I have a slide rule built on to my watch.
Posted on 02/20/2006 5:33:50 AM PST by ToryHeartland
Churches urged to back evolution By Paul Rincon BBC News science reporter, St Louis
US scientists have called on mainstream religious communities to help them fight policies that undermine the teaching of evolution.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) hit out at the "intelligent design" movement at its annual meeting in Missouri.
Teaching the idea threatens scientific literacy among schoolchildren, it said.
Its proponents argue life on Earth is too complex to have evolved on its own.
As the name suggests, intelligent design is a concept invoking the hand of a designer in nature.
It's time to recognise that science and religion should never be pitted against each other Gilbert Omenn AAAS president
There have been several attempts across the US by anti-evolutionists to get intelligent design taught in school science lessons.
At the meeting in St Louis, the AAAS issued a statement strongly condemning the moves.
"Such veiled attempts to wedge religion - actually just one kind of religion - into science classrooms is a disservice to students, parents, teachers and tax payers," said AAAS president Gilbert Omenn.
"It's time to recognise that science and religion should never be pitted against each other.
"They can and do co-exist in the context of most people's lives. Just not in science classrooms, lest we confuse our children."
'Who's kidding whom?'
Eugenie Scott, director of the National Center for Science Education, which campaigns to keep evolution in public schools, said those in mainstream religious communities needed to "step up to the plate" in order to prevent the issue being viewed as a battle between science and religion.
Some have already heeded the warning.
"The intelligent design movement belittles evolution. It makes God a designer - an engineer," said George Coyne, director of the Vatican Observatory.
"Intelligent design concentrates on a designer who they do not really identify - but who's kidding whom?"
Last year, a federal judge ruled in favour of 11 parents in Dover, Pennsylvania, who argued that Darwinian evolution must be taught as fact.
Dover school administrators had pushed for intelligent design to be inserted into science teaching. But the judge ruled this violated the constitution, which sets out a clear separation between religion and state.
Despite the ruling, more challenges are on the way.
Fourteen US states are considering bills that scientists say would restrict the teaching of evolution.
These include a legislative bill in Missouri which seeks to ensure that only science which can be proven by experiment is taught in schools.
I think if we look at where the empirical scientific evidence leads us, it leads us towards intelligent design Teacher Mark Gihring "The new strategy is to teach intelligent design without calling it intelligent design," biologist Kenneth Miller, of Brown University in Rhode Island, told the BBC News website.
Dr Miller, an expert witness in the Dover School case, added: "The advocates of intelligent design and creationism have tried to repackage their criticisms, saying they want to teach the evidence for evolution and the evidence against evolution."
However, Mark Gihring, a teacher from Missouri sympathetic to intelligent design, told the BBC: "I think if we look at where the empirical scientific evidence leads us, it leads us towards intelligent design.
"[Intelligent design] ultimately takes us back to why we're here and the value of life... if an individual doesn't have a reason for being, they might carry themselves in a way that is ultimately destructive for society."
Economic risk
The decentralised US education system ensures that intelligent design will remain an issue in the classroom regardless of the decision in the Dover case.
"I think as a legal strategy, intelligent design is dead. That does not mean intelligent design as a social movement is dead," said Ms Scott.
"This is an idea that has real legs and it's going to be around for a long time. It will, however, evolve."
Among the most high-profile champions of intelligent design is US President George W Bush, who has said schools should make students aware of the concept.
But Mr Omenn warned that teaching intelligent design will deprive students of a proper education, ultimately harming the US economy.
"At a time when fewer US students are heading into science, baby boomer scientists are retiring in growing numbers and international students are returning home to work, America can ill afford the time and tax-payer dollars debating the facts of evolution," he said. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/4731360.stm
Published: 2006/02/20 10:54:16 GMT
© BBC MMVI
Maybe he can get us a prescription for midol or something
You play the frontman, and your little friends push abuse. At least that's the way it was in one of my last posts to you.
I have a slide rule built on to my watch.
Yes, there's a little cadre of them working in unison to get Creationists banned. I think lately though, there's been a mod who is beginning to see it. They have been warned about calling people liars and about spamming the abuse button.
I would reply, but you will tell the moderator that I am stalking you.
Hypocrite
ho hum, another one. They hang on my every word.
ho hum, another one. They hang on my every word.
Vanity.
I keep posting to the wrong Marlowe
This thread has degenerated into a troll pit. I hereby abandon thread.
You know, no one can get someone else banned...it has long been speculated around FR, that somehow those supporting evolution, have the moderators in their hip pockets, and that the moderators act to accomodate them, to work in some sort of secret plot to ban the creationists...now, that is truly a paranoid scenario...I have been told, that not a small number of the moderators are actually 'creationists', hardly those who support evolution...however, the mods do watch, do read, and ban those who cannot and will not abide by the rule...I cannot get anyone banned, neither can you, neither can anyone else...ones own big mouth, and foul rude posts do that all on their own...
But being as this is Jim Robs forum, he allows this type of discussion...the moderators put out a warning to posters on all sides of this debate, and they have known and have seen for a very long time, who deserves warnings, who deserves bannings, and who deserves to have their posts removed for being quite foul...
People on both sides have been guilty about calling people liars, and hitting the abuse button...for you to somehow think that those warnings were directed only against those supporting evolution, shows that you probably did not really comprehend what was being said...the moderators, I am sure, did admonish certain posters for their behavior...but it was also directed to ALL posters on these threads, keep it civil, dont post foul posts, as some have done(with their posts being pulled), and if you cannot keep it within bounds, then you risk being banned, no matter what side of this debate you fall on...
A warning for all of us...no plot, no conspiracy, no little scenario with the moderators taking one side or the other...just a polite warning to each and every one of us here...anyone should be able to see that...
This thread has degenerated into a troll pit.
That happened long ago.
..for you to somehow think that those warnings were directed only against those supporting evolution, shows that you probably did not really comprehend what was being said..
I think that no attempt was ever made to comprehend. As always, you give the benefit of the doubt. In this case, IMHO, it is misplaced.
Just in the past week, zeeba threatened to call the mods on me when one time, and the first and only time, I made an oblique reference to what zeeba said on another thread the day before.
Yes, you want to pursue me from thread to thread and yell epithets at me. Though it is rather an endearing practice,and I am flattered, it really is for the best that you stop it.
I always do try to give the benefit of the doubt...I also never have called 'abuse' to any mods for any reason...I prefer for rotten foul posts to stand, as they are enlightening...(tho I understand the reason for removing such rotten posts)...
Methinks that perhaps some get riled up, when the mods remove their posts, with no goading from anyone...we must remember that these threads are constantly being monitored by the mods, not just when someone hits the abuse button...
And being unable to stand up and admit that their own words, and their own big mouths are what got their posts removed, they prefer to buy into some sort of conspiracy plot against them...its sad and pathetic, and shows that they dont want to take responsibility for what they said, and how they said it, and take the easy way out by blaming someone else for their own bad behavior...
If different people have the same interests, it follows that they wind up on the same threads...that is hardly pursuing anyone...if that was true, I would also have a long list of pursuers, as would everyone else on FR...
Yes, you want to pursue me from thread to thread and yell epithets at me. Though it is rather an endearing practice,and I am flattered, it really is for the best that you stop it.
You are delusional. I read threads you post on and respond. Adults accept this. Grow up.
Well that's what I thought, but when I do it, I'm a troll and a stalker. The double standard applied to Creationists is quite apparent, sorry.
I also never have called 'abuse' to any mods for any reason.
For the most part, I agree. I've only done it once or twice, and never on crevo threads.
If I were to bet, I'd bet that creationists hit the abuse button ten times more, at least, than so-called 'evos'.
Well that's what I thought, but when I do it, I'm a troll and a stalker
Still don't get it do you. When I say 'I read threads you post on and respond', it's not about YOU. YOU just happen to be posting on threads I read.
You really are vain, aren't you.
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