Denying science in the classroom

[Making Chimichangas]

​Landlord of Memorial Stadium said: What you said was that a majority of Republicans supported a majority of the 12 points you made. Further, your point wasn't as simple as fighting for creationism to be taught, but was much more dramatic:

* Abolish science as a subject taught in schools and completely forbid teaching evolution.

I have a relative who is one of these far-right, conservative, religious Christians and promotes abolishing of all science in school. Routinely calling scientists,

"A bunch of atheists and communists whose sole agenda is to destroy America by teaching people that: 1) the Earth is 4+ billion years old, 2) dinosaurs were real, and 3) some things are difficult to understand. All you need to understand everything is the Bible."

Those are his exact words. Laugh, snicker, roll your eyes all you want, but people who believe stuff like that, they're out there...and there are more of them than you think.

And my fear is that getting creation taught in schools is just the first step of a much larger, theocracy, plan.

The United States is regressing. We are already falling behind the rest of the developed world in math and science. This teaching creationism, and allowing our children to be indoctrinated into believing these religious fairy tales and lies, will only make matters worse.

 

[Making Chimichangas]

Another reason for me to facepalm for my state. There is one legislature from Pennington county who believes those ancestry websites are a government conspiracy to collect your DNA and rob you blind if you have money to inherit.

I wonder, how do they have comparative DNA samples from your alleged ancestors in the 1st place, i.e., how can they know about your great great great grandpappy Chuck in Zimbabwe, when molecular science didn't exist for Chuck?

The DNA testing they do doesn't link you with specific people. It shows your ethnic origins.

There are a couple different versions (I think there are three or four solid ones now) looking at different markers that do some ties to specific people.

We just did all the research on this - my dad and I took the one that looks at ethnic origins but there are others. This will also be able to look at mine and correlate it to others who have taken the test, so if anyone else paid the $80 it will align me to my actual relatives as well. We are all in a database moving forward.

It's really interesting what they're able to do now - sadly, much of it is only with the male markers, so better have a brother. :-(

Edit: here's a good overview http://www.toptenreviews.com/services/home/best-dna-testing-kits/#main_article

To the bold. You do have a brother, a Big Brother, and he has the data in your data base. He goes by many names, but most recently by the alias of AI.

Where's the "Clean Slate" when you really need it?

 

[Landlord]

Those are his exact words. Laugh, snicker, roll your eyes all you want, but people who believe stuff like that, they're out there...and there are more of them than you think.

And my fear is that getting creation taught in schools is just the first step of a much larger, theocracy, plan.

The United States is regressing. We are already falling behind the rest of the developed world in math and science. This teaching creationism, and allowing our children to be indoctrinated into believing these religious fairy tales and lies, will only make matters worse.

Again, you very liberally make assumptions about what I am and am not informed about. I'm perfectly aware those people exist. I know that, because I used to be one of them. I have about a dozen books on creationism in a box somewhere, because at one time I was a champion for it.

It's fine if you're scared of creationism being the beginning to a slippery slope. I'm not. People like your relative are a relic that will die out with the inevitability of scientific progression, and theocracy will never be a reality in this country. Not in our lifetime, at least. Most theists don't even have a desire for it.

 

[Ratt Mhule]

The year 2017 and we are talking about abolishing science and teaching creatism instead of talking about and celebrating finding a cure for cancer. The human race is de-volving.

 

[Landlord]

The year 2017 and we are talking about abolishing science and teaching creatism instead of talking about and celebrating finding a cure for cancer. The human race is de-volving.

I think we're talking about both things.

Your last sentence is very ironically funny considering it's inaccuracy in a thread about science in classrooms though

 

[Ratt Mhule]

The year 2017 and we are talking about abolishing science and teaching creatism instead of talking about and celebrating finding a cure for cancer. The human race is de-volving.

I think we're talking about both things.

Your last sentence is very ironically funny considering it's inaccuracy in a thread about science in classrooms though

They found a cure for cancer?

My point is by this time in history, these diseases should be or close to being eradicated from the Earth. And instead of that happening, we are talking about laws being passed that will teach creationism vs. evolution. That is a problem imo.

 

[Making Chimichangas]

Those are his exact words. Laugh, snicker, roll your eyes all you want, but people who believe stuff like that, they're out there...and there are more of them than you think.

And my fear is that getting creation taught in schools is just the first step of a much larger, theocracy, plan.

The United States is regressing. We are already falling behind the rest of the developed world in math and science. This teaching creationism, and allowing our children to be indoctrinated into believing these religious fairy tales and lies, will only make matters worse.

Again, you very liberally make assumptions about what I am and am not informed about. I'm perfectly aware those people exist. I know that, because I used to be one of them. I have about a dozen books on creationism in a box somewhere, because at one time I was a champion for it.

It's fine if you're scared of creationism being the beginning to a slippery slope. I'm not. People like your relative are a relic that will die out with the inevitability of scientific progression, and theocracy will never be a reality in this country. Not in our lifetime, at least. Most theists don't even have a desire for it.

I have never said I am talking specifically about Landlord of Memorial Stadium.

What I say is based on: 1) political stories on yahoo, msn, etc that I read and 2) people I actually know, and what I have heard directly from their respective mouths.

As to the part in bold, I would hope so. But given how religion based legislation is advancing in many state legislatures, I am not nearly as optimistic.

 

[Landlord]

You specifically implied that I don't have an awareness of those kinds of people existing.

 

[Landlord]

They found a cure for cancer?

My point is by this time in history, these diseases should be or close to being eradicated from the Earth. And instead of that happening, we are talking about laws being passed that will teach creationism vs. evolution. That is a problem imo.

Have you heard of CRISPR? Pretty insane stuff. The media hasn't really gotten wind of it yet, but it's shaping up to be one of the most revolutionary discoveries ever. This is long, but well worth the watch:

 

[84HuskerLaw]

Until 'science' disproves creation, I don't see how the 'scientists' can argue it is somehow unscientific. I have seen many scientific program on all such things and own the "Cosmos" series and enjoy it and find it tremendously educational but even the great Carl Sagan, who spent most of his life as a brilliant scientist and thinker without much religious faith, could not disprove nor even ultimately deny the existence of the Creator, etc.

What is the latest scientific explanation for the existence of everything? The 'big bang' seems to be a perfect scientific description of creation,. Who or what 'caused' the bang and who made everything from nothing?

I find both explantions to be quite compatible and logical - both are correct in that sense. ?

 

[Landlord]

Until 'science' disproves creation, I don't see how the 'scientists' can argue it is somehow unscientific.

If, by 'creation', you mean 'young earth creationism', it already has. A million times over.

The 'big bang' seems to be a perfect scientific description of creation,. Who or what 'caused' the bang and who made everything from nothing?

The Big Bang wasn't actually a bang, but the rapid expansion of an already spacially infinite universe.

 

[RedDenver]

Until 'science' disproves creation, I don't see how the 'scientists' can argue it is somehow unscientific.

You're confusing "scientific" with "truth". Creationism is decidedly unscientific because it's basis is not based on the scientific method, regardless of whether it's true or not.

And evolution is based on science and is therefore scientific, regardless of whether it's true or not.

 

[Mierin]

Until 'science' disproves creation, I don't see how the 'scientists' can argue it is somehow unscientific. I have seen many scientific program on all such things and own the "Cosmos" series and enjoy it and find it tremendously educational but even the great Carl Sagan, who spent most of his life as a brilliant scientist and thinker without much religious faith, could not disprove nor even ultimately deny the existence of the Creator, etc.

What is the latest scientific explanation for the existence of everything? The 'big bang' seems to be a perfect scientific description of creation,. Who or what 'caused' the bang and who made everything from nothing?

I find both explantions to be quite compatible and logical - both are correct in that sense. ?

Creationism is not the same as Creation. E.g. I believe in biblical creation but I don't believe the earth is 8k years old. I also believe in evolution.

Creationism is usually used to describe those who believe in the 6-8k year old earth and don't believe in evolution. They see "day" in Genesis as a literal day.

As LOMS has said, creationism has been proven wrong. Creation hasn't.

 

[Making Chimichangas]

They found a cure for cancer?

My point is by this time in history, these diseases should be or close to being eradicated from the Earth. And instead of that happening, we are talking about laws being passed that will teach creationism vs. evolution. That is a problem imo.

Have you heard of CRISPR? Pretty insane stuff. The media hasn't really gotten wind of it yet, but it's shaping up to be one of the most revolutionary discoveries ever. This is long, but well worth the watch:

There was a Time magazine article on it a while back and yes, CRISPR will fundamentally change the evolution of the human race forever.

The implications of what CRISPR can do are mind-boggling.

 

[knapplc]

These billboards were put up in Amarillo, TX. Two of them went up, apparently.