Posted on 09/30/2008 7:21:06 PM PDT by Soliton
AUSTIN — Scientists from Texas universities on Tuesday denounced what they called supernatural and religious teaching in public school science classrooms and voiced opposition to attempts to water down evolution instruction.
The newly formed 21st Century Science Coalition said so far it has 800 members who have signed up online.
"Texas public schools should be preparing our kids to succeed in the 21st century, not promoting political and ideological agendas that are hostile to a sound science education," said David Hillis, a professor of integrative biology at the University of Texas at Austin.
The State Board of Education is considering new science curriculum standards. It is expected to vote next spring. Because Texas is such a large purchaser of textbooks, its ongoing science debate affects textbooks nationwide.
An academic work group proposed that Texas standards for biology courses eliminate the long-held language of teaching students the "strengths and weaknesses" of theories.
The science coalition supports that language change because it says talking of "weaknesses" of evolution allows for religion-based concepts like creationism and intelligent design to enter the instruction. The Texas Freedom Network, an Austin-based group that says it monitors the influence of the religious right, also praises the proposed language change.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
You can be a Christian AND accept evolution. The Catholic Church does, as do the Anglicans and Methodists.
No, no, no! Absolutely not! You see, it's all about who gets to define what is fact and what is not.
Agreed.
Sadly, some atheists take evolution as proof that there is no God.
They are certainly free to believe this but it is not a fact.
I see no tension between science and Christian faith— including evolution.
Certain people don’t like other people saying their particular scientific theory has “weaknesses”.
That sort of defensiveness is not objective science. It comes from all too human, all too subject, emotions.
And *don't* mention dinosaurs unless you want me to start posting Calvin and Hobbes.
The problem is that non-scientists keep pointing to weaknesses that do not exist simply because it contradicts their understanding of their religion.
“I must have been asleep for the past x years. Seems I’ve always heard of the “theory” of evolution - I guess I missed when it was officially renamed the “fact” of evolution.
It’s a thoroughly tested theory supported by mountains of evidence.”
Oh, thanks. Which museum is it that has all the skeletal remains of the predecessors of man, males with tails, etc.?
Ooo! That does sound bad. Let's find out what they have to say. Oh. Nevermind. Let's just pretend that the theory of Evolution has no open questions.
You are aware that there are frustrating problems with the theory of Evolution as there is with almost every theory, right? Are we teaching kids Science or some secular catechism?
Science is “shop class” of inquiry. It is quite practical but it cannot replace poetry of meaning.
If you want to determine what is found in the bottom of a test tube science is your boy. I doubt anyone disagrees with that.
If you want to announce that nothing exists outside the lab because the lab cannot measure it then you have wandered above your pay grade. Calling it superstition may make you feel intellectually superior but sneering with labels only displays lack of civility and childish argumentation.
If the evidence is overwhelming then overwhelm us. Simply telling people to not question it is not acceptable in a free society. People who are afraid of having their beliefs questioned usually are not as secure in them as they would like to appear.
When and if you get down to it and look at the pieces of that mountain of evidence, that is where it all breaks down. What it called fact at that level is actually consensus or a proposition stated as fact.
Obviously the theory of Evolution is some mens religion, to them it is reality.
Darwin continually emphasized the difference between his two great and separate accomplishments: establishing the fact of evolution, and proposing a theory—natural selection—to explain the mechanism of evolution.
The problem is that non-scientists keep pointing to weaknesses that do not exist simply because it contradicts their understanding of their religion.
No it’s not:
http://www.dissentfromdarwin.org
Calling these scientists non sientists is a failed tactic.
Moreover the true problem is the non-scientists sue and censor and shout down the majority of Americans that support creation science/ID.
And another problem is the godless atheist agenda which has hijacked evolution to support their ideology. See Michael Newdow among others. Failed godless liberalsiim and secular humanism in Europe has allowed Christianity to be replaced with militant Islam.
Failed godless NEA run schools are a disaster! They’re hellbent in keeping God out, banning Christmas from school calendars and socializing children as opposed to teaching them and it shows!
Finally the godless liberal agenda is NOT objective...
not in science class
not in journalism
not in history class
not political science class
not in law (activist judges)
etc.
THAT is the problem, a much larger culture war in America is THE problem.
This separation of church and state PC liberalism lunacy is destroying the very fabric of this country.
Science class is merely a subset.
And fundamentalists whose knowledge of science is abysmal are going to point those problems out, eh?
That's where we get little gems like the classic we saw on this website a few years ago telling us that evolution is impossible because it violates the second law of thermal documents.
And scientists who have spent 30 or 40 years studying the subject are supposed to pay attention to that! What a joke!
Are we teaching kids Science or some secular catechism?
I was thinking cultish programming myself.
“Darwin continually emphasized the difference between his two great and separate accomplishments: establishing the fact of evolution, and proposing a theory—natural selection—to explain the mechanism of evolution.”
Good grief...not this %&^# again!
http://www.dissentfromdarwin.org
Ignoring these SCIENTISTS credentials makes you look smaller and smaller with each thread.
And next we’ll no doubt hear about the inevitable coming 2nd Inquisition Theocracy if parents are somehow “ALLOWED” their will of teaching the truth to their kids in public school science class.
Before we’re dragged down that road yet again, it seems to me this is a good time to remind everyone that when God WAS mentioned in school, your view flourished until present day when we now see this godless liberalism and secular humanism worldview excludes all opposition and dissent.
BEWARE of the on-coming endless projections!
For the sake of science of course! /sarc
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.