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The attack on evolution
The Economist ^

Posted on 10/07/2002 12:44:39 PM PDT by wallcrawlr

A suburban school board declares that evolution is just another theory

NEWT GINGRICH, while he was a Georgia congressman and then as speaker of the House, was known for his interest in scientific research. Some Georgians prefer a different approach. On September 26th the school board of Cobb County, in the north-western Atlanta suburbs, voted to amend existing policy to allow discussion of “disputed views of academic subjects”, specifically the idea that God created the universe in six days—Charles Darwin, Stephen Jay Gould and the rest of them be damned.

The vote came after a month of deliberation, at a meeting crowded with concerned parents. Some 2,000 of the county's residents signed a petition last spring to have the board put stickers on biology textbooks telling students that evolution is a theory, not a fact. “What they're trying to do is appease the religious right,” says Michael Manely, the lawyer representing a local parent who wanted the stickers removed.

The war between creationists and evolutionists had recently fallen quiet. In 1999, the Kansas state board of education dropped evolution from state examinations; but by 2001 the three most prominent anti-evolutionists had been voted out of office, and the decision quietly reversed. Of late, the Christian right has focused on other topics. But the anti-evolutionists' victory in Cobb County may stimulate similar-minded people elsewhere. In Ohio, the state board of education is under pressure to include “intelligent design”—the idea that the complexity of the universe proves the existence of the divine—when it issues a new science curriculum.

Cobb County's new policy argues that providing information on “disputed views” is “necessary for a balanced education” and will help to promote “acceptance of diversity of opinion”. A poll commissioned in 2000 by People for the American Way, a liberal-minded group, shows that many Americans think this way. Nearly half of the respondents believed that the theory of evolution had not yet been proved. And of those who believe in evolution—only a fifth wanted evolution taught alone—three-quarters liberally agreed that students should be presented with “all points of view” and “make up their own minds”. In this post-modern reasoning, evolution and the Book of Genesis are equally valid.

The losers have already begun worrying aloud that this will hurt Cobb County's reputation as a place where children can get a good education. Cobb's schools consistently rank above the state average, which is not saying much. But what happens if superior schools insist that previously accepted facts have become mere theory? No comment from Mr Gingrich, who now lives in Virginia.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: creationism; crevolist; evolution
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previously accepted facts

Thank God most kids go to Sunday School before they hit public school.
That way they have a chance at realizing what is/isn't fact.

Twist that however you want.

1 posted on 10/07/2002 12:44:39 PM PDT by wallcrawlr
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: wallcrawlr
But what happens if superior schools insist that previously accepted facts have become mere theory?

Evolution has always been a theory and never a fact. It is a good theory as measured by the number of attempts to refute it. Its value is not in its ultimate validity or lack thereof but in its ability to generate debate and discussion. Odd that this writer would not recognize that. I think he has his own agenda.

3 posted on 10/07/2002 12:51:51 PM PDT by johniegrad
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To: johniegrad
Scientific theory is a bit more than theory as laymen understand it. It contains a working basis of generally accepted, though not always provable facts. Unfortunately, evolutionists too often greet even the mildest of sceptism with the most scurrilous of ad-hominem attacks. In my view, if their is a scientific question open for debate, it should be done so in its merits, not on the position of evolutionism vs creationism. To do otherwise invites the charge that evolutionism is more a religion than actual science.
4 posted on 10/07/2002 1:01:07 PM PDT by Frumious Bandersnatch
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To: Frumious Bandersnatch
In my view, if their is a scientific question open for debate, it should be done so in its merits, not on the position of evolutionism vs creationism.

The specific details of evolution -- everything from specific lineages, the mechanisms of mutations, and the details of selection, are, and always have been open for debate.

Evolution is a bit like the O.J. Crime scene. You can never prove a historical fact in the same sense that you can prove a mathematical theorem, but people who take the time to see the evidence come to a conclusion.

5 posted on 10/07/2002 1:10:45 PM PDT by js1138
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bump
6 posted on 10/07/2002 1:13:51 PM PDT by Non-Sequitur
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To: PatrickHenry; VadeRetro; longshadow; Gumlegs; general_re; Scully; scripter; Piltdown_Woman; ...
They're comin' thick 'n fast.
7 posted on 10/07/2002 1:15:10 PM PDT by Junior
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To: Buck Turgidson
Buck, you know this story, don’t you?
8 posted on 10/07/2002 1:17:32 PM PDT by Heartlander
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To: Junior
Evolution is a criminal conspiracy...

and I see in the near future there is going to be a new civil rights revolution happening.

There are enormous injustices and injury to levy and exact!


9 posted on 10/07/2002 1:18:41 PM PDT by f.Christian
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To: All
We need a civil rights revolution...

specious/martian/alien factless preferences have destroyed---

free speech/thought...religous liberty---FREEDOM...

human/American life...rights---society/values.


10 posted on 10/07/2002 1:21:03 PM PDT by f.Christian
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To: f.Christian
Evolution is a criminal conspiracy...

Another vast conspiracy I'm proud to be a member of.

11 posted on 10/07/2002 1:26:42 PM PDT by js1138
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To: All
Originally the word liberal meant social conservatives(no govt religion--none) who advocated growth and progress---mostly technological(knowledge being absolute/unchanging)based on law--reality... UNDER GOD--

knowledge being absolute/unchanging--personal as opposed to public...forced/repressed---POLITICAL!

Religous/faith liberty is gone...thanks to evolution/liberals(stealth religion/science)!

12 posted on 10/07/2002 1:26:52 PM PDT by f.Christian
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To: js1138
Welcome!
Free Republic is an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web. We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America. And we always have fun doing it. Hoo-yah!
13 posted on 10/07/2002 1:27:50 PM PDT by f.Christian
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To: wallcrawlr
General Evolution is an unproven theory, many would say a disproved theory. After a century and a half, it looks less likely than when Darwin first promoted it.

The most dedicated proponents of evolution are newspaper writers and editors, politicians, educational theorists, and dogmatic atheists, not real working scientists.

Few scientists will speak out against evolution, because they don't want the grief they would bring themselves if they offended the evolution fanatics. But few speak out for it, either. Thousands teach evolution in the schools, because it is a required subject, but relatively few have dedicated scholarly careers to it.
14 posted on 10/07/2002 1:33:24 PM PDT by Cicero
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To: js1138
Creation/God...REFORMATION(Judeo-Christianity)---secular-govt.-humanism/SCIENCE---CIVILIZATION!

Originally the word liberal meant social conservatives(no govt religion--none) who advocated growth and progress---mostly technological(knowledge being absolute/unchanging)based on law--reality... UNDER GOD---the nature of GOD/man/govt. does not change. These were the Classical liberals...founding fathers-PRINCIPLES---stable/SANE scientific reality/society---industrial progress...moral/social character-values(private/personal) GROWTH(limited NON-intrusive PC Govt/religion---schools)!

Evolution...Atheism-dehumanism---TYRANNY(pc-religion/rhetoric)...

Then came the SPLIT SCHIZOPHRENIA/ZOMBIE/BRAVE-NWO1984 LIBERAL NEO-America---the post-modern age

15 posted on 10/07/2002 1:33:45 PM PDT by f.Christian
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To: f.Christian
I'm consistently/amazed! that you keep posting/ranting(foreign-like syntax/multilingual?). This undermines/(borderline-invalidates?) that you have anything of consequence/importance to say(exposit?).

Complete, understandable sentences are your friend.
16 posted on 10/07/2002 1:34:34 PM PDT by Joe Bonforte
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To: wallcrawlr
The losers have already begun worrying aloud that this will hurt Cobb County's reputation as a place where children can get a good education.

Having evolution mentioned as a disputed theory along with other ideas of the origin of man should be the least of anyone's concerns about their child's "education". It seems clear that anyone who would worry about such is more interested in indoctrination than education. Kids can't read, speak english correctly and understand math, but mentioning theories other than evolution may harm a school's reputation as giving a good education? Typical looney arguments from the God-haters.

I think the article unintentionally got it right when it called them "losers".

17 posted on 10/07/2002 1:35:50 PM PDT by FreeTally
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To: f.Christian
Evolution is a criminal conspiracy... and I see in the near future there is going to be a new civil rights revolution happening. There are enormous injustices and injury to levy and exact!

Another good one... this time I used the online translator for f.christian english to korean to english:

The crime conspiracy where is the evolution... From that place and me citizenship revolution happening south this it is new inside near future it is going, it sees. Under the negating which is enormous and reserves, there is injury will demand!

Do creationists realize that if a peer reviewed scientist were to come forth with one iota of evidence supporting creation, he'd be on every magazine/paper cover, lauded with awards, glory and money, and most assuredly would become not only a hero to religious people everywhere, but a respected revolutionary thinker up there with Einstein and Hawking? What possible conspiracy is there?! Sheesh.
18 posted on 10/07/2002 1:36:53 PM PDT by whattajoke
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To: Joe Bonforte
I use p*** off parties for... lighter---fluid!
19 posted on 10/07/2002 1:42:57 PM PDT by f.Christian
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To: whattajoke
Evolutionist have never had concrete evidence of any of their fables. That is because "The earth is the Lord's and its fullness, the world and those therein." Many are called to receive His intelligence, but few are chosen - no wonder so many ape lovers.
20 posted on 10/07/2002 1:43:36 PM PDT by Hila
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