Posted on 04/10/2006 6:34:06 PM PDT by PatrickHenry
LEADING scientists have warned against the teaching of Christian theories such as creationism in school biology lessons.
The Royal Society demanded that ministers make sure children learn the value of genuine science. [The Royal Society.]
The society defended Darwin's theory of evolution, insisting it represented the best explanation for the development of life on Earth.
The statement from Britain's leading scientific organisation followed a long-running row over claims that some of Tony Blair's flagship city academies teach creationism in science lessons.
Creationism includes a belief that all forms of life have always existed in their present form and that the world was formed in 4004BC, rather than 4,600 million years ago, as scientists believe.
The Royal Society statement said: "Science has proved enormously successful in advancing our understanding of the world, and young people are entitled to learn about scientific knowledge, including evolution.
"They also have a right to learn how science advances, and that there are, of course, many things that science cannot yet explain.
"Some may wish to explore the compatibility, or otherwise, of science with various beliefs, and they should be encouraged to do so.
"However, young people are poorly served by deliberate attempts to withhold, distort or misrepresent scientific knowledge and understanding in order to promote particular religious beliefs."
Academics in the US have also voiced concern over similar theories being taught in American schools. One such theory is known as "intelligent design".
This suggests that some species are too complex to have evolved through natural selection - as most scientists believe - and must therefore be the product of a "designer".
It was claimed that schools in the north-east of England backed by one academy sponsor, Christian millionaire Sir Peter Vardy, were promoting creationism alongside conventional evolutionary scientific theory. The King's Academy in Middlesbrough, which Sir Peter sponsored, has denied that it taught creationism.
Professor David Read, vice-president of the Royal Society, said: "We felt that it would be timely to publish a clear statement on evolution, creationism and intelligent design as there continues to be controversy about them in the UK and other countries."
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Being nice isn't evolutionarily sound. The nice ones get eaten.
Amen. Disagree with evolution if you like. I certainly am skeptical. But Christians are poorly served by the "Creation science" hacks when they misrepresent the facts. It makes Chrstianity look silly.
Oh yeah, Thats all we need. More understanding of this world.
"LEADING (atheist) scientists have warned against the teaching of Christian theories such as creationism in school biology lessons"
My prediction: As long as both science and religion both exist, the battle will not end.
Even though there is a large middle ground where both could exist, that's not where the troops can be rallied.
Usually, even a non-Christian knows something about the earth, the heavens, and the other elements of this world, about the motion and orbit of the stars and even their size and relative positions, about the predictable eclipses of the sun and moon, the cycles of the years and the seasons, about the kinds of animals, shrubs, stones, and so forth, and this knowledge he holds to as being certain from reason and experience.Now, it is a disgraceful and dangerous thing for an infidel to hear a Christian, presumably giving the meaning of Holy Scripture, talking nonsense on these topics; and we should take all means to prevent such an embarrassing situation, in which people show up vast ignorance in a Christian and laugh it to scorn. The shame is not so much that an ignorant individual is derided, but that people outside the household of faith think our sacred writers held such opinions, and, to the great loss of those for whose salvation we toil, the writers of our Scripture are criticized and rejected as unlearned men.
If they find a Christian mistaken in a field which they themselves know well and hear him maintaining his foolish opinions about our books, how are they going to believe those books in matters concerning the resurrection of the dead, the hope of eternal life, and the kingdom of heaven, when they think their pages are full of falsehoods on facts which they themselves have learned from experience and the light of reason?
Reminds me of that Simpsons episode, where the Judge issuses an order for Religion to stay 50 feet away from science at all times.
I'd rather go hunting with people whom I've been nice to and who have been nice to me.
There's a lot to be said for cooperative, social behavior.
BTW, Darwin was a member of the Royal Society.
Sorry, that happens not to be the case.
The nice ones had friends to back them up.
The nasty ones got banned banished, then they got eaten.
Lions exhibit cooperative social behavior but I wouldn't want to cross them. From my perspective they are "not nice" but they are evolutionary winners.
Evolutionary psychology has much to say in praise of social behavior.
You are against knowledge? That is truly sad.
But, here's a nice quote for you. Enjoy!
What are the facts? Again and again and again - what are the facts? Shun wishful thinking, ignore divine revelation, forget what 'the stars foretell,' avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors think, never mind the unguessable 'verdict of history' - what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? You pilot always into an unknown future; facts are your only clue. Get the facts!Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love, 1973
Creation science make alot more sense to me than macro-evolution.
Right, they have their won religion. It doesn't involve Psi or God (aside from Quantum Physics.)
That disclosure does you credit
I'm always nice, you creep.
I see, because there are only two kinds of people in this world: Creationists and Atheists.
Gotcha.
Which one will win?
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