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Battle over evolution heating up
News 8 Austin ^ | 8/20/2003 | Antonio Castelan

Posted on 08/20/2003 6:24:57 PM PDT by new cruelty

The debate continues over what information Texas biology books should present.

The Texas Board of Education is looking to pick the best science book for students.

Members of a campaign called "Stand Up For Science'' said it's meant to protect the accurate teaching of evolution in Texas high school biology textbooks.

The push was unveiled on Wednesday by some religious leaders, scientists and parents. It comes as the state Board of Education prepares to adopt new biology textbooks this fall.

Terry Maxwell, a professor of biology at Angelo State University, doesn't believe creationism should be in biology textbooks.

"Science uses evidentiary reasoning and it uses no other approach," he said.

Creationists generally believe earth was formed supernaturally by God.

Reverend Tom Hegar said while he believes in God's powers, those ideas need to stay at home or in the church.

"Faith and science are complimentary. Don't use faith to build your science. Don't use science to try to destroy or shrink my faith," he said.

Seattle-based Discovery Institute believes the theory of intelligent design should be in Texas biology books. According to the Institute, intelligent design is the hypothesis that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection.

Science backers say that's the same thing as creationism.

"Textbooks should fix embarrassing factual errors and tell students about the scientific weakness of neo-Darwinism as well as its strengths," Discovery Institute officials stated in a faxed memo.

Maxwell said two different ideologies make it harder for students to learn science.

"If you interject ways of knowing other than the way science is practiced by mainstream science you confuse children," he said.

Austin biology teacher Amanda Walker said evolution is the cornerstone for understanding the living world, and influences medicine such as prostate cancer, heart disease and AIDS.

The evolution proponents also criticized what they said are attempts to teach creationist theories.

The Board of Education can reject books because of errors or failure to follow the state curriculum.

The board will make its final decision on the biology textbooks in November.

People have until Thursday, Aug. 21, to sign up to speak at the final public hearing Sept. 10.

In July, the first public hearing brought 42 speakers who offered their opinions at the public hearing on biology, but only half of them were familiar with the particular books.

Board member Gail Lowe said then she was disappointed that many of the people who testified for or against certain textbooks hadn't actually read them.

"They seem to be here to express a viewpoint, but it doesn't seem to relate to the textbooks we're actually considering," she said.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: biology; creation; crevolist; evolution; scienceeducation; textbooks
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To: King Prout
ok, that basically settles it. you are out of your depth and cheerfully ignorant of that fact.

Thanks for the insults. It shows very well that my statements are true and you have no counter to them. Bacteria do indeed show that there never was any need for evolution.

201 posted on 08/22/2003 10:46:42 PM PDT by gore3000 (ALS - Another good Christian banned from FR)
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To: gore3000
oh I have counters, but you are not going to read them for comprehension, so why bother?
Noting that you are cheerfully out of your depth is no insult, it is a mere statement of evident fact.
You have the opportunity to disprove that observation: start by defining a species. You are allowed to go look it up, if you need to.
202 posted on 08/22/2003 10:55:58 PM PDT by King Prout (people hear and do not listen, see and do not observe, speak without thought, post and not edit)
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To: King Prout
oh I have counters, but you are not going to read them for comprehension, so why bother?

Continuing the insults, arrogance and excuses. Perhaps it is you who is not listening? Perhaps it is you who does not comprehend. Has that occurred to you? Anyways, that is a lame excuse. You are really talking to the lurkers, not to me, and to them you are losing, and losing big.

203 posted on 08/23/2003 4:37:28 AM PDT by gore3000 (ALS - Another good Christian banned from FR)
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To: gore3000
You seem blue?
204 posted on 08/23/2003 4:45:23 AM PDT by Bluntpoint
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Dead thread marker.
205 posted on 08/23/2003 7:58:08 AM PDT by balrog666 (Wisdom comes by disillusionment. -George Santanyana)
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To: Bluntpoint
a natural consequence of having stored his cephalic extremity in an inappropriate location for too long, perhaps?
206 posted on 08/23/2003 8:26:45 AM PDT by King Prout (people hear and do not listen, see and do not observe, speak without thought, post and not edit)
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To: TheAngryClam; King Prout
Need some Latin help. A fellow freeper (King Prout) wants this translated for a tagline: "The difference between intelligence and stupidity is that intelligence has limits."

I slapped this together for him, but I know it's insufficent: Varietas inter sententiam et stultum inde stultus est infinitus. Any suggestions?

207 posted on 08/23/2003 9:28:05 AM PDT by PatrickHenry (Hic amor, haec patria est.)
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To: Conservinator
Dead thread marker.

Seems the that the evoutionists cannot stand either to hear or read the truth about their silly theory in Post# 198 so they go away mad and hope no one else will see it.

208 posted on 08/23/2003 10:46:02 AM PDT by gore3000 (ALS - Another good Christian banned from FR)
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To: PatrickHenry
atqui sciebat quae sibi barbarus tortor pareret...
209 posted on 08/23/2003 11:08:22 AM PDT by King Prout (people hear and do not listen, see and do not observe, speak without thought, post and not edit)
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To: new cruelty
God works the way he does and no doubt will not change no matter how long and hard both sides of this silly issue argue!

I strongly imagine that God would use natural selection after setting things in motion and then kick back and watch the show. (With occasional help to those who petition Him.)

How does that fly in the face of anyones beliefs.

The point being, that neither side seems to be able to prove the "truth" to the other side.

210 posted on 08/23/2003 11:16:19 AM PDT by FixitGuy
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To: gore3000
"Science uses evidentiary reasoning and it uses no other approach," he said.

Lying through his bump.

211 posted on 08/23/2003 11:22:19 AM PDT by Dataman
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To: King Prout
atqui sciebat quae sibi barbarus tortor pareret...

From Regulus, by Horace. I really had to hunt for a good translation:

Yet well he knew what things were being prepared for him at the hands of the tormenters ...

212 posted on 08/23/2003 11:38:37 AM PDT by PatrickHenry (Hic amor, haec patria est.)
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To: metacognative
...Algae to Ecosystem...

I like the way that clearly illustrates the truth of the lie.

213 posted on 08/23/2003 11:57:59 AM PDT by bondserv
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To: bondserv
huh?
214 posted on 08/23/2003 1:26:05 PM PDT by metacognative
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To: PatrickHenry
tormented placemarker
215 posted on 08/23/2003 1:54:17 PM PDT by longshadow
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To: metacognative
...Algae to Ecosystem...

The truth that Algae does not lead to an Ecosystem, reveals the impossibility of the evolutionary model's viability.

Nature would have to be the most creative non-directed, passive force ever created. HeHe...

216 posted on 08/23/2003 3:01:02 PM PDT by bondserv
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To: bondserv
Also, a precreated ecosystem makes it possible for algae to live. Only thereafter, could the Algae contribute to the ecosystem.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/961916/posts?page=142#142

217 posted on 08/23/2003 3:08:28 PM PDT by bondserv
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P L A C E M A R K E R
218 posted on 08/23/2003 7:18:57 PM PDT by PatrickHenry (Hic amor, haec patria est.)
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To: Rudder
Whatever you say, twinkle-toes.
219 posted on 08/23/2003 9:28:58 PM PDT by Nephi (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: Almondjoy
You could have tried explaining what that question meant to you in such a way that I would have some idea what you were getting at. At best the question seemed incorrectly framed -- though other possibilities also came to mind.

I in my turn doubt that a discussion is possible, since you think it proper to imply that some sort of deficiency of knowledge on my part is the obstacle. I will hazard a guess that you have no idea what I know or don't know, but you don't think it necessary to take that into account. So don't bother about me, and I won't bother about you. I wasn't born to set the whole world to rights.

Have a nice day.
220 posted on 08/23/2003 10:01:40 PM PDT by thulldud (It's bad luck to be superstitious.)
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