Arkansas public school science teacher
By on Mar 23rd, 2006 at 5:50 pm
Arkansas public school science teacher
says faculty are forbidden to use the “e-word” (evolution). More: “I am instructed NOT to use hard numbers when telling kids how old rocks are. I am supposed to say that these rocks are VERY VERY OLD…but I am NOT to say that these rocks are thought to be about 300 million years old.”
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Just say EVOLUTION and let them fire you
…. then take your newly minted first amendment case to to court to expose the nonsense that the Republicans have brought to the table…..
This is something for DEMS to rally around and donations would pour in to cover your lost salary…..
Lets do it…it time to stop this !!!
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:00 pmThis is really getting out of hand… I heard that the Bush administration has put plaques by the Grand Canyon and other national parks saying that evolution is just a theory, and supporting the creation myth.
We need to impeach these bastards before we end up like England in “V for Vendetta”.
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:08 pmSame strategy as the anti-choice groups. Starve states of the availability of the service. Make abortions impossible to come by because doctors have been harrassed out of the state.
By a similar token, make knowledge impossible to come by, without having to outright ban the practice of educating the public. I agree that this practice needs to be challenged, but realize that for the principals involved, violent retribution and death threats are very real possibilities should they decide to make themselves lightning rods.
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:10 pmgod i have had enough of these fanatical christian mother fuckers! next they’ll be insisting babies come from the cabbage patch! i will never vote for another retardican again in my life. and if i ever did please forgive me!
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:14 pmWell, with all the inbreeding in Arkansas, it’s just easier to teach them that way. I’ve been to Arkansas a few times, and I’ve never seen so many gold-toothed people. If you can’t spell the word, no way you’re going to understand the concept.
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:19 pmWould it not be better to let these people fail? In a few years when their children are uneducated, and unable to compete in the real world, we can start working on the school system then.
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:31 pmThat is shocking. I can’t believe this is America.
What the fuck is wrong with those people? Why do they purposely want to be STUPID?
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:32 pmReally, it isn’t anything new, at least to me. In the 1980s, I, as a science teacher in Texas, was told the same thing by the superintendent of my school district. What’s more, I was reprimanded because I told the children that swearing was inappropriate at school, when I should have told them that the Bible forbids it. My fellow teachers described the one African American student using the N word. The neighboring town’s schools were named after Confederate Civil War heros.
Coming into the region from California, it was a shock to my system and I protested. But for those living there their entire lives, it’s the norm. I was concidered a Yankee itellectual elitist trouble-maker. Interesting to see that not much has changed.
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:39 pmWell, on the bright side, in twenty years time we will have a uneducated cheap labor pool to pick our fruit and do our landscaping IN AMERICA!
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:42 pmit’s sad when you’re not allowed to know what you know, but instead have to present a watered-down version… kinda like political correctness…
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:43 pmI call it intellectual suicide.
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:44 pmThe christian whack-jobs are teaching this to their christianinnies, and soon they won’t know the difference.
The home of Lil Abner is living up to its fictional reputation.
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:48 pmCitizen, 80203 (in twenty years time we will have a uneducated cheap labor pool to pick our fruit and do our landscaping) and we’ll have all those unquestioning, young and strong bodies to send to foreign lands to fight stupid wars too.
http://www.demockratees.com/kansas.htm
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:51 pmGoodbye AK….nice knowing ‘ya. Maybe you’ll be my garbageman, the bathroom attendant, or perhaps even a restaurant hostess…….take that Jesus Education and put it to good use!
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:56 pmAnd as our population is dumbed down, we become better low wage workers, content to suffer under bad conditions with little voice to change anything.
That is the plan, create a pliable under-class to assure a supply of cheap labor.
March 23rd, 2006 at 6:57 pmWhat the fuck happened to “hearing both sides of the story”? At first these religious maniacs claimed they would be fine if both sides were taught – but now they clearly want ONLY they’re side to be taught.
I can only hope that these kids will grow up and realised they were lied to.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:00 pmNot allowing people to discuss Evolution will not make it go away as a scientific reality. Not allowing people to talk about evolution does not do America any good, all it does is make our science programs dumber, and right now we are sorely lacking in the sciences in this country.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:01 pmSo all these red states are going to legislate themselves “back to the stone age” (tip of the hat to Gen. Curtis Lemay).
Something I try to tell my right wing friends is that if conservatism was all that successful as a political philosophy, wouldn’t we all still be ‘wearing skins and living in caves’? Come to think of it even that is too progressive. It should be ‘running naked on the savannah.’
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:07 pmI have to admit that running naked on the savannah might not be too bad sometimes.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:10 pmSo much for faith. The religious show just how thin their beliefs actually are if but “a whif of science” or a “hint of reason” so easily refutes said belief.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:13 pmWhy does it not surprise me that this stuff happens in red states…
First South Dakota and now Arkansas
Wake up SHEEP the Republican Party wants you STUPID AND PREGNANT
in order to supply CHEAP LABOR and bodies for endless wars
you know what maybe you deserve each other…have at it….
any DEMS in these backward-ass states come up to civilization and reside with us…..
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:19 pmJesus God, we’re all fucked, aren’t we? Next thing you know, metereology will be replaced with faith-based pseudo sciences like “God weather.”
OK, bloggers, time’s running out. The contest ends in about 28 ½ hours so if you’ve, somehow unaware of it or haven’t thought of a caption, yet, now’s the time. The contest post has been kept bumped to the top in the interests of access and I’ve gotten almost 60 punchline. Not all are eligible, since about half the entries come from anonymous commentrs. Butr if you’re a blogger, it would be helpful if you provided an email address either in your entry or somewhere on your blog (obviously, so I can reach you to let you know you’ve won). So, get those entries in while you can if you want to publicize your blog. Need any extra incentive? Here’s some: Mike Finn will link to the site hosting Assclowns of the Week this weekend on Crooks and Liars.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:24 pmAttention Arkansans:
Evolution : Based on factual evidence then subjected to scientific study, analysis and research. (ie; not magic)
Intelligent Design : Based on theological dogma with absolutely no basis in fact. (ie; magic)
USA : Based upon Constitution and laws (including specific seperation of church and state) protecting the peoples rights and freedoms. To kill is a crime.
Taliban : Based upon theocratic extremism that suppresses and denies the rights and freedoms of individuals. Killing is condoned and encouraged (in clear contridiction of the first edict of all recognized dieties).
You folks down there need to realize the side your picking and understand the consequences.
OT: Did you know that the toothbrush was invented in Arkansas? Sure enough, otherwise it would have been called a “teethbrush”.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:25 pmLet the crackers and yokels do it. It is their right, after all. Their so-called minds are already filled with such a load of religioso crackpot nonsense they don’t really have any other choice without turning their backs on the only mold culture they have.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:26 pmPolling data shows Arkansas is just doing that mainstream thing. Only 12% believe that evolution only should be taught in school. Creationism only got 23% and 55% believe those 2 plus intelligent design should be taught in school.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:27 pmThe American Age lasted some 75 years,and we’ll be able to see the downfall accelerate from here.
I COULD make a crack about Arkansas, being from Oklahoma and all, but I won’t– besides now that I’ve said that you’re all thinking of your own zingers anyway, so, mission accomplished!
Beware of any group which tries to limit the people’s access to information. There’s a word for these censorious types– Communists comes to mind– and I thought Repubs considered themselves anathema to pinko ideas.
Or maybe they didn’t think it through? Nahhhhhhh….
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:46 pmWhat? Y’all don’t like the freshly minted theocracy?
People did not know what they were electing? Idiots.
I guess we will just have to pay for the majority ignorance
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:54 pmof history. I don’t think the founding fathers could have protected
us from willful ignorance combined with the GOP criminal
syndicate.
http://www.arkansas.gov/house/about_house.html
The House of the 85th General Assembly is made up of 84 men and 16 women; 72 are Democrats and 28 are Republicans
The House has 10 Standing Committees:
Education
Judiciary
Public Health, Welfare & Labor
Public Transportation
Revenue and Taxation
Aging, Children & Youth
Legislative & Military Affairs
Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development
City, County and Local Affairs
Insurance and Commerce
State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
Geeee!!!! You would almost think one of those 72 Democrats over the 28 republicans would do something huh?
I’m sure it has to do with Bush and company though. Lets just make sure we keep stirring the pot on how it’s the evil Republican agenda and everyone is powerless to stop them. If this isn’t stop at the Arkansas house of Representatives I can think of a whole lot of people on both sides to blame here.
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:55 pmIS IT TIME TO GO OUT IN THE STREETS AND SCREAM OR IS IT TIME TO THINK OF A MARCH TO WASHINGTON .
March 23rd, 2006 at 7:59 pmOboy, Now begins the massive book burnings. 200 years ago, the German-Jewish poet Heine forewarned,”where one burns books, there eventually one burns people”.
March 23rd, 2006 at 8:09 pmHey people, check out cnn.com!
Look at all of the news headlines on their homepage. Pathetic! I think the mainstream news media got a call from the white house telling them to cool it on their reporting of REAL ISSUES. I’m not joking! They have launched an all out campaign to distract the public! Wow, I just saw “V For Vendetta” last night and the parallels our striking! WTF is happening to this country.
March 23rd, 2006 at 8:11 pmHmm, it looks like one state’s educational curriculum is not as robust as another’s. It puts a burden on higher education establishments to weed out the inadequate programs, but refusing to accept students for science and/or biological sciences who come from Arkansas would solve this issue. They obviously are not being prepared for higher education.
March 23rd, 2006 at 8:12 pm#33
Oh My, I agree with TerrytheTurtle on something!!!!!
Falls over in shock and disbelief.
If these yahoo’s are stupid enough to not allow their children to learn anything about evolution, well, Sorry if they can’t cut it in higher educational establishments or careers where it’s needed.
March 23rd, 2006 at 8:16 pmAmerica is full of Dumb Fuck Hypocrite Religious Idiots!!!
I don’t mind Religious Idiots in general. It’s the religious hypocrites I can’t stand.
Religious idiots like those snake handlers who say that God will keep snakes from biting them, and if the snake bites them, they leave it up to God save them or not. Those guys are all right. Natural Selection will take care of them in time.
But the rest… Fuck those Hypocrites!!!
They want to shove there religion down everyone’s throats and at the same time they prevent everyone’s kids from learning about science. But what do they do when they get sick? Do they go to a church? Do they stay home and pray? Fuck no they go to one of those science guys in the white coats… this totally fucks up Natural Selections ability to weed them out. Damn!
Also – they are the ones stockpiling all of the avian flu vaccine. Does this seem ironic to anyone else. Religious ideologs waiting for a virus to mutate and change into a different virus… hmmmm… sounds strangely like evolution to me. Okay Okay – End Rant Now.
March 23rd, 2006 at 8:49 pmWe need to impeach these bastards before we end up like England in “V for Vendettaâ€.
Comment by ShamRockNRoll
I just saw V for Vendetta last night, and I knew folks would start making this comparision because it’s what I was thinking. Published in 1989, it predates the similar Bush fascist version of reality. For those who think the Bushies had something to do with 9/11/2001 besides simply falling down on the job, this movie is for you. But the parallels are striking: the use of fear and the media to spread that fear in order to curtail personal freedoms and control the public. And then there’s the bonus side effect of making those in power disgustingly rich. And then there’s the hypocrisy of those in power demanding an obtuse morality (including persecution of gays) that they wantonly ignore in private. Good flick.
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:15 pmCZ-1,
It’s a great flick isn’t it? And I agree with the relevance of that movie to our times. Don’t the ‘trolls’ on here remind you of the guy who ‘bit’ it? He was making money from the propaganda as well, and karmically paid the price. I’m glad I believe in Karma :)
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:23 pmJust curious- How do creationists explain dinosaur bones?
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:31 pmWiscoDuk,
They believe that the dinosaurs went extinct in recent times (post noah).
People tease the poor dopes by calling them ‘jesus horses’.
Creationsists are morons.
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:38 pmI think for a while the church’s opinion on dinosaur fossils, was that satan had placed them into the ground to lead man astray. no joke.
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:42 pmAh- thanks Ryan
Forgot about Noah maybe forgetting to load the dino’s
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:42 pmSure has me smiling
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:48 pmArkansas Taliban.
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:56 pmHere’s a Conservative Theory of Evolution Republicans can apparently support.
March 23rd, 2006 at 9:58 pmSounds like Governor Huckabee is ready to join the American Taliban.
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:00 pmA fundamentalist of any ilk is not interested in any open discussion or discourse or discovery. He is only interested in promoting the “pure” message that he already believes. There is no data gathering that does not support the prejudiced opinion. All arguments are only to get a leg up on the other ideas. If creationism can’t be taught, then it’s ID. Once ID is taught, then the movement will be to quash any other idea and ban evolution. If they can’t ban evolution then it will be natural selection or adaptation.
Faith based science: Might as well burn all books and outlaw experience…except the bible. Then it will who’s bible is right and whose is wrong. Even when they read, they cannot get past the literal words to the CONCEPTS behind them. Thinking is the enemy to these faith based ninnies.
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:02 pmAs much as laugh about how ridiculous the ID/evolution “debate†is- It seems it isn’t that funny. I like to occasionally monitor the reight wing am talk shows (Rush, Sean, et. al.) to see what their latest propaganda is all about. These clowns have been attacking the public school system incessantly. They (must) also receive their marching orders from a central source because their daily talking points are exactly the same. Scary to think that the “dumbing down†of our youth is a concerted effort.
Also- It’s not like there is no room for God in evolution. (Just not the white flowing beard guy.) I’m not a physicist but have an informed layman’s understanding of quantum physics. The big bang theory (as proven as can be) and even the relatively new “string theory†are abound with the concept of a higher power.
Somehow I doubt the next Einstein comes out of the AK school system.
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:32 pmYou highly-educated bloggers keep using ‘AK’ for Arkansas; in fact ‘AK’ is Alaska and ‘AR’ is Arkansas.
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:52 pmThanks Martha
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:54 pmI say, srew ‘em. use the “E” word to your heart’s delight!! take heed to that jeff teacher from colorado.
it’s time to resist the madness.
isn’t mike huckabee the governor of Arkansas? that guy is a major wingnut and he wants to be president. wow!! if these religious wingnuts don’t see the parallel of their political dogma with that of Iran’s then we’re just lost as a country.
and i hate to tell them, but it was Masons who founded this country, NOT Christians. in fact, the kind of fundamental religion they practice today was not even around when this country was founded, so they need to shut up with their little mantra about the founding fathers practicing the same religion as them.
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:55 pmit’s a fallacy.
and George Washington would be laughing at the bible thumpers if he was around today.
Ryan,
I wonder when Guy Fawkes’ masks will become extremely popular? Wouldn’t it be fantastic to see a Million Mask march on Washington D.C.?! On November 5th maybe? Get ‘em eBay now:
March 23rd, 2006 at 10:57 pmIntelligent Design is a fraud perpetuated to advance a cause. It’s part of the Wedge Strategy, designed to replace science with theology:
Governing Goals
* To defeat scientific materialism and its destructive moral, cultural and political legacies.
* To replace materialistic explanations with the theistic understanding that nature and hurnan beings are created by God.
FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN SUMMARY
The social consequences of materialism have been devastating. As symptoms, those consequences are certainly worth treating. However, we are convinced that in order to defeat materialism, we must cut it off at its source. That source is scientific materialism. This is precisely our strategy. If we view the predominant materialistic science as a giant tree, our strategy is intended to function as a “wedge” that, while relatively small, can split the trunk when applied at its weakest points. The very beginning of this strategy, the “thin edge of the wedge,” was Phillip ]ohnson’s critique of Darwinism begun in 1991 in Darwinism on Trial, and continued in Reason in the Balance and Defeatng Darwinism by Opening Minds. Michael Behe’s highly successful Darwin’s Black Box followed Johnson’s work. We are building on this momentum, broadening the wedge with a positive scientific alternative to materialistic scientific theories, which has come to be called the theory of intelligent design (ID). Design theory promises to reverse the stifling dominance of the materialist worldview, and to replace it with a science consonant with Christian and theistic convictions.
http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/archive/wedge_document.html
March 23rd, 2006 at 11:10 pmGeorge Washington would be laughing at the bible thumpers if he was around today.
Somewhat true banana- Such is why the provisions of separation of church and state in the constitution.
George Washington was the Grand Master of Masons at the time. Which is the primary reason he was chosen to be the nations first president over gentlemen with greater intellect. There are many paintings of him adorning the square and compass insignia. Masons disguised as Indians also threw the Boston Tea Party.
BTW- Most masons in this country are christians- but you don’t have to be a christian to be a mason.
March 24th, 2006 at 12:19 amdon’t even get me started with the Boston Tea Party and how un-Americans flex their “patriotic” muscle by resisting paying higher taxes as a result.
just as they take a sentence or two from the Bible to spread their dogmatic religious bollocks all over the place, they take a paragraph from history to legitimate their anti-tax paying stance.
what they fail to recognize is that the refusal to pay taxes back then, was refusal to pay taxes to the British Crown, not to the American government.
Let me rephrae: the Masons that founded this country did not practice the type of Christianity that the fundamentalists practice today. The fundamentalist protestantism practiced by these right wing religious fanatics is only 150 years old. Our Country is much older than that.
March 24th, 2006 at 12:30 amWow. We Arkansans are famous. The Arkansas Times just posted a link to this blog on their blog http://www.arktimes.com/Weblogs/WeblogItemDetail.aspx?WebLogItemID=a9d1f274-6197-421c-8c31-d58b4eedb041&WeblogID=dabe8285-8214-4a72-ae7c-7ed16bb5ed5b&type=0&method=0
Anyhoo, I must say I’m completely ashamed of Arkansas’ stance on evolution.
And before you start dishing out your jokes, let me remind you that two of the most promising candidates for president in recent history have come from Arkansas: Bill Clinton and Wesley Clark, both Rhodes scholars. You bitches need to thank us Arkansan Democrats for bailing your asses out! I’m kidding (except not really). Three presidential candidates if you count Hillary.
Second, let me reply to some of these comments:
“any DEMS in these backward-ass states come up to civilization and reside with us….. “
Thanks, but we’ve got to fight our own fights in our Arkansas. We Arkansan Democrats love Arkansas, but that doesn’t mean we’ll become lemmings like a large percentage of Arkansans. The article you read is from the Arkansas Times, arguably one of the biggest Arkansas patriots. Yet, it’s still a liberal bastion of reasoning in this generally conservative state.
“I COULD make a crack about Arkansas, being from Oklahoma and all, but I won’t– besides now that I’ve said that you’re all thinking of your own zingers anyway, so, mission accomplished!”
Hehe. You’re from Oklahoma, right? Doesn’t Tulsa have the biggest number of churches per capita? Hasn’t your state gone majorly Republican nationally and locally over the past 50 years or so, while Arkansas has a 3/4 Democratic representatives and 2 Democratic senators? Owned and owned. Oh yeah, and you have the crazy representative who wants to kill abortion doctors and is made fun of on the Daily Show from time to time.
The House of the 85th General Assembly is made up of 84 men and 16 women; 72 are Democrats and 28 are Republicans
The problem is that most of the Democrats are conservative. The Republicans encompass only conservatives, while the Democrats encompass everything from conservative to progressive liberals. So, sad to say, even though we’ve had uber-liberal senators like William Fulbright (anti-vietnam activist) and Dale Bumpers, or Clark and Clinton, we have a large, large number of conservative Democrats. Still, they’re truer and fairer than most Republicans, and I would prefer them over Republicans any day.
March 24th, 2006 at 12:45 amRight on banana!
BTW- Kudos on several of your previous posts- keep up the good work!
March 24th, 2006 at 12:46 amAh, correction: Clinton and Clark are not uber-liberal. I guess I forgot the previous part of my sentence…..
March 24th, 2006 at 12:57 amthanks Wisc.
Hey John From Arkansas. I love Little Rock. What a groovy little town. I went to the Bill Clinton Presidential Library, and if anyone wants a heart-lifting experience, to remember what America used to be like, I suggest you get your sweet selves to Little Rock.
I hear that the Library gets three times the visitors than they projected. The folks there are so nice and the guards are friendly too, unlike the ones you encounter when entering “Department of Homeland Security” buildings. (i’m referring to INS buildings — which have since had their names changed to Department of HOmeland Security.
March 24th, 2006 at 1:17 amHey John,
I don’t know if I’d call this issue Republican vs Democrat though. Most of the republicans I know (I realize not an official poll) Fully support teaching evolution. I even have alot of family in the southern region and I can honestly say I don’t know anyone that is that wacko personally.
Obviously there must be a large enough group to keep this BS going but I’d say it’s more of a “Religious Zealot” vs
Realist“Believer of evolution”.Sadly there are so many religous shows on TV that both sides watch and send their money into. I think this whole issue is going to come to a head soon and enough people that have bothered to keep quiet will pipe up.
March 24th, 2006 at 1:32 amThanks Banana. We’re pretty proud of Little Rock. (On a side note, the Arkansas Times will be hosting the Annual Convention of the Association of Alternative [progressive] Weeklies http://aan.org/gyrobase/Aan/ViewPage?oid=oid%3A2089 .)
Yes, the Clinton Library has exceed expectation by around 150k-200k. They originally predicted 300,000 in the first year, but they received I think something like ~450k. The Clinton Library has helped spawn $billions in development forLittle Rock’s downtown (new highrises, river rail, attractions, musuems [cool ones] and therefrom restaurants, clubs, etc).
There’s a hope that the Clinton Foundation (a nonprofit) has spawned a “nonprofit corridor” in Little Rock analagous to NC’s Research Triangle and California’s Silicon Valley. Heifer International, one of the top 50 nonprofits, has just opened its newest headquarters right next to the Clinton Library (pictures: http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.1485559/) and Lions Services for the Blind International is on its way. (I think there’s also several smaller organizations.) As an Arkansan, the prospect of Little Rock having it’s “niche” industry is thrilling, especially since it’s based in such a good cause.
Visit the library folks; I’m sure you’ll be surprised.
March 24th, 2006 at 1:44 amTrue, Tundra. I guess I could say the same about some Republicans (supporting evolution)…
But the fact of the matter is that Republicans, in the south at least, cater to the religious zealots. They inflame the wackos with empty rhetoric, and often time win elections because of it. The Democrats have very few religious “anti-evolutionists” in comparison.
You may not know any “wackos” personally, but they’re more prevalent than you might think. Back in my church-a-goin’ days, I didn’t realize I was actually part of a rather open-minded denomination until I went to a friend’s church. His church was in the backwoods and several miles outside my city (not Little Rock). Well, these people were very scary, getting overly emotional in church and condemning all worldly music (including classical). Women have to wear skirts and long hair, and men have to wear long pants. Crazy shit. And yes, they predominantly voted Republican.
March 24th, 2006 at 1:51 amRegionally, only among Southerners does a plurality (45%) support replacing evolution with creationism in the schools.
WOW, I didn’t think it would be that high, puts a new perspective on the opposition to it for me.
In fact the pew research shows it’s more like an ‘educated’ vs. ‘uneducated’ issue, and a ‘religious zealot’ vs ‘religious moderate’ issue.
I would agree with you on that one.
Tundra, you get all of the dumba$$e$ along with the tent poles :)
March 24th, 2006 at 2:35 amNot me, I am more of a right leaning Libertarian :)
Well, if they don’t want to teach evolution, give’em a cow bone and let them crush some cow skulls. Maybe then would be happy.
March 24th, 2006 at 6:44 amWhen the Conservatives complain that this is really a local school board issue remind them of Ebonics and the Oakland school district.
March 24th, 2006 at 7:05 amHere’s a word you should use–
DEVOLVE
I don’t know, Arkansas, it just sort of suits you.
.
March 24th, 2006 at 7:37 amThe Bushifacation of John McCain.
In the summer of 2005, John McCain told the Arizona Daily Star about his newfound support for teaching creationism, (”Intelligent Design”). That’s a big change from 2000, when McCain declared it was an issue for local school boards. The 2000 Bush campaign proclaimed creationism “ought to be taught.” McCain may hope this 2005 reversal will be old news by 2008, but the Daily Star’s headline still blared that, “McCain sounds like presidential hopeful.”
All you McCain supporters need to keep that in mind before you think he’s your man. His “rebirthing” and groveling to gain Bush’s far right conservative base is sickening, except, of course, for us rightwing rednecks.
March 24th, 2006 at 7:53 am#67 – Joe, I used to have respect for Sen. McCain. That was until I saw the way he’s been toadying up to Pres. Bush after “Dubya” questioned his mental fittness to be president in the ‘Phant primary. I think he said “Open your military records to show you’re mentally fit!”
When Sen. McCain didn’t respond with “I’ll open up mine when you open up yours” I began to smell the smelly smell of something that smells smelly.
When someone smacks you upside the head and you turn around and lick their feet, you lose what respect I have for you. I would have voted for Sen. McCain if he had run in 2000, but now I’ll vote for anyone running against Se. McCain.
March 24th, 2006 at 8:29 amThe sweetest fruit is the one that is forbidden.
I tell the kids (I live in Georgia) that I won’t discuss evolution. Have any idea how much they beg? Any idea how much they want to know because adults are telling them that they can’t know?
Through reverse psychology, these ignorant Bible thumpers are actually making the youngest generation curious about Evolution. Cool, huh?
March 24th, 2006 at 8:32 amYeah, I’m with you. As former serviceman myself, I liked him. But after the way the Republican Party used him for asswipe during the NC Primary, then exiled him until they needed to use him for junior’s relection, I was astounded.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but he is so desperate to be accepted by the Republican right wing, he will say or do anything in hopes of being the nominee in 2008. You want to read about some of his flip flops on everything from creationism to gay rights, check out:
March 24th, 2006 at 8:41 am
Ooops. The link:
March 24th, 2006 at 8:42 am
I’ll try again:
http://www.alternet.org/story/28266/
March 24th, 2006 at 8:44 amSimply voting something because majority of the people feel that way is not always the best idea. Evolution is pretty much fact, because only 12% of the population believes it does not make it any less of a fact. I would imagine that there are issues in Arkansas that they don’t take polls on where the majority opinion would be wrong. For instance I wonder how mixed race marriages would fare in the polls? Or schools of mixed race? Having majority support only means that people feel a certain way, it does not mean they are right.
March 24th, 2006 at 9:20 amDamn flat-earthers.
March 24th, 2006 at 9:26 am#38 wd,
March 24th, 2006 at 9:26 amThey believe carbon dating is an unproven science. Science is nothing more than opinion, don’t you know.
#14 “Goodbye AK….nice knowing ‘ya. Maybe you’ll be my garbageman, the bathroom attendant, or perhaps even a restaurant hostess…….take that Jesus Education and put it to good use! Comment by Punchy — March 23, 2006 @ 6:56 pm”
Don’t forget neoconservative politician, lobbyist, think-tank administrator, and FOX commentator! But at least those other professions have an inherent measure of dignity and honesty. Neocons have neither.
And BTW, the idea that out of all the countless possibilities, we happened to evolve is remarkable, if downright miraculous. The idea that we were popped into existence by the snap of a finger doesn’t make us miraculous; it makes us more like an afterthought.
March 24th, 2006 at 9:50 amYes and the Tooth Fairy Really Exists..
and the Earth Flooded 2000 years ago, miraculously leaving behind all those Scrolls, ancient texts and books under water ruined never to be found again.
Does anyone see a problem with that Story?
Now Look at Mars and the Geyser.
March 24th, 2006 at 10:16 amI’ve been grading tests the classes just took on The Universe. So far, three have answered the question “how was the solar system formed” with the word ‘God’. I marked it wrong. Stay tuned…
March 24th, 2006 at 10:17 amI Wonder if this is the Same School that taught Clinton what IS IS.
March 24th, 2006 at 10:18 am#34, Tundra, you surprise me, that’s the only I’ve said that you can agree with? You mean you don’t think IRI’s a Nazi?
March 24th, 2006 at 10:21 amSnapped into Existence?
Inflated is more likely, current estimate is a trillionth of a trillionth of a Second.
We are Bar-Baryons! =)
March 24th, 2006 at 10:26 am#78 I wonder where reason stops and God takes over with these kids? If the solar system was created by God, then where do they stop? Evolution’s a theory, and so is Quantum mechanics – so who makes the computer compute there Einstein? Come on, extra credit waiting for you with a correct answer. UB, maybe you should get the kids excited about your class – how about turning lead into gold or maybe bring a few leeches in and cure some acne.
Liked your point about kids rebelling and adopting evolution as a rebel statement – that’s funny. Puritan Dad: “Get to church you spawn of Satan, you’re going to hell!” Kid: “Up yours Dad, I’m off down to the canal to smoke weed and talk about the Beagle voyage”
March 24th, 2006 at 10:26 amEvolution is pretty much fact, because only 12% of the population believes it does not make it any less of a fact.
I believe evolution is the best option we have so far, but I wouldn’t call it a fact. That kind of thought sort of removes the whole teach my child every possible option and give them the free thought to make up their own mind.
Making it the only thing taught is just as bad as only teaching creationism.
“how was the solar system formedâ€
March 24th, 2006 at 10:29 amWhat is the correct answer to this question?
Tundra, you’re falling into the Mike Huckabee school of logical thought here:
1. evolution is a fact – living creatures evolve or have you found a use for your appendix that we don’t know about? Or watch out, evolution is coming to a sneezing chicken near you, sometime very soon.
2. the Theory of Evolution is an explanation of a large series of repeatable facts where creatures evolve or have evolved. Can it explain everything about the world we see around us – no? Neither does Newton’s Theory of Gravity, but the Apollo astronauts thought it would get them there and back again
3. What creationism and ID offer us? Nothing useful.
What else do you suggest teaching in a science class on the history of life besides evolution?
March 24th, 2006 at 10:41 amHey did you guys know that the earth is flat?
Oh, and the moon is made out of cheese.
And DNA is a myth.
And the sky is blue because it’s God’s favorite color.
When it thunders, God is bowling.
March 24th, 2006 at 10:48 am#85 Bobcat, sounds like the name of a book…
March 24th, 2006 at 10:51 amID to me is people’s rationale when they can’t deal with complicated things and are afraid that there is a chance that this world is all there is. They can’t cope with the thought that there isn’t a giant invisible hand guiding them through their life.
“Ah, shucks. This whole world thing is complicated. Oh, well. Something much smarter than me must of just made it, then. Hope they take care of me.”
March 24th, 2006 at 10:51 am#86…
Wow. For a good full minute, I thought that was real. That site is hilarious.
March 24th, 2006 at 10:56 amFact is: In science there are no facts, just certainties.
Frances Crick and James Watson arrived at a double helix dna model and won a coveted Nobel Prize for the work they did.
Frances Crick was also an anti-evolutionist.
It’s ok to be a brainwashed evolutionist.
It’s hard to cope these days.
March 24th, 2006 at 11:06 amTurtle,
I’m sorry if you know for a fact you are right and everyone who doesn’t agree with you is wrong. Personally my answer is I don’t know. Do I think some “magical creature” created me, nope. Am I saying the only options are the ones we have on the table at this stage, Nope.
To paraphrase men in black:
1500 years ago, everybody “knew” that the earth was the center of the universe. 500 years ago, everybody “knew” that the earth was flat. And 15 minutes ago, Turtle “knew” for a fact evolution was the answer to it all.
March 24th, 2006 at 11:12 am#90 – I’m not the owner of the facts, Tundra, so you are disagreeing with the facts, not me. Sorry you feel you want to make it personal – it’s not at all. I think you might be better served, in a scientific discussion, applying a little scientific rigor to your debate. If you are going to talk about scientific theories, use the correct definition, please. Mr Huckabee clearly does not, but I’m sorry for the jibe, it was unnecessary. I agree with you that there may be an alternative more exacting theory besides evolution to explain it. Its clear to me that ID and creationism are not theories as science understands theories and therefore offer nothing useful to a science curriculum and are better off left to Sunday mornings.
Sorry, I did not say that, I said:
I am also not sure, for exactly the same reasons you give: the history of science is littered with the bones of great theories that explained a few testable phenomena, but fell apart when presented with new data. Darwin may go the same way, but until the day when the facts don’t fit, I am a Darwinist. I’d appreciate it if you would debate honestly and not put words into my mouth.
March 24th, 2006 at 11:25 amSorry Tundra but as of today as of now Evolution is a scientific fact. Calling somethign a theory in science is pretty much calling it a fact. To be elevated to the level of theory the hypothesis has to go through a rigorous process.
As of now, as of today there is nothing out there that can pass scientific examination which can offer any plausible excplanation. Intelligent design is a belief with no evidence and no way to produce any evidence…it is of the super natural. Creationism is also. Creationism is simply what a man wrote in a book to explain what was at the time unexplainable. Every culture has their creationism story and none are proveable.
March 24th, 2006 at 11:33 amWhat the fuck is wrong with those people? Why do they purposely want to be STUPID?
Comment by ElectricBassPlayer #7
Electric,
It is truly incredible how many “EDUCATED”, intelligent, and socially aware people (not unlike yourself)…
…fail to see that American red states are enclaves of incestuously engineered inbreds…
…this is a very REAL phenomenon…
…the sooner Progressive americans realize this population of recessive gene pool carriers…
…the sooner we can go about the task of ISOLATING them…
…they are responsible for the horrible state of our country today, and must be held accountable…
March 24th, 2006 at 11:40 am#70-72, Thanks for the info!
Yeah, when you’re someones political “bitch” once, that’s what you are forever.
If the man had a shred of integrity, he would have stood up for himself. As far as I can tell, he’s another “yes man” for the Republican corruption that has stained the office of President and our country.
March 24th, 2006 at 11:44 amHey, I love our state…warts and all. Is what’s going on in some of Arkansas’ schools scary? You bet. But it’s not like we’ve cornered the market on religious nuts (George Bush, Santorum, etc). The seepage of religious fanaticism into many of our school systems has been an ongoing disaster for several years…regardless of where you live.
Many school health-education programs across the country have been subverted by preachers who work hard to disguise their abstinence programs as just another (and valid) scientific approach to sex education.
Like our governors…Arkansas seems to be a dichotomy of extremes. We gave ya Clinton now the Huckabee seems intent on spreading his preaching ways across the country. I am sorry for that…
March 24th, 2006 at 11:57 amHmm. Well Mel Gibson doesn’t believe in evolution and doesn’t understand why if evolution is true, monkies, chimps, and orangs haven’t evolved yet. Yet, he makes pretty good money. The future generation may be ignorant and taught silly anti-science non-sense, but they will be okay if they can just all become action movie stars! Or, I suppose, deacons at their church.
So it may not be that bad…
Besides, the world needs a country to be the designated laughing stock. “No no, USA… We’re laughing WITH you, not AT you…”
Is it difficult to become a Canadian citizen?
March 24th, 2006 at 12:32 pm“how was the solar system formedâ€
What is the correct answer to this question?
Comment by Tundra — March 24, 2006 @ 10:29 am
I just studied and taught this…
The Universe is approximately 13.7 billion years old. Our solar system is only about 5 billion, so our solar system formed when another star supernovaed, leaving behind gas, dust, hydrogen, and other chemical elements called a nebula. Only the heat of the Big Bang itself was hot enough to fuse hydrogen into all the other elements we currently know about (see the Periodic Table for this list). Since then, nuclear fusion can still fuse hydrogen into helium within stars, but in nature, all the elements that exist are all that there are (some labs have been fusing new chemicals however, because man loves to play ‘god’). This means that when we run out of hydrogen, and there’s nothing left to burn, The Universe will die – unless gravitational pull is great enough and then a Big Crunch will occur and repeat the cycle.
Back to our Solar System…
Due to the gravitational pull of its internal mass, hydrogen atoms within the nebula began to spin, clumping together in formations (due to the attraction of gravity and Relativity). As large amounts of hydrogen accumulated, the clumps began to grow hotter and hotter until nuclear fusion ignited. At this point, the center, became a protostar and the rest of the remaining nebula was put into orbit around the protostar.
The protostar eventually reached the mass of our sun, and as it evolved, the remaining rocks, dust, elements, water and gases in orbit cooled down and began to form planets, asteroids, comets and moons.
The catalyst in all of these systems is nuclear fusion, gravity, and the Theory of Relativity. You should do some research if you’re interested.
March 24th, 2006 at 12:35 pmScience is truly facsinating and amazing. I wish more people would see that funding for space exploration is actually letting us literally look into the past. From String Theory to Schrodenger’s Cat, it is how we will “find out where we came from.” And really, isn’t it much more interesting than two folks and a snake? Good gravy.
March 24th, 2006 at 12:59 pmYes, but two folks and a snake story is so much easier to understand for the dedicatedly stupid. Tooth fairy, fine. Dental work, … not so much. It’s a matter of not wanting to grow up. So now, not only do we have to worry about the message that is sent to children, we have to coddle the adult children as well.
March 24th, 2006 at 1:07 pm“how was the solar system formedâ€
What is the correct answer to this question?
Comment by Tundra — March 24, 2006 @ 10:29 am
This question has nothing to do with biological evolution.
The Theory of Evolution is an explanation of the observable fact that species evolve. It also explains the bio-diversity in our planet. If the Theory of Evolution were to be falsified, species would not stop evolving -much in the same way that, if the General Theory of Relativity were to be proven wrong, apples would not stop falling from trees. It would only mean that we got our explanation to the facts wrong, pure and simple.
And yes Tundra, the Theory of Evolution is the best explanation we have so far of the fact of evolution.
March 24th, 2006 at 1:07 pmYou should do some research if you’re interested.
Trust me, I find space exciting and spend more time researching that than about anything else J
I’m most likely just arguing semantics here. I just think in areas of Where did it all begin/where did we come from; ideas are going to constantly change as more data becomes available.
I’m also for teaching “Theories” that have been “Proven False” if only to help open the minds of students. I think if they see how new data is always coming/ideas that once were fact are shown to be silly (The snake charmer was an excellent example) they will continue to look for it. By calling something a “fact†it puts an absolute on it (To me).
T-Rex was known as the most fearsome hunter when I was growing up. Now there is a lot of debate about him being a scavenger and killing pretty much nothing. At the time I was growing up (A while ago) no one could think of a creature that size (With teeth that size) doing anything other than running down smaller prey and taking it out. We have learned a lot since then and the thought of it almost seems silly now (Leg muscles, top speed expected, arm length).
I guess my debate on the subject is teach as many theories as possible, but keep it open ended. I think the argument that the Anti-Evolution crowd is using where they have to explain all of the holes in the theory is stupid though. I think they need to explain that science is a “best guess†always and is going to “Evolve over time†(little play on words there) in the beginning of the class (As in first day of class) and then move forward. Like I said though mainly semantics.
March 24th, 2006 at 1:27 pmWell, to wrap up my contribution to the discussion, a bit of Robert Frost:
Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
March 24th, 2006 at 1:55 pmSome say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Are we gonna’ start burning books again? And I really don’t want to be around when we bring out the leaches and start bleeding the bad humors. I’m getting nauseas.
March 24th, 2006 at 3:24 pmyes now all we need to do is find us some Salem Witches for the finger pointers [aka limbaugh et ilk] to burn alive at the stake
March 24th, 2006 at 4:47 pmThe ransacking of Iraq’s historical treasures is explainable when one considers what the blood cult Christians really think about Islam.
**Franklin Graham, the heir to the empire built up by his anti-Semitic father, Billy Graham, has decided being anti-Muslim is far more financially rewarding than being anti-Jewish.
**Billy Graham, history notes from the Nixon tapes, complained about the Jewish stranglehold on the media and Jews being responsible for pornography.
**Franklin Graham continues to enjoy his father’s unfettered and questionable access to the White House. But in the case of Bush, the younger Graham has a fanatic adherent. Graham has called Islam a “very evil and wicked” religion. He then announces he wants to go to Iraq. Graham obviously sees an opportunity to convert Muslims and unrepentant Eastern Christians, who owe their allegiance to Roman and Greek prelates, to his perverted form of blood cult Christianity.
——–
The Military Industrial Hypocrites Cloaked in Religion and Politics! The Capicoms!
March 24th, 2006 at 5:02 pmI’ve noticed with interest how ad hominem arguments proliferate sites like this. The evolution crowd has a tendency to call their opponent as many nasty names as they can think of in 12 lines or less, and that settles the matter. The theory is, if you say it often enough people will start to believe it. Rarely have I ever seen an intelligent post that weighs the merits of the intelligent design position. I assume that’s because the posters really aren’t familiar with the concept, oh they think they are, but their understanding is pretty shallow, and the only way to win a debate is to shout obscenities at their opponents as loudly as possible.
“Creationists are morons”
“uneducated”
“religious zealots”
“dumba$$e$”
“anti-intellectual retards”
It’s a lot easier to call someone who questions your belief system a moron than it is to try to explain how all the information contained in a strand of DNA got there, how the replication mechanism got there (because without replication natural selection can’t begin to work), how life began in the ocean, water, which has a tendency to disperse chemicals rather than to bring them together (and how vast is that ocean!), the list goes on. In order for a theory to be truly accepted by everyone, it can’t hide behind a stream of invective.
I sense that an Intelligent Design or Creationist theory of how the Universe and life originated could be threatening to someone whose epistemology is not rooted in revelation–the revealed word of God. If one’s epistemology begins with a naturalistic explanation for observed phenomena, I can begin to understand such a visceral reaction and lack of tolerance whenever anyone questions the Theory of Evolution. This is the same kind of reaction we saw during the Inquisition. Question the church and suffer the consequences: excommunication, exile, and worse; question the scientific orthodoxy of today, and their high priests, the scientists, and the fate is the same: Loss of tenure, termination, ridicule, etc.
The concepts of Intelligent Design and Creationism are threatening — this line of thinking leads to the conclusion that there is an eternal creator, and perhaps we’re actually accountable to some Higher Power. Now that’s a scary thought.
The really neat part about examining science from this world view is the ability to express a sense of awe and wonder at a Creator who could design such incredible complexity, from the “simple” atom, to the “simple” amoeba, to the vastness of the Universe. Scientists from previous eras called it “thinking God’s thoughts after him.” I say, what a privilge. It truly makes the study of science exciting!
March 25th, 2006 at 7:20 pmThere is no creator. That is hogwash.
March 27th, 2006 at 11:01 amNonsense. Of course there is.
March 27th, 2006 at 11:29 pmHello: My name is Tom Maringer. I am the “Bob” that was referred to in the article by Jason Wiles. To set the record straight… it was not actually a public school setting, but a private non-profit science teaching facility called the Ozark Natural Science Center (ONSC) located in rural Madison County Arkansas. (You can easily google it up) I worked there as an instructor for three years. Fir the last two years of that time I argued strongly with my supervisor and the administration to change the policy that prohibited us (the instructors) from mentioning the “e” word, or geologic time to the kids. As an employee, subject to a strict “chain of cammand” heirachical organization structure, I was forbidden to broach the subject of our teaching constraints to any member of the supervisory board of directors. I had to quit my job in order to inform the board that, unbeknownst to them, science was being “dumbed down” at ONSC. In response, the administration labeled me a liar. So there it is… Christian theology supported by an organized system of obfuscation and lies. Does that sound “Godly”? I believe in a God that tells no lies. Every rock and tree and grain of sand tells its true story, if we are astute enough to read them. That is science. Science conclusions are supported by mountains of research… all of which can be reviewed… and much of which can be repeated and confirmed. Theology is based on the groundless belief in the absolute ierrancy of a human work of paper and ink. There is NO way to confirm any of the assertions therein… and in fact… they often go contradict the evidence of the real world. Religion may be able to address “why” questions of a philosophical nature… but it has NO POWER WHATSOEVER to address science questions of “how” and “when”. When religionists finally come to their senses and realize this, then science and religion can co-exist fraternally. As long as religionists insist on interpreting their scriptures to contradict REALITY then we will continue to have a conflict. Because of these poeple, I am now out of a job that I loved. But that has made me more, not less, dedicated to the scientific method as a path to true knowledge. Tom
March 28th, 2006 at 2:02 pmJust one final comment I forgot to add… What we have here is nothng less than a siuation in which a radical fundamentalist religious group is attempting to subvert the minds and hearts of OUR children, using coercion and bribery, in order to eventually take control of the government of the United States and turn it into a right-wing fundamentalist Christian theocracy. That literally amounts to sedition and treason. This is not a game to them, the TRUTH means nothing to them, and they have made more progress than most of us are willing to acknowledge. They have been repulsed at every level of government in their legal battles, but are now taking the fight to the schoolroom, using underhanded tactics to intimidate principals and teachers into avoiding certain science topics. Churches who engage in seditious conspiracy to tke over the government should be stripped of their non-profit status at the very least.
March 28th, 2006 at 2:14 pmTeacher Bob,
I just got through reading a fascinating book called “The Big Bang”, by Simon Singh, which traces the history of Astronomy, the competing theories for the origin of the universe, and the struggles endured by the various proponents of one theory over another. I was struck by the fact that the evidence seems to point to a definite beginning of time and space, and that one of the first things that happened was a massive disbursement of light energy from an invisible speck, and the creation of hydrogen and helium atoms in the same proportion observed in the cosmos today, in essence creation ex nihilo. As Genesis 1:3 says “And God said, let there be light, and there was light.” The more we learn from science the more it seems to corroborate the version presented in the Bible.
I think it’s just a matter of time before the theory of Evolution succumbs to the evidence. The complexity found in the tiniest life forms cannot be reproduced in the lab. The chemical processes are so intricate and the machinery at the subcellular level so exquisite that they are truly breathtaking. They cry out for an alternative to the current theory that they assembled themselves through random chance.
There can only be two possible explanations — there is no God and we are the result of an unfathomably large number of failed mutations or that there is a Creator who set the world in motion and designed the life forms we see today.
To force all children to look at science through the atheist’s microscope is highly offensive, at least to me. In fact a majority of the scientists of the last half of the 2nd millennium were Christians, whose beliefs did not interfere with their pursuit of the truth.
I think the best solution in light of the controversy is to offer students the option of learning science from one or the other or both perspectives. Teachers should be able to teach what’s most comfortable for them, and students should have the option of choosing their teachers. This choice is not currently offered, which might explain why so many are now electing to forgo public education in favor of private or homeschool options. The next best option is to avoid any reference to controversial theories, especially if one is offensive to religious beliefs of another group.
Without these choices, I think the inevitable result will be overreaction from both sides, from Creationists and Evolutionists each trying to force their way on the other. It sounds like the local education community where you worked chose the second option, to omit references to evolution and your choice was to go elsewhere. I don’t see the foul. If you were to stay and force the local school to teach something they didn’t believe in, how does that differ from them forcing you to teach Creationism against your will?
My solution is simple. I home school my children, and outsource the science to a teacher whose views I respect.
March 28th, 2006 at 11:11 pmWhen I first read this, I thought wow, that borders on child abuse doesn’t it; to keep your child ignorant and reduce their chances of success in the future. And there must be no libraries, zoos, field trips, or museums in Alabama. How locked up, mentally or physically, do you have to keep your kids, to kill their spirit and their natural curiosity.
Last night on Charlie Rose, Daniel Dennett spoke about his book, “Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon”
We know there are all kinds of religions, and within each religion their are different brands. Some of those brands are, as Mr. Dennett, would say rotten religions. He continued to say, all rotten religions survive by imposing forced ignornance on their children.
It is so odd to be fighting a battle in Iraq, trying to open their minds and provide better education, while the opposite is going on here.
Without explanation, I’ve felt for a number of years, our public dialogs have been one-sided. Certain people would not debate ideas, they were closed off. Now we have the explanation, or at least part, the radical religion right interjection into our government and they only work only in absolutes.
Some Republicans like Christine Todd Whitman have been talking about this. Her book is “It’s My Party, Too: The Battle for the Heart of the GOP and the Future of America”
I think the greatest danger to our Democracy is fundamentalism.
April 4th, 2006 at 1:32 pm>>When I first read this, I thought wow, that borders on child abuse doesn’t it;
Starting right off with an ad hominem attack. “If you don’t agree with me, I’m going to call you names, and the worst one I can think of is Child Abuser”. This is a classic technique to avoid debating the issue. You set up a strawman, and attack it instead of debating the real issue — the fundamental flaws in the theory of evolution.
Perhaps you’re ignorant of the type and scope of curriculum home schoolers engage in? If so, you can be forgiven for the hyperbole and bloviating about keeping kids in the dark. I have a 9 year old. This term we are studying photosynthesis and forestry. Next term we are studying astronomy. Last term we studied protein synthesis, (RNA, DNA, ribosomes, the code for creating amino acids, that sort of thing), before that it was Marine Biology and Estuaries, Electricity and Magnetism, the Sun, Nutrition and how the stomach works, the Eye and how vision works, Rocks and Minerals, and on and on. All of these wonderful subjects are examined with a sense of awe and wonder at the majesty of a good and loving creator, an intelligent designer, who has a glorious purpose for each one of his creations. Contrast that with the atheistic world view which says you’re nothing but a cosmic accident, a mutation. Let me see. Which world view should a caring parent expose his children to? The material is drawn from secular text books. The difference is who gets the credit–God.
>>I think the greatest danger to our Democracy is fundamentalism.
You may have a point. Evolutionists are a new breed of fundamentalist who have dug in their heels, buried their heads in the sand, covered their ears, and go “na na na na na” whenever their fragile beliefs are questioned.
April 4th, 2006 at 9:40 pmBy the way Jack, I happen to be Homeschooled and I am studying Evolution and its flaws. Last term while I was studying Protein Synthesis I came across the statements of cell doctrine — ‘all cells come from pre-existing cells’. If this is true, in the theory of Evolution, then where did the first cell come from? Even the most knowledgeable scientists cannot create a cell out of any chemical compounds. This is one of those great mysteries that is a stumbling block to the followers of Evolution.
With all due respect
April 4th, 2006 at 10:40 pmJen X
It’s not just the Republicans that attempt to forster ignorance on our school children. Christian fundamentalists come in all guises including Democrats. We must target the enemies of free thought and expression and not try to play petty party politics with the minds of our children.
June 5th, 2006 at 12:11 pmJen X. Try some real reading material that gets down with the facts. Try reading ‘Richard Dawkins’ for openers. That is, if your brave enough and have just an inkling of an open mind that hasn’t been overwhelmingly programmed over time and consequently stifled, by those bible engineered evangelists, who make a pretty buck with their ability (Long standing tradition) to hold both young and old minds hostage.
You are looking for cells? Look for viruses first as well as bacteria. It takes about sixteen years to get a real grasp of evolution but only one baptism to corrupt your mind. The later is easy and weekly bible lessons and Sunday ‘Come-to-Meeting’ events with your best rags on are the ‘Booster Shots’ to keep the sheep from going astray.
Retired Science, Biology, and BioChem Teacher and once burdened with Theocratic SIN just for thinking about sex as a youngster; and about the truth of where everything came from.
July 25th, 2006 at 10:47 pmp.s. Check out the plight of Jiardano de Bruno, besides the little Galileo you may have seen on TV or possibly in a text book. What do you know of the Crusades? The Inquisition? Of Pope power and abuse? Of Constantine? Of the Essenes? wirtchunts? Diseseases blamed on god? Natural disasters blamed on god? What about DNA? RNA? The Water Cycle? Protein Synthesis? Cellular biology? Comparative Anatomy? Paleontology? Zoology? Chemistry? The Universe? Of the Ecumenical Councils? Of how the Mormons came to be? The Methodists? Have you ever heard of Gilgamesh? Be a believer or die? come on, your not being educated, your being inoculated.
Last post: Disease and Innoculated were not edited. I apologize.
July 25th, 2006 at 10:55 pm[...] (Hat tip to Think Progress) [...]
December 2nd, 2006 at 5:31 am