Now there's a job I could enjoy!
Posted on 01/28/2009 11:36:17 AM PST by Coyoteman
We will see and hear the term “Darwinism” a lot during 2009, a year during which scientists, teachers, and others who delight in the accomplishments of modern biology will commemorate the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species. But what does “Darwinism” mean? And how is it used? At best, the phrase is ambiguous and misleading about science. At worst, its use echoes a creationist strategy to demonize evolution.
snip...
In summary, then, “Darwinism” is an ambiguous term that impairs communication even about Darwin’s own ideas. It fails to convey the full panoply of modern evolutionary biology accurately, and it fosters the inaccurate perception that the field stagnated for 150 years after Darwin’s day. Moreover, creationists use “Darwinism” to frame evolutionary biology as an ism or ideology, and the public understanding of evolution and science suffers as a result. True, in science, we do not shape our research because of what creationists claim about our subject matter. But when we are in the classroom or otherwise dealing with the public understanding of science, it is entirely appropriate to consider whether what we say may be misunderstood. We cannot expect to change preconceptions if we are not willing to avoid exacerbating them. A first step is eschewing the careless use of “Darwinism.”
(Excerpt) Read more at springerlink.com ...
By taking the *no God*, *no religion allowed* position, the government is certainly taking sides; it isNOT being neutral. It's taking the atheistic, God hating liberal side. And those who support that are also positioning themselves in that camp.
There is nothing in the Constitution that gives the federal government the right to control education. Education should be in the hands of the local school boards and taxpayers. If the taxpayers want creation and ID taught in the public schools as creation had been for centuries, as the public has so many times indicated that it does, then the government has no business stepping in and overriding that.
If the atheistic god-hating minority doesn't want to have their children to hear about creation, they can start their own evolution only, no-God-allowed, private schools. They can homeschool. They can have their children opt out of the section in school that deals with creation. They don't have to sue to have it removed from public schools against the wishes of the rest of the parents just because THEY don't want their kids to hear it.
What's the matter? Is the evos faith in their theory so weak that they can't handle having their children hear the creation account as related in the Bible? Are they afraid that if their kids hear it, they'll abandon their belief in evolution and become creationists?
I expect to be banned shortly. I've learned, sadly, that Free Republic is Fundie Republic and non-believers aren't welcome.
It's sad, really. Free Republic could have been a major player in the political world, but JR decided to hand it over to the cretards and IDiots.
It's been great, except the evolution and science threads.
I fully support private and religious schools and homeschooling. The public school, however, must remain neutral.
It isn’t about control. It’s about government neutrality.
This looks a like a stellar point for a wintertime lecture and an opportunity for you to further your education, that is if wintertime is so inclined to give you her time! (If so, you really should be most grateful!)
What do you think wintertime, is this one worth it? Alot of liberal kool-aid has been ingested!
I’ll take one metmom brain cell over all yours that you collectively just offered in coming up with that gem.
It must have taken alot of effort on your part!
FOTFL.
“Coyoteman’s been banned.”Oh rats...
No, only liberal, religion suppressing, big government supporters aren't welcome.
If you're willing to have the government dictate religion, then I guess FR isn't the place for you.
But why to you have to wait to be banned? You can leave any time you want.
Or is it that laurel wreath thingie? If you get banned, you can pretend that it's for supporting science instead of classic liberal agenda.
Nice reversal of the liberal "ghettoization of Christianity" argument.
The real issue, which I'm surprised CE2949BB hasn't brought up, is that many of the concepts and evidence for evolutionary models require at least a mid-college-level expertise to begin to grasp them, simply from the necessary background in science. Most elementary- and secondary-level teachers don't possess that knowledge, and certainly the students don't.
Not having the intellectual framework readily at hand, leaves one open to the "well if man evolved from the apes, how come there are still apes" questions which would be dismissed by the biologist with Wolfgang Pauli's famous line, "It's not even wrong" -- except that they don't have the tools to begin to describe why it is wrong (category error, complete misunderstanding of the description of what the process of evolution is *describing*.) So all they can do in the meantime is shout "Crimethink!" which plays well within the circle of those highly informed about the subject, and only reinforces the suspicions of those who are not scientifically literate.
There, have I cheesed off both sides pretty well now?
Cheers!
It is axiomatic!
Government schools are a First Amendment and freedom of conscience nightmare!
If you do not believe this then please try to describe a religiously, politically, and culturally neutral school. I will have great fun with it.
I have nothing to do with or about anyone being banned.
I think you have confused in your mind the word neutrality. Most especially placed in government control.
There is NOTHING neutral regarding evolution it is a method, a system of belief that has NO regard for the Creator. However, this nation was founded upon the very principal that there are certain unalienable rights that only are given by the Creator. The scientific methodology replaces the Creator having control of rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
You have the right to believe anything you desire, but you do not have the right to wall out the Creator from public education. The Creator is the ONLY neutral and objective judge.
You could try beginning by talking to people at an elementary level and leading them through what evolution is really saying, and some of the elementary science.
If you did it carefully enough, you might see how and why their objections originated -- enough that you could actually discuss the subject with *mutual* respect.
That'd be better than a LOT of flamewars.
Oh, for the nonce -- what is your educational background, since you implicitly seem to place undue stress on this area when challenging others?
Cheers!
It’s interesting because I see differing deflations everyday in my workplaces, I have many being a hospice nurse.
So funny how the annointed one still speaks so eloquently about them having to be patient now that he’s been annointed isn’t it? Perhaps as much as his entire first term now.
Perhaps we can chart a graph with eloquence and patience and see an emerging relationship?
Trouble is...as the one idiot put it, “I won’t have to worry about making my car payments, putting gas in my car, paying for groceries...” all those things, one week in, are still right there staring her right in the face! And 4 years in...heaven forbid 8...and all that noise and war from overseas is still there...people getting laid off...bills still there...
the fall is going to be so hard as to be felt for several future generations and throughout all family trees.
Meanwhile, I’m standning in line at the grocery store, sure to interject pie into every public converstaion in small talk as possible.
I’ve never been so in love with the word pie in my 48 years...in fact, I’m looking to get me some cherry pie at publix Friday after work just so I can go on about GM pie, DC pie, Smithsonian pie, and of course I like cherry pie, that helps.
Perhaps we really should consider investing in popcorn (while eating pie) because with Reid, Pelosi and zero in charge...there’s about to be some real entertainment going on!
Contrary to popular belief [grin], I did not come onto this thread for a fight. I came to find something to my satisfaction and to the satisfaction of any others who have eyes to see.
I do not want the government to promote religion at all, in any way.
Is that "suppressing religion"?
No argument from me there.
Virtually all the high school students I've asked say that they spend a couple days on evolution only in 10th grade Bio.
If the evolutionists argue against the teaching of creation and religion in schools because it is likely to not be taught *properly*, then I fail to see why they would think that something like the ToE could not only be addressed adequately in the time frame most public schools give it, but also by the (more likely than not), underqualified public school teachers.
They expect us to believe that the public schools are incompetent in all areas EXCEPT when it comes to teaching science and evolution, even when the US ranks down near the bottom compared to the rest of the world academically, but especially in science and math.
And they expect us to believe that with public schools track record that they can teach this ONE area properly to the point of having it mandating through judicial fiat?
The inconsistency of that position is another reason that I don't believe that it's *just about science* rather than control.
If that’s as far as you can see, then that’s as far as you can see.
“Ever seen those words around these parts, Coyoteman? ”He's as willey as a brick, subtle as a keg of gunpowder, and about as smart as, well...
I’ve never been so in love with the word pie in my 48 years...in fact, I’m looking to get me some cherry pie at publix Friday after work just so I can go on about GM pie, DC pie, Smithsonian pie, and of course I like cherry pie, that helps.
Now you are getting me into a pie-baking mood! Apple would be good. Or boysenberry (I have canned berries).
Now go to the Sorbonne and fight this great injustice of state funding of religion.
Or (if you have a shred of balls or intellectual honesty) go do the same in Islamabad or Iran...
(Hint: Christians don't have to go in person, tho' they have suffered many more martyrdoms than the atheists, who mainly participate in circle-jerks among friendly University types, rather than being speared to death). Christians believe in action at a distance. It's called "Prayer".
Cheers!
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