one long one… three short arms, one long one… [[crucifixion|cross]]-shaped appearance… No. Doesn't ring any bells here at all. Well, various people like to say that it's a sign from [[Jesus|God]]. This generally takes one of two interpretations, the former more sane than the latter:

# It's reassuring and nice to see that there's a cross in our cells.
# It's a genuine sign of the [[God|divine]].

The first option is sort of forgivable, and is indeed a fairly sensible and moderate position those of [[faith]] to take — who ''doesn't'' smile when they see a pattern in randomness that makes them feel good?<ref>[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ffJrJHoKJ6s/TeL_2r4IqxI/AAAAAAAAMVc/YFw6T3WmI64/s1600/salami%2Bface.jpg Hey, this salami looks like Slash! Awesome!]</ref> The second, however, is an entirely different ballgame and is subject to a range of [[bias]]es such as [[confirmation bias]] and especially [[cherry picking]]. It is ''undoubtedly'' [[pareidolia]] in an extreme form. Because of some nicely worded sermons and viral [[marketing]], it is often used as a preaching tool called "our body's natural cross". It has even been put on a t-shirt.<ref>[http://www.zazzle.com/our_bodies_natural_cross_laminin_tshirt-235586836252524108 Zazzle — Our bodies natural cross]</ref> The [[Iron Chariots]] wiki documents reasons behind it being used as a proof of the divine<ref>[http://wiki.ironchariots.org/index.php?title=Laminin_argument Iron Chariots wiki — Laminin argument]</ref> but it has yet to crop up in any well-known or respected [[creationist]] arguments. Indeed, one creationist is adamant that laminin ''is not'' a marker for design.<ref>[http://www.reasons.org/articles/crossed-off-the-list-is-the-cross-shape-of-laminin-evidence-for-the-creator Reasons to Believe — Crossed off the List: Is the Cross Shape of Laminin Evidence for the Creator?]</ref>

Besides, if you look at it under an [http://www.nature.com/emboj/journal/v17/n2/images/7590751f6.jpg electron microscope] (provided, of course that you're A) not a [[fundie]] and B) haven't been buttered up into accepting ''anything'' as [[Religious pareidolia|cross shaped]] by a pastor first) it looks more like a pretty damn awesome shape for a [[sex toy]]. Let's face it, if the [[Pastafarian]]s ever take a look at haemoglobin…

==Evangelism of laminin==
[[File:Giglio.JPG|thumb|This guy would make a great [[George Bush]] impression.]]

The videos from [[Evangelism|evangelist]] [[Louie Giglio]] give a good case study for evangelism and the tactics used by it. Most [[rational]] people, hell, just most people, wouldn't be particularly struck by the facts. Show them the diagram and they'd just react with "oh, that's nice, it looks like a cross" much in the same way that they see a cloud and say "oh, that's nice, it looks like a bunny". However, it can be seen that the [[bullshit|evidence]] is presented in a particular fashion so that the audience will be more likely to agree with the evangelist.

*'''The conversation with the "molecular biologist"'''
:This probably didn't happen, or at least didn't happen the way it's said. This is essentially an [[argument from authority]] stating that if such a "learned person" as a [[Molecular biology|molecular biologist]] brings it up, it ''must'' have some weight.

*'''Dressing up with science'''
:To enhance the authority of the [[science]] story, it is accompanied by some real [[biology]]. He says it quickly (even though it's relatively basic stuff to anyone with a high-school level of biology understanding) to [[style over substance|try and baffle the audience]] into thinking it's more complex than it is.

[[File:Rorschach_like_Inkblot.svg|thumb|left|See? ''Seeee??!?!?/!?>>!>1?!'']]
*'''Prepping the audience'''
:Note that the actual structure isn't presented until ''well after'' the audience has been buttered-up nicely to accept that almost ''anything'' was a sign from God. After this sort of thing, you could show them a randomly shaped blob and have them eat it up. You get at least 5 minutes of oration before the big reveal at the end.

*'''The microscope image is secondary'''
:The audience happily accepts that the electron microscope image is a cross. This is because they are prepped before hand with the diagrammatic structure. With this shape in mind, they're ready to see a "cross" out of anything, especially any four-pronged object regardless of how much it was twisted and flailing about in solution.

*'''Remarkable incredulity'''
:The whole "it's crazy" or "it's remarkable" speech towards the end, said in a fever-pitch voice to boot, is a good way of convincing an audience that they're seeing something new, special and most of all ''right''. People in general are more [[credulous]] to ideas that seem to astound them, a simple story is not as effective as a mind-blowing, complex, improbable but still nicely reaffirming one.

==See also==
*[[Apologetics]]
*[[Argument from design|Teleological argument]]
*[[Molecular biology]]
*[[Religious pareidolia]]

==External links==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e4zgJXPpI4 Laminin] — Louie Giglio
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0-NPPIeeRk Laminin] — the shorter version of the above.
*[http://www.snopes.com/glurge/laminin.asp Snopes.com — Laminin]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Chemicals]]

Categories: Biology, Chemicals