Reply #49: If the fact that the Earth is round, or the facts around aerodynamics or gravity are "against

[Warren DeMontague]

someone's religion", should they not be taught in science classes? If someone thinks it's a sin to do calculus, should math be taken out of the public schools?

Evolution- Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary science- are FACTS. They are undisputed in the scientific community. They are a part- an integral part- of science and biology. (Right now we have antibiotic resistant bugs that have evolved resistance to various drugs through natural selection. If you come down with drug-resistant infection, do you want to get treated with "faith-based" information on the subject?) We're worried about people in China and Singapore and India taking our jobs? Maybe we shouldn't let creationist nutbars fuck around with science textbooks. As for "Schools should be allowed to teach both"- there is NO "Both".

Let me say that again, in big letters, because it's one of the worst logical fallacies out there:

THERE IS NO "BOTH".

There is no more "both" about evolution/creationism than there is "both" about the Moon being made of rock versus it being made of happy meals. There is science, and then there is a bunch of blather that has no -ZERO- scientific evidence to back it up. Here's a site that eviscerates that logic far better than I ever could;

http://venganza.org

Get it? It's not a case of "oh, either evolution is true or creationism, so teach both". It's either you can put forth unsubstantiated myth in science classes or you can't- but if you can, then you need to teach EVERY single creation myth or fantasy; from the book of Genesis to the paranoid ramblings of the schizophrenic under the highway overpass. Why should anyone be "forced" to learn something that goes against their religion? Um, because it's the TRUTH. A lot of fundamentalist Christians genuinely believe the Earth is 6,000 years old. You CANNOT have a natural history or geology class if you eliminate the 4.7 Billion year natural history of this planet, including EVERY SINGLE AVAILABLE SHRED OF PHYSICAL AND FOSSIL EVIDENCE WE HAVE. People who can't deal with that can take their kids out of public schools.

I'm sorry, but if people's beliefs are so fragile that they need to fuck with science curriculum in public schools, maybe they ought to spend a little more time in church, and a little less time screaming at school boards. Last time I checked, there wasn't a church shortage in this country; particularly if, as you say, everyone in your area is a christian, then there should be plenty of sunday schools available where kids can be taught alternate narratives about a 6,000 year old Earth, dinosaurs on Noah's ark, tin woodsmen, cowardly lions, wicked witches and flying monkeys.

As for the New Testament clearly stating that "homosexuality is wrong". I'm not sure it does. There are, as with everything else, differing views on that:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_bibc1.htm

Now. As for ChristiaNet, I happen to believe they're full of shit. I happen to believe they're spouting offensive, idiotic, hateful gibberish. (As for Paul saying "women should submit". I dare you- I double dog dare you- to start a thread defending that premise. I will bring a big honkin bowl of popcorn) Yes, they're spouting garbage, and with crappy graphics to boot. Now, unlike the Republican Party and many members of the Christian Right represented by, among other things, websites like ChristiaNet, I'm a firm believer in the First Amendment.

That means, of course, they have the right to be as full of shit as they like. And I, likewise, have the right to call them on it.