Creationism and the advance of counterknowledge

Telegraph ^ | Friday, September 12, 2008 | Damian Thompson

[js1138]

The 21st century is plagued by wild speculation and fantasies dressed up in graphs and tables and diagrams to look like independently verifiable fact. For example, Muslim lobbyists are currently pouring millions of pounds into producing bogus "atlases of creation", lavishly decorated with photographs and charts "proving" that every living species was created at the same time.

This material is currently being delivered free of charge to schools all over Europe. If it emanated from fundamentalist Christian America, I suspect it would be dumped in the wastepaper basket. But schools are more wary of offending the views of Muslim or Hindu pupils - and then along comes a useful idiot such as Prof Reiss to suggest that it's OK to examine this "worldview" in science classes.

[Berosus]

I thought Muslims believed in a form of evolution. After all, don’t their clergymen teach that Jews are descended from apes and pigs?

[allmendream]

The idea that all species that have ever lived once lived all at the same time some few thousand years ago has no scientific support.

[js1138]

Muslim creationism is just doing in Europe what the Discovery Institute is doing in the U.S.

[js1138]

Muslim creationism is just doing in Europe what the Discovery Institute is doing in the U.S.

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

I see creationism and healthy skepticism as a foil to refine science.

[swain_forkbeard]

Yesterday, I read the following:

At a soccer game in the Congo, a rumour that someone was using witchcraft instigated a stampede that killed dozens.

Some Muslim clerics believe decapitation may be appropriate for TV sorcerers who read horoscopes.

Some sort of German vampire cult had slaughtered, cooked, and eaten a handful of young victims.

Hmmm. Looks to me like for many peoples and places in the world, the Enlightenment never happened.

[js1138]

I see creationism and healthy skepticism as a foil to refine science.

I think creationists would go berserk if science classes directly addressed the problems with a literal reading of genesis.

Any critical analysis of religious teaching would not be welcomed.

[js1138]

Just look across the street.

[ShadowAce]

I think creationists would go berserk if science classes directly addressed the problems with a literal reading of genesis.

You mean like when creationists point out that evolution is not falsifiable, and thus is not science? I see a lot of evolutionists go berzerk over that one.

If science class would stick to science, I think everyone would be happy. However, teachers (with all their wisdom) never fail to inject their own opinions into class. This isn't restricted to science class, but it seems to be the sticking point of many who do not believe in evolution.

[Riodacat]

I thought Muslims believed in a form of evolution. After all, don’t their clergymen teach that Jews are descended from apes and pigs?

Stupid muzzies. Don't they know that we came from apes, but are evolving to become pigs?

[Caramelgal]

…if science classes directly addressed the problems with a literal reading of genesis. Any critical analysis of religious teaching would not be welcomed.

Exactly! I can just imagine what would happen if the YEC’s got their way in the science classroom and one day little Johnny came home and told his parents that “Today we learned about Genesis and Creation.” “Oh very Good!” “Teacher also asked us to hold the Bible up to a critical analysis and to the scientific method” “Oh nooooo!” “He can’t do that!” “How dare he attack our religion!” “Daddy, I don’t think the teacher is religious” “He said he was a Catholic” “Mommy?” “What is a Catholic?”

[js1138]

You mean like when creationists point out that evolution is not falsifiable, and thus is not science?

Give it your best shot. What's your best evidence that evolution is false?

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

I think creationists would go berserk if science classes directly addressed the problems with a literal reading of genesis.

As a person who believes in a spiritual side to the Universe, I wouldn't have any problem with it, and there are many other positions concerning ultimate origins that could be addressed also.

[js1138]

Why would a science class teach about ultimate origins? Is that a question that can be addressed by evidence?

[ShadowAce]

What's your best evidence that evolution is false?

If you don't know what "falsifiable" means (in terms of the scientific method), why are you so adamant that evolution is true?

[ROTB]

The idea that all species that have ever lived once lived all at the same time some few thousand years ago has no scientific support.

*********************************

1) Argument by assertion
2) See “Cambrian Explosion”. Seems to me though that everything just got buried in Noah’s Flood.

[MoreGovLess]

Doing a serious scientific analysis of the Bible as a science text would take about 10 seconds of class time, then the teacher could go on to teach science. Maybe it’d be worth it, just to get back on track. We need more dumbing down of schools (like teaching biblical creationism as science) like we need more debt to China and Saudi Arabia

I believe God created the universe, but the language of 5,000 years ago did not permit a scientifically accurate description

[ROTB]

I think creationists would go berserk if science classes directly addressed the problems with a literal reading of genesis.

Any critical analysis of religious teaching would not be welcomed.

***************************************************

You mean the way evolutionists go berserk when creationists want to bring the Bible back into schools, like in the days when:

1) there were no school shootings
2) many more of the girls were virgins
3) you understand ...

[Brian S. Fitzgerald]

"What's your best evidence that evolution is false? "

I assume you mean by 'evolution' the common usage implying no intervention by intelligent agents; somewhere between creationism and 'evolution', there could be hypothesized a variation of evolution directed by intelligent agents.