Revealed: rise of creationism in UK schools

[hotblonde]

I think I object to the title of the group - Truth in science - this would have people think they do actually speak the truth from a scientific standpoint, also implying scientists don't.

[endless psych]

I think I object to the title of the group - Truth in science - this would have people think they do actually speak the truth from a scientific standpoint, also implying scientists don't.

Which would most likely be the reasoning behind the name of the group...

Pah, Scientists all the servents off Beelzebub!

[LesMTS]

I think I object to the title of the group - Truth in science - this would have people think they do actually speak the truth from a scientific standpoint, also implying scientists don't.

Check out their website. Terrifying.
There's not one person on their board with a biology qualification (granted, they do list 3 biologists as their 'science consultants').
They also misquote Dawkins rather a lot in a thinly veiled attempt at making people think "hmmm, maybe even Dawkins has his doubts".

[StuntGirl]

I love how they state that:

In an Ipsos MORI Poll carried out in January 2006 for BBC Horizon , 41% of the respondents thought that Intelligent Design Theory should be taught in school science classes, and 44% believed that Creationism Theory should be taught. An Opinionpanel Research Survey in July 2006 found that 30% of University Students in the UK believe in creation or intelligent design.

when the MORI poll also found that 39% and 40% of people thought Creationism and ID respectively should not be taught in science classes.

[Potatojunkie]

Aiee. It's Ken Ham's lies from Answers in Genesis but without the bible quotes. Same shit in a different hat.

[endless psych]

The perils of being all alone, millions of light years from home, in a Godless universe with no shake and vac...

[Semprini]

<Obligatory mention of the Flying Spaghetti Monster>

[StuntGirl]

<Obligatory mention of the Flying Spaghetti Monster>

Good call. Id like to see some Pastafarian's in schools.

[endless psych]

<Obligatory mention of the Flying Spaghetti Monster>

Vindaloo monster surely?

[Krocktopus]

There is an easy solution to this... Dinosaurs!!!

If you teach kids about Dinosaurs, which obviously are way cool, and go see some bones at a museum, you wont have to worry about them becoming creationists, the two things just do not equate with one another and church is boring and dinosaurs are cool.

Oddly enough creationists have a major problem refuting the existance of dinosaurs, which apparently god forgot to mention in his big bible fun book, they hate it when you talk about prehistoric beasts that left loads of evidence of their existance and roamed the earth for millions and millions of years before man even existed, ah dinosaurs, they ruled the earth and then evolved into reptiles and birds.

[Dyno]

"We are just saying that criticisms of Darwin's theory should also be taught."

Maybe something a little bit more sensible would do a better job than "Creationism".

[StuntGirl]

There is an easy solution to this... Dinosaurs!!!

If you teach kids about Dinosaurs, which obviously are way cool, and go see some bones at a museum, you wont have to worry about them becoming creationists, the two things just do not equate with one another and church is boring and dinosaurs are cool.

Oddly enough creationists have a major problem refuting the existance of dinosaurs, which apparently god forgot to mention in his big bible fun book, they hate it when you talk about prehistoric beasts that left loads of evidence of their existance and roamed the earth for millions and millions of years before man even existed, ah dinosaurs, they ruled the earth and then evolved into reptiles and birds.

Actually, the Creationist's argument is that stuff like dinosaurs, and the world 'appearing' to be billions of years old, etc are all tests set by god to weed out the doubters from the truly pious. Apparently refuting the blindingly obvious is what makes a devout Christian.

I think Intelligent Design is probably the more worrying trend of the two though, as its 'nicer', more comforting and if you're that way inclined, much more believable. It makes people feel special without sounding like the wacked out loons creationists are portrayed as.

[LesMTS]

Actually, the Creationist's argument is that stuff like dinosaurs, and the world 'appearing' to be billions of years old, etc are all tests set by god to weed out the doubters from the truly pious. Apparently refuting the blindingly obvious is what makes a devout Christian.

They have numerous ways of explaining away this one. One of my favourites is that dinosaurs did live alongside humans. Proof? Folklore stories of "dragons". George and the Dragon etc. All true, apparently, and document mankinds interactions with dinosaurs.
Here's uber-creationist Ken Ham on the topic:
http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs...s4-14-2000.asp

[petpiranha]

"Puff the magic dragon" ~ more proof then.

[StuntGirl]

In fact, at Answers in Genesis, we call dinosaurs “missionary lizards.”

for some reason, I find this really funny. Its either really sexual, or I just cant get that old TV programme V out of my mind.

what I'm surprised about is how few Creationists use the (i think this is the right name) Catastrophe theory to explain the whole dinosaur, evolution, oh-look-the-world-is-billions-of-years-old thing. If memory serves me correctly, Catastrophe theory states that God created a universe, it was full of dirty sinners so he destroyed it. And then the same thing happened again. And again. Thus creating the strata of fossilised creatures that can be found. And the last great Catastrophe was the Great Flood and because the world is full of dirty sinners again, we can expect plagues of locusts, rivers of blood and the death of our first borns any day now.

Oh, I just realised why Christians wouldn't like that theory...god being fallible, fucking up his creations continuously and human being being nothing more than a rough cut of the real deal (which might take another half dozen catastrophes to rectify). But its still one of my favourite religious theor'ies.