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Churches urged to back evolution
British Broadcasting Corporation ^ | 20 February 2006 | Paul Rincon

Posted on 02/20/2006 5:33:50 AM PST by ToryHeartland

Churches urged to back evolution By Paul Rincon BBC News science reporter, St Louis

US scientists have called on mainstream religious communities to help them fight policies that undermine the teaching of evolution.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) hit out at the "intelligent design" movement at its annual meeting in Missouri.

Teaching the idea threatens scientific literacy among schoolchildren, it said.

Its proponents argue life on Earth is too complex to have evolved on its own.

As the name suggests, intelligent design is a concept invoking the hand of a designer in nature.

It's time to recognise that science and religion should never be pitted against each other Gilbert Omenn AAAS president

There have been several attempts across the US by anti-evolutionists to get intelligent design taught in school science lessons.

At the meeting in St Louis, the AAAS issued a statement strongly condemning the moves.

"Such veiled attempts to wedge religion - actually just one kind of religion - into science classrooms is a disservice to students, parents, teachers and tax payers," said AAAS president Gilbert Omenn.

"It's time to recognise that science and religion should never be pitted against each other.

"They can and do co-exist in the context of most people's lives. Just not in science classrooms, lest we confuse our children."

'Who's kidding whom?'

Eugenie Scott, director of the National Center for Science Education, which campaigns to keep evolution in public schools, said those in mainstream religious communities needed to "step up to the plate" in order to prevent the issue being viewed as a battle between science and religion.

Some have already heeded the warning.

"The intelligent design movement belittles evolution. It makes God a designer - an engineer," said George Coyne, director of the Vatican Observatory.

"Intelligent design concentrates on a designer who they do not really identify - but who's kidding whom?"

Last year, a federal judge ruled in favour of 11 parents in Dover, Pennsylvania, who argued that Darwinian evolution must be taught as fact.

Dover school administrators had pushed for intelligent design to be inserted into science teaching. But the judge ruled this violated the constitution, which sets out a clear separation between religion and state.

Despite the ruling, more challenges are on the way.

Fourteen US states are considering bills that scientists say would restrict the teaching of evolution.

These include a legislative bill in Missouri which seeks to ensure that only science which can be proven by experiment is taught in schools.

I think if we look at where the empirical scientific evidence leads us, it leads us towards intelligent design Teacher Mark Gihring "The new strategy is to teach intelligent design without calling it intelligent design," biologist Kenneth Miller, of Brown University in Rhode Island, told the BBC News website.

Dr Miller, an expert witness in the Dover School case, added: "The advocates of intelligent design and creationism have tried to repackage their criticisms, saying they want to teach the evidence for evolution and the evidence against evolution."

However, Mark Gihring, a teacher from Missouri sympathetic to intelligent design, told the BBC: "I think if we look at where the empirical scientific evidence leads us, it leads us towards intelligent design.

"[Intelligent design] ultimately takes us back to why we're here and the value of life... if an individual doesn't have a reason for being, they might carry themselves in a way that is ultimately destructive for society."

Economic risk

The decentralised US education system ensures that intelligent design will remain an issue in the classroom regardless of the decision in the Dover case.

"I think as a legal strategy, intelligent design is dead. That does not mean intelligent design as a social movement is dead," said Ms Scott.

"This is an idea that has real legs and it's going to be around for a long time. It will, however, evolve."

Among the most high-profile champions of intelligent design is US President George W Bush, who has said schools should make students aware of the concept.

But Mr Omenn warned that teaching intelligent design will deprive students of a proper education, ultimately harming the US economy.

"At a time when fewer US students are heading into science, baby boomer scientists are retiring in growing numbers and international students are returning home to work, America can ill afford the time and tax-payer dollars debating the facts of evolution," he said. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/4731360.stm

Published: 2006/02/20 10:54:16 GMT

© BBC MMVI


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
KEYWORDS: bearingfalsewitness; crevolist; darwin; evolution; freeperclaimstobegod; goddooditamen; godknowsthatiderslie; idoogabooga; ignoranceisstrength; intelligentdesign; liarsforthelord; ludditesimpletons; monkeygod; scienceeducation; soupmyth; superstitiousnuts; youngearthcultists
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To: joseph20
There are clues and pieces that when studied and interpreted correctly, lead the conclusion that God is a Trinity.

When Jesus said, "I and my father are one." And when he said, "If you've seen me, you've seen the father," I think that's more than a 'clue'. It's pretty much up front. Kind of like Genesis.
481 posted on 02/20/2006 2:30:04 PM PST by JamesP81
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To: Right Wing Professor

Just curious, but after all the dust settles in this debate, what actual technology (ranging from electronics through medicine) is effected by the outcome of this debate?


482 posted on 02/20/2006 2:30:26 PM PST by Binghamton_native
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To: joseph20
It's improper to refer to the Catholic Church as a "sect of Christianity".

because we ALL know it's the True Church!


No; it is NOT the time to get the Christians fighting among themselves while we sit back and laugh!

483 posted on 02/20/2006 2:30:28 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
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To: Right Wing Professor
giving out antibiotics like candy

This is something of a current scandal in the UK, where we have created MRSA (methicillin-resistant or multiple antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) super bugs in our hospitals responsible for circa 100,000 human infections annually, of which about 5,000 are fatal.

But in this case, it isn't for want of understanding Evolution, more to do with the bloody socialists running the NHS!

484 posted on 02/20/2006 2:32:10 PM PST by ToryHeartland
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To: Binghamton_native
Just curious, but after all the dust settles in this debate, what actual technology (ranging from electronics through medicine) is effected by the outcome of this debate?

The use and development of new antibiotics is affected by one's view of evolution. The selection of organisms for transplants or gene therapy is dictated by one's view of relatedness, which is directed by evolution. Pretty much all of biology goes back to evolution.

485 posted on 02/20/2006 2:33:57 PM PST by Right Wing Professor
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To: presently no screen name
Like animal to human?

Psssst, this just in. Humans ARE animals.
486 posted on 02/20/2006 2:34:26 PM PST by whattajoke
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To: PatrickHenry
I doubt that God is in conflict with His creation. I also doubt that scripture -- when properly understood -- is in conflict with creation. Personally, I wouldn't be comfortable in a church that claimed such conflicts exist.
 
I do not disagree with this!
 
 
But I DO believe that 'creation' has been ravaged a bit since it first started:
 

NIV Romans 8:19-24
 19.  The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.
 20.  For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope
 21.  that  the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
 22.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
 23.  Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
 24.  For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?

487 posted on 02/20/2006 2:36:12 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
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To: Elsie

The living Magisterium of the one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

What do you use?


488 posted on 02/20/2006 2:36:31 PM PST by joseph20
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To: Vicomte13

If that's not what Intelligent Design theorists mean by intelligent design, then they'd better adopt some new words,

It's not and after the Dover case they will be adopting new words.

You're version of ID is not what the controversy is about. The version of ID promoted by the Discovery Institute (the preeminent ID think tank in the US) states that the ID'er intervenes in evolution in a way that is not natural (that is, not random mutation) and that is not knowable by a science that admits only natural explanations. The Discovery Institute actually wants to change the definition of science to admit supernatural explanations. The school board of the state of Kansas has recently attempted to do just that.

489 posted on 02/20/2006 2:37:51 PM PST by ml1954 (NOT the disruptive troll seen frequently on CREVO threads)
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To: JamesP81

Time is Nature's way of making sure that everything doesn't happen a once.


490 posted on 02/20/2006 2:37:53 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
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To: JamesP81

Time is Nature's way of making sure that everything doesn't happen at once.


491 posted on 02/20/2006 2:38:04 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
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To: stands2reason
Christianity doesn't make sense to me.

Perhaps it doesn't speak your language or perhaps you simply are not listening. Are you reason's ruler?

492 posted on 02/20/2006 2:38:13 PM PST by Theophilus (Abortion = Child Sacrifice)
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To: Binghamton_native

[...after all the dust settles in this debate, what actual technology (ranging from electronics through medicine) is effected by the outcome of this debate?...]

You have raised the million dollar question!!!

The outcome is a civilation in decline because it has forgotton God.
Evolution does not advance civility, it excuses depravity.


493 posted on 02/20/2006 2:38:22 PM PST by Jo Nuvark ((Those who bless Israel will be blessed, those who curse Israel will be cursed. Gen 12:3))
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To: Dominic Harr
Again, do you have any link to any definition supporting your idea of 'affirm'? If not, then I believe you lose this point.

Sorry, I had to run and my second link did not make it in the post, but it is here.

3. affirmation - (religion) a solemn declaration that serves the same purpose as an oath (if an oath is objectionable to the person on religious or ethical grounds)

494 posted on 02/20/2006 2:39:49 PM PST by Always Right
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To: ToryHeartland
But in this case, it isn't for want of understanding Evolution, more to do with the bloody socialists running the NHS!

Well, creationists and socialists have many similarities.

495 posted on 02/20/2006 2:39:53 PM PST by Right Wing Professor
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To: Jo Nuvark

I have been.

Now am leading a small group at home on Tuesday evenings.

Hebrews 5:12

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!


496 posted on 02/20/2006 2:41:58 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
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To: Right Wing Professor

Mighty flimsy strawmen: do I have to???


497 posted on 02/20/2006 2:43:24 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
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To: Ichneumon

Perhaps.....


498 posted on 02/20/2006 2:43:52 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
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To: Theophilus

It. Doesn't. Make. Sense. To. Me.

I never stated that it was illogical as an objective fact. Maybe it's right. Maybe God needed to sacrifice his only son as an offering to himself. I just don't get it. No need to come unglued.


499 posted on 02/20/2006 2:44:31 PM PST by stands2reason (It's now 2006, and two wrongs still don't make a right.)
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To: JamesP81
It's pretty much up front.

Or He's a lLiar, or a Lunatic!

500 posted on 02/20/2006 2:44:35 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going....)
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