Posted on 12/20/2005 7:54:38 AM PST by snarks_when_bored
"I don't agree with your interpretation that "freedom of religion" means "freedom from religion". If the Constitution doesn't allow religion in schools, why are the schools teaching religion?"
It means "freedom from the imposition of a particular religious doctrine". The schools are NOT teaching religion, no matter how hard you yell your message that the study of the natural processes in biology is a "religion". It just ain't so.
"That's been reported from several polls that were posted here on FR"
Cite one. And don't just cite the paraphrased interpretation that someone typed; cite the source of the poll.
We part company here. My parents raised all 5 of us Catholic beginning 55 years ago with all that entailed in those days. We all remain Catholic with a firm belief in Gods creation and if test scores are any indication, none of us suffered any deficiencies because we were taught that God created the universe as described in genesis.
I'm sorry that your nieces/nephews don't speak to their father but the argument in general has no merit.
I don't recall citing any Bible passages to affirm the integrity of particle matter. I also am not aware that science is purely concerned with "proofs," as you continually assert. If the data and its interpretation are reasonable, then it may comfortably conform to scientific practice.
Are you prepared to defend the assertion that the Constitution requires a "separation of church and state"?
You didn't read all of my post that you responded to. My children have taken world religion classes in school. I consider that "teaching religion" despite whatever you might think.
Cite one. And don't just cite the paraphrased interpretation that someone typed; cite the source of the poll.
Why don't you quit pestering me and look for yourself?
So all sarcasm aside, I'll ask you again, what the heck difference does a post by one person make? Are you saying there is a connection between one person saying something and all other people's comment being irrelevant because of it? Of course that is the childish point you have tried to make.
I'll make one case against intelligent design, your posts are devoid of it.
Tell that to the judge and the plaintiffs in this case. They seemed to be very interested in the defendant's and expert witnesses religious beliefs. But I was not referring to scientists religious or philosophical beliefs. I was referring to ID scientists' interpretations of scientific data, which are anathema to the reigning orthodoxy.
ID is a parasitic meme that feeds on the research done by mainstream science.
Are you saying that research and articles in scientific publications are not for public use and interpretation by all scientists?
Cordially,
Nothing in the Constitution prevents religion from being taught in any public school. Classes on Christianity, Islam, Judiasm et al are neither proscribed by the Constitution nor by the Oligarchy.
A real problem isn't it. I was as over the top as I could be whilst retaining comprehensibility, and yet all I managed was a painful approximation of reality.
As for being sued, anyone can be sued for anything.
There you are. Do something stupid, deceitful, and unconstitutional and you might be sued. You might lose. That's what happened here.
Thou shall not steal.
I'm not posing an argument here based on personal experience.
I do believe, however, that most people are incredibly ignorant of science and its methods. They will rush out an buy a Nano, but shrink from understanding the interlinkages of thought and experience that make technology possible.
When you single out a specific finding of science because it is inconvenient to your worldview, you create an open wound that festers with ESP, pyramid power, Alien anal probes, and the like.
You also break the chain of reasoning that makes possible critical thinking on serious topics like junk science. Most of the people on FR have only one way of evaluating science. If it's supported by conservatives it's real; if it's supported by liberals it's fake.
This is pathetic.
You are welcome to believe anything you want about Genesis, but scientifically literate ID advocates like Behe, Denton, and several of the better known FReepers have acknowledged common descent as a fact. How you fit that into your religious system is up to you.
"There is no way to know if God exists."
Such an absolute statement comes a God-like all-pervasive knowledge on your own part.
So, you can see in every nook and cranny of the universe, and beyond it, throughout all time, all space, in the heart of every atom, and every creature, and you can declare with absolute knowledge, "No one can know!".
Just because you don't see God doesn't mean others can't. Your statement comes from extreme arrogance and placing yourself in the position of being all knowing. Don't you see it?
What a juvenile response. (sigh)
In order for you to be honest, then, you must never complain about a federal judge or banc thereof involving themselves into local decisions. So the next time a judge decides for you what the kids in your local district must or must not learn, kindly keep quiet.
Federal judges are not empowered by the Constitution to decide school curriculums. Period.
That is FINE with me...the VOTERS are the ones who OUGHT to be taking an interest in the kids of the district....my point is that a JUDGE has NO BUSINESS deciding a school district's CURRICULUM! People are SMART ENOUGH to figure out what they want their kids to learn!!
Evolution cannot be replicated therefore, it is not a science. There are many many holes in it. Much that doesn't make sense; therefore, I choose to believe in a God Creator who made things separately and not one species evolving out of the next. If you want to be the offspring of slime and goo so be it. I don't.
Here is a larger Harris poll with typical results. Although it doesn't show the portion of the popoulation attending church, it does show that 90% of respondents believe in God.
I have no comment to the 31% who believe in astrology. ;)
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