Intelligent Design Theory: Science or Religion?

spendi wrote (and it's his personal opinion):
It isn't scientific to say that if Mr Jindal allows the bill to pass it will be "bad" for the kids or American science. It is highly probable that Mr Jindal knows better than you what is best for Louisiana.

Your inability to see your own ignorance is overwhelming to the point of exhaustion.

to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin next February, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work, "The Origin of Species."

Janet M. Monge

Quote:
Mr. Ham, who also leads Answers in Genesis, a nonprofit group promoting a literal interpretation of the biblical creation story, defined the clash of ideas as "Christianity versus the relative morality of secular humanism" and said they were "two fundamentally different worldviews.

I don't believe this is correct when "Christianity" is viewed in a broad sense. I think Mr. Ham is correct only if he treats Christianity as synonymous with Creationist Christianity.

Quote:
He rejected the possibility that Christians could believe in evolution. "If you take Genesis as literal history, then of course the two are exclusive," he said. "Christians who believe in evolution are being inconsistent."

Mr. Ham is attempting to brand all Christians as Creationists. As far as I know, "Christians" are not required to take Genesis as literal history.

Quote:
"We will try to find ways of persuading people that it's not in conflict with their faith," Dr. Brown said.

I think it's important for everyone to understand the difference between a Christian and a Creationist.

The difference between Christians and Creationists is that Christians aren't necessarily delusional.

"We will try to find ways of persuading people that it's not in conflict with their faith," Dr. Brown said.

spendi:
Which shouldn't be difficult in view of the fact that Christian theology for its founder represents an evolutionary approach on a far higher level than that of Mr Darwin's "birds and bees" trivialities in that it deals with the human brain and the possibilities it can encompass under the guidance of that theology as compared with the historical record as Jesus saw it without such guidance.

Can anyone translate for me what spendi just wrote?

Easy c.i.

You've backed the wrong horse.

Your sister is not as daft as she looks.

Gov. Jindal should veto anti-science Senate bill
(By Neal Hebert, Louisiana State University News, 6/24/08)

With the legislative pay raise fiasco dominating newspaper headlines, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that everyone under the sun is airing their grievances with Republican golden-boy Bobby Jindal and our state legislature. This is unfortunate, considering both have been assaulting the integrity of our classrooms when they weren't busy stealing money from our pockets to increase legislator salaries.

During the past ten days, nine of our nation's premier scientific societies went "all-in." They purchased their place in the firing squad assembling in front of both Louisiana's wunderkind and the ladies and gentleman who just gave themselves a shiny new pay raise.

It isn't just retrograde right-wingers whining anymore. And this time, the outrage being directed toward both Jindal and the legislature actually affects the University - both now and in the years to come.

The state legislature has passed an education reform bill that sets its sights on changing the way science is taught in grades K through 12.

Senate Bill 733 - a bill that innocuously "Provides for the La. Science Education Act" according to the Louisiana Legislature's Web site - is a bill designed to weaken the teaching of evolution in public schools. The Louisiana Coalition for Science called the effort a "stealth creationism bill."

As best as I can tell from the legislation and its proponents, the coalition is dead on. My mother always told me if you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas - and any time I see a list of endorsements from the Louisiana Family Forum and the Discovery Institute listed prominently on a piece of legislation, I reach for my insecticide.

The American Institute of Biological Sciences - joined by the American Ornithologists Union, the American Society of Mammalogists, the Botanical Society of America, the Natural Science Collections Alliance, the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, the Society of Systematic Biologists and the Society for the Study of Evolution - called for Jindal to oppose and if necessary veto SB 733.

"It is difficult to understand how Louisiana or the nation can recruit and educate the quality health care providers our citizens deserve if we are willing to sacrifice science education in our K-12 classrooms," the organizations wrote in a June 13 letter to Jindal. "If SB 733 is signed into law, Louisiana will undoubtedly be thrust into the national spotlight as a state that pursues politics over science and education."

The organizations also noted the blatantly political and anti-scientific agendas of the Discovery Institute and the Family Forum. Their letter derided the bill as an attempt "to manufacture questions that do not exist around issues such as evolution and climate change" and "require that teachers consider and accept non-scientific explanations for natural phenomena" - such as evolution, the origins of life and global warming.

Not to be outdone, the American Association for the Advancement of Science sent its own letter to Jindal on June 20, also urging him to veto the bill. Citing Jindal's June 15 assertions on CBS's "Face The Nation" that "the way we're going to have smart, intelligent kids is exposing them to the very best science," the AAAS called for Jindal to stand by his beliefs and veto this bill.

"The bill disingenuously implies that particular theories, including evolution, are controversial among scientists. In short, there is virtually no controversy about evolution among researchers, many of whom, like you, are deeply religious," wrote the AAAS.

State Sen.. Ben Never, D-Bogalusa and the author of SB 733, claims his reasons for introducing the bill were far more innocent.

"It is important that supplemental scientific information be able to be brought into the school system," Nevers told The Advocate on June 17.

The "supplemental scientific information" allowed by the legislation would be entirely subject to government fiat. The bill in question delineates that all supplementary scientific information can be discarded by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education if the Board considers it to be inappropriate.

More importantly, it's unclear why supplementary materials are necessary since there are no real controversies about the science in question other than the political controversies that always plague scientific advancements. Further, if there are substantial scientific controversies then it stands to reason that these controversies must be identified and resolved within the scientific community, using the scientific method.

Louisiana is in a period of rebuilding after hurricanes Katrina and Rita left so many homeless. Some pundits seem to believe the election of Jindal this past fall signaled a coming restoration of our state. But I fail to see exactly how casting doubt on the scientific method will take our state where it needs to be.

As the flagship university we have a duty to speak out against this attempt to turn future students into political pawns manipulated by the anti-science community - and Jindal needs to stand strong for the doctors and researchers Louisiana hopes to soon boast.

Weakening science education by opening the doors just wide enough for the next sham theory put forward by the Discovery Institute isn't just irresponsible, it further sets back the men and women who already have to overcome so much to make it to college.

More importantly, it's unclear why supplementary materials are necessary since there are no real controversies about the science in question other than the political controversies that always plague scientific advancements. Further, if there are substantial scientific controversies then it stands to reason that these controversies must be identified and resolved within the scientific community, using the scientific method.

fm-

I understood that Mr Jindal needn't sign the bill for it to pass. That it was a veto he signed to stop it.

If he does nothing it passes. Is that right or not?

Jindal faces veto decisions
(Associated Press - June 24, 2008)

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Now that the legislative session is over, Governor Bobby Jindal is faced with decisions on several controversial issues.

At the top of the list is a legislative pay raise. Jindal has said he doesn't like the bill that doubles lawmakers' pay but doesn't intend to veto it. He is under pressure from various sources to change his mind before a July 8 deadline.

Jindal, who will hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon, is also under pressure from some in the scientific community to veto a bill that could let public school science teachers use class materials critical of evolution theory.

Among other bills awaiting a decision from the governor is one that could lead to a new horse racing track - with slot machines - in Iberville Parish.

gungasnake


NASA Global-warming freak loses it


http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2008/06/23/nasas-hansen-oil-execs-should-be-tried-crimes-against-humanity

Quote:

....Although it seems like just yesterday, Monday marks the 20th anniversary of the day James Hansen, the head of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, told members of Congress the world was doomed if the burning of fossil fuels didn't immediately cease.

To commemorate this inauspicious occasion, Hansen is going back to Capitol Hill to call for oil company executives to be put on trial for crimes against humanity and nature.....


wandelj

Quote:
The most troubling aspect of the political interference with climate change science is the potential burden that we leave for our children and grandchildren.



gungasnake

So this super loser's gonna send the world back into the middle ages for the children??

wande quoted-

Quote:

to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin next February, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work, "The Origin of Species."

Diddums had his bookie-wookie pwubwished on his birfiday did he? Ooeeow wery loverly. His mumsie would have been proud at how easily she had conditioned him on that cutie-pie score I should think.

The magic birfday-- a sure sign of twittery and chinless wonderworkings.

to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin next February, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work, "The Origin of Species."