Latest Challenges to the Teaching of Evolution

@spendius,

If I did not value your point of view I would not have put it the way I did!

0 Replies

@cicerone imposter,

Quote:

he keeps evolving......Will the real jesus please stand up!

Good question . We have very little that can actually be attributed to being a quote from Jesus . Most of Christianity was formulated by Saul/Paul who was a homosexual . Most of early Christianity was his work . What was the real Jesus like and is this Christianity or has it evolved into a dogs breakfast ?

1 Reply

@Ionus,

Would you please share more of your understanding of this and any links that may aid in my research of this info! Thanks

1 Reply

@reasoning logic,

Certainly .

Was Paul a homosexual:
http://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/02/nyregion/was-st-paul-gay-claim-stirs-fury.html
Incidentally, Spong is not the first to suggest it .

What exactly were Jesus's words :
http://www.gci.org/jesus/realwords

1 Reply

@Ionus,

Even bible experts question the bible's quotes of jesus. I can only say, that's very enlightening!

1 Reply

@cicerone imposter,

And I think it goes a long way to not tarring all religious people as fundamentalist thickheads .

1 Reply

@Ionus,

I agree with that!

1 Reply

@cicerone imposter,

For Ionus to put himself on the level of the Jesus Seminar with its noted scholars is chutzpah. To take the words of a renegade and difficult Anglican, shouting a modern version of "so's your old man" shows how easily some will jump on bandwagons.

1 Reply

@plainoldme,

Quote:

For Ionus to put himself on the level of the Jesus Seminar with its noted scholars

Is that your medication or did you really misunderstand that badly ?

Quote:

shows how easily some will jump on bandwagons.

Easily ? Would you care to enlighten us on your thinking ?

1 Reply

@Ionus,

It's just ladyblurt Io. It has a meaning I think. If ladies were logical we probably wouldn't be here.

1 Reply

@spendius,

I don't know where else to ask this but has Katie Couric being fired?

She makes me feel like a duckling being watched over by a concerned mom duck with great legs.

0 Replies

FLORIDA UPDATE

Quote:

Evolution? Again?
(Editorial, Florida Today, April 12, 2011)

As Florida entertains starry visions of world class schools and a technologically savvy 21st-century workforce, science plays an ever more important role in the education of our young people.

Our Legislature has implemented improved science standards and it has worked to find ways to gauge how its students are understanding the sciences.

But in the wide world of science — from the creation of galaxies and incredible advances in nanotechnology to the basic introductory studies of botany, biology, chemistry and physics — there's always the one word that manages to gum up everything. Evolution.

That word is back again this year, in Senate Bill 1854, introduced by state Sen. Stephen Wise, R-Jacksonville. The bill addresses the teaching of the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, the flag, the Holocaust, even kindness to animals. And, in one fragment, it demands: "A thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution."

There he goes again. Sen. Wise used identical language in a previous bill that failed to become law. It's almost pitiful, that this is what the deniers of evolution are reduced to. In this country, lawmakers have mandated teaching only the Biblical story of creation. The courts killed it. Then it was creationism. Dead. Intelligent design. Dead. So now it's a "critical analysis."

There are several problems here.

First, "a thorough presentation and critical analysis" of any area of science is a career, not a unit in a high-school course.

Second, how "thorough" do we want this? Should teachers present the theories of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (Pastafarianism), a satirical intelligent design concept that has found great popularity on the Internet?

Finally, why just evolution? Why not invite "critical analysis" of the Holocaust or our basic rights?

This state has big issues to face. It has budget problems measured in the billions. It has teachers rebelling against new ways of grading them and paying them. It has students who aren't measuring up to their peers in the rest of the world. And we're going to nitpick about evolution.

As innocuous as this small section of the bill seems, it should be removed. The injection of religion into a scientific theory — which obviously is what SB 1854 seeks to foster — has no place in the public school classroom. Period.

1 Reply

@wandeljw,

I can take the direction given by this legislation and show, "By critical analyis" how evolution is the only factual viable theory of the development of life thats available to us. This legislation could, if properly presented in class, and with a curriculum develped by savvy biology teachers, bite the good Senator right in his Bible thumping ass.

1 Reply

@farmerman,

Not life with dude ranches, SUVs, DIY shops, artist's materials emporias and personalised female company you can't you silly old clapped out gump.

Hands up anyone who thinks of "life" as fm does. Hands up anyone who thinks the US has a plentiful supply of "savvy" biology teachers. Savvy is not something I associate with A2K in general.

BTW-- "
But in the wide world of science — from the creation of galaxies and incredible advances in nanotechnology to the basic introductory studies of botany, biology, chemistry and physics — there's always the one word that manages to gum up everything. Evolution."

is idiotic. Galaxies have nothing to do with science, nanotech is not "incredible", basic introductory studies of botany, biology, chemistry and physics are not specified and everything is not gummed up.

Before Florida Today gets on its high horse with that superior tone it would do well to take some remedial lessons in every subject under the sun.

And "A thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution" does not translate into the denial of evolution. To suggest it does is a lie and Florida Today ought not to be lying to its customers.

The courts try to kill things the courts wish to kill. But it doesn't mean they are dead. The abolition of religion is a cash cow for the legal profession. And Media. Hence they are in cahoots. If creationism and ID are "dead" what is this thread doing alive and kicking? What is Florida Today doing preaching about it? What a load of chumps!!!

And our highly paid editor asks "why just evolution?" when she has already mentioned herself a few other matters. I assume it can't be a bloke. Can it?

How many states are there which has students who aren't measuring up to their peers in the rest of the world? "Seems like every time you turn around there's another hard luck story you're gonna hear." Take them one at a time and nobody will notice. I'm beginning to understand O'Reilly's and Huckabee's approach to their viewers.

The Holocaust and basic rights have been, are being and will be subjected to critical analysis. Science does not have no-go areas as Ms Editor implies.

We are not nitpicking about evolution. We are trying to save the editor's husband from embarrassing revelations which might flaccidate his pride and joy.

A school newspaper editor would have spiked tripe like that. A2K has no spike. If it had fm's response would be stuck on it.

2 Replies

@spendius,

spendi, For someone who doesn't give much credit for savvy on a2k, you sure do spend a lot of time here. Do you know what that means?

0 Replies

@spendius,

Quote:

And "A thorough presentation and critical analysis of the scientific theory of evolution" does not translate into the denial of evolution.

Actually you are agreeing with me . The Senator, (not the legislation) is stuck in the Dark Ages supplied to us by his Fundamentalist religious beliefs. His legislation , as proposed , is no impediment to proper teaching of biology to high school students.

1 Reply

@farmerman,

The Dark Ages are before Faustian science fm. I'm quite confident that anybody stuck in that hopeless zietgeist would never get elected to high office.

It's you who are stuck in your simplistic and essentially trivial analysis. You are playing with words and using them to promote a direction which will put us into a new Dark Age. "Savvy" biology is sordid. I'll do some savvy biology for you one day. Evolution is as simple as the two times table. It is not the name of the game. It's science in the Classical mode. Zoology. That's why it's popular. It allows those who couldn't handle the differential calculus to pose as being in the scientific profession when they are merely reporters of organic processes. For me it discredits our science just as the editor above disgraced the privilege of being called an Editor.

The organic processes are a dirty business and a most unsuitable matter to be brought up in the company of refined ladies. Unless you give it a thorough sanitizing fumigation first and then it is no longer science at all but neat political propaganda. Go talk to some chumps will you. They might see it your way. As long as they're under 15.

Did you see the wonder boy sex-symbol of the intelligent females do his Wonders of the Solar System feechewer on the Beeb. It was a laugh a minute. Saturn's Rings indeed. What was the Saturnalia all about then? Which comes first--Saturn or the Saturnalia?

But if our oceans did come from space ice bombarding us when a pile of icebergs passed our way then panspermia is a possible hypothesis. Freezing reproductive material we can do. Not eggs.

Explain to me will you why evolution is the foundation of biology. It doesn't seem to me to even make a start on the subject. Why do buffaloes have a large thick bone evolved into their forehead. What a waste eh. No wonder they chomp on lichens all day long. Just because they want all the females to themselves and they're all the same with their tails lifted. I saw a film on U tube once, which I can't find now, otherwise I would have posted it, in which male buffaloes were taking 50 yard runs at each other ending in an almighty DUH and the sound caused the all the females standing or prancing nearby to suddenly stand their tails vertically. Ask Professor Forrest to take us through how that reflex evolved. It was as sudden as when the quack taps your knee with a rubber hammer.

A bigger one than Darwin had too.

I guess you are one of those who enjoy programmes showing operations. I'm not. I prefer my illusions.

3 Replies

@spendius,

spendi wrote,

Quote:

Explain to me will you why evolution is the foundation of biology

Have you heard of new strains of flu? Your post only shows how uninformed you are about evolution.

1 Reply

@cicerone imposter,

There are no new strains of flu ci. There are new strains of humans susceptible to the depredations of flu. The "new strains" as you call them were there all the time but not getting anywhere. Then when the right circumstances arrived they waxed fat. Like blooms on the ocean.

When you go on your trips do you think you are meeting new strains of human beings just because they say "yes sir, no sir, 3 bags full sir", more often than you are used to at home?

It's a trick mate. The flu is too smart for them--that's all. So they start calling it names. It let's you think they are on top of it whilst being sold the caboodle of cures. Not everybody gets it you know. Even some who ride the subway at rush hour in an epidemic.

1 Reply

@spendius,

spendi, I guess you never heard of avian flu or swine flu, and there are different strains and variations that biologists must consider when they develop immunizations for their prevention.

1 Reply

Latest Challenges to the Teaching of Evolution

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know