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"Intelligent Design"
federica
Seeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
I'm hearing a lot currently, about a new surge in America by those who question Darwin's Theory of Evolution, and Dinosaurs, their origins and function, and how this particular section of society is attempting to discredit Darwin and 'prove' instead that the Biblical version is the accurate one. It seems that quite a high proportion of Americans actually question Darwin and don't believe his findings, but can anyone shed any further light on this? And what do you all think?
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Comments
http://www.ashbrook.org/publicat/oped/nadler/99/darwin.html
Aparently, this is now up and running.....??:wow:
My personal belief is that many more things should be taught in the public schools than there currently are. I believe that the 'classes' where these subjects are taught is what's important though, not whether they should be taught at all. For example, a science class should stick to science related issues. Whatever can be tested, observed, and proven belongs in the field of science. 'God' cannot be tested, observed, or proven (as of yet at least) so I do not see why 'God' should have a place in the science classroom. However, I do not agree that 'God' if a four letter word that should be tossed out of society altogether. I strongly feel that schools should also offer religious studies classes about all the world's varied religions and beliefs. That way children (or better yet teens) will have the knowledge to judge for themselves what they want to take as their belief (i.e. evolution exclusively versus intelligent design, etc.). They do not even have to be required, they could be electives.
In those classes I feel intelligent design, 'God' (from the Christian, Jewish, Islamic, etc. point of views), the Buddhist cycle of arising and ceasing, etc. should be taught and explained. It does not seem fair to exclude certain people's ideas because you cannot prove without a shadow of a doubt that their beliefs are right. I truly wish that I had been taught more about these ideas and beliefs when I was younger. It took me many years to stumble onto many of these religions (like Buddhism), and after much Wrong View I might add (like the Buddha was a fat guy venerated in Chinese restaurants for better business for example). I think that having religion classes offered in schools would help to promote more tolerance as well. It's easy to hate a person or their beliefs when you simply do not fully understand them.
That's just my opinion anyway.
Jason
Basically there is one state, Kansas, that has voted to allow the idea of Intelligent Design to be offered in their science curriculum. It is a tiny ripple in a big pond. In other parts of the country, IDT has been completely and utterly shot down. In one school district (can't remember where right now), the people voted the ENTIRE SCHOOL BOARD out and replaced the whole gang of them with people who did not support the insertion of IDT into the curriculum.
Have you read reports of Kansas students protesting? This is more a case of good political wrangling than actual "the people have spoken" kind of stuff. I heard a 17 year old Kansas girl say on national public radio, "I am ashamed to live in Kansas right now. This is a disgrace, and we are the laughingstock of the entire world."
Palzang
You can see the whole news report, if you peruse the right hand side of the page linked above.... (Seven days.... View the report.) Tragically, this is neither a spoof news report, nor a joke.....I'm astounded that they say that only 25% of Americans give credence to Darwin and his Evolution Theory..... Can that be right - ?!?
Brian: It is depressing, for sure. But a great opportunity to practice!
To be honest, I don't think the majority of Americans (at least over 30) really understand Darwin and his theory (i.e. how it works, the evidence, etc. and not just that "evolution means change over time"). Afterall, even when schools have been allowed to teach about it, many schools have avoided teaching it to avoid controversy - or given such little attention to it that it sounds just as mystical as the Genesis myth. I think there are a lot of people who don't really have a firm conviction one way or the other. On the one hand, they don't know enough about Darwin's theory (or don't think there's enough evidence) but on the other hand they aren't sure that some god made the world in a week, either.
Now, Intelligent Design as has already been stated is a new lingo to make Creationism sound like science. There are scientists that are trying to disprove Darwin and make the KJV of the Bible the text book for science classes. I have to agree it is not science. If I remember right (but please remember it was a drugged out haze back then), we got one hour of discussion of Darwinism in high school. No wonder most of us over 30 don't really understand it well. After learning it on my own, I was amazed at the depth of thought that went into the theory of evolution. I found it almost elegant the amount of thought that Charles Darwin put into his theory and how afraid he was to let people know about it. He understood the consequences of his theory and what people might do if they found out.
Another thing that most people don't understand that in science, theory doesn't mean that it's just an educated guess. It means there is enough evidence to support that supposition but that most scientists agree on, but cannot be proved 100%. Most credible scientist do believe that evolution is the most likely reason for life on this little blue planet. Now after checking out both sides of the issue, Intelligent Design will take one little part of Darwinian theory and say that it's wrong and the whole theory must be wrong. To me, that's not being scientific, that's wanting to fit the pieces so that your idea is right.
Everyone has the right to believe as they will. I think Jason had a fantastic idea and I would have signed up for a class in comparative religion in high school. I honestly think it should be taught since it does teach us alot about how people think and operate in society. It might stop fundamentalism from becoming so popular. As a former fundamentalist xtian, thought isn't allowed. If people understood what other religions taught, there is a good chance of more tolerance. At the chapel in the hospital I work at they have all of the monotheistic religions and Bahai reading material. I did mention that there wasn't even a Buddhist statue since it is a major world religion, and I was informed there wasn't any money for one. I may have to buy one to use at work.
The older I get, the more I realize "Live and let live, as long as you aren't hurting anyone else" is the best motto. Most of my family are born again xtians. I wish them well. I have told a few of my studies and that I find Buddhism to be the most reasonable of all the religions that I've checked out. It seems to resonate inside of me and that's what I follow. I got the sermon and smiled. I told them they had the right to believe what they wanted and I wish them well in it. They think that since I have a Darwin fish on the back of my car after studying the theory, I'm a complete atheist. I'm me.
Sorry for the long post. I've thought about this one alot and never get to say much about it.
Palzang
Hey Pal,
So.... I take it you are a Bush supporter???
-bf
Yes, but we can't forget that we have a large contingency of people in the US that are devout Bible Thumping Zombies that couldn't think their way out of a wet paper bag.
That's why we have Oral Roberts (who said God told him 10 or so years ago that God was gonna take him if his flock didn't cough up 10 million or something) and Jimmy Swaggart's (who preach and condemn people to God's word - then gets caught with his pants down banging some chick) or Jim Baker's (and the makeup queen Tammy Faye - who were just ridiculous and comical) - shall I go on? Benny? Ernest? Crouch? Robertson?
We have a lot of people in the US that don't want to think for themselves. We have a lot of Christian thinkers/leaders who would drag the populace back into the Dark Ages with their midevel thinking. Just the right combination for states with large populations of blinded voters to make Christian Religion the Science d Jour.
-bf
Do you realise that you are making a deadly argument against democracy?
My pain is that I tend to agree with you.
I am going to do something I never thought I would do. I'm going to play the Devil's advocate for the Bible Beaters. Being a former one, you are taught that your minister/pastor is God's messenger to you. You get that drummed into your head by someone whose motives aren't good, and you get taken advantage of quite easily. It is a sin to go against your minister. Bible Beaters take the notion of "sin" quite seriously. Just pick up any Jack T. Chick tract and you'll know how serious they take it.
I know alot of them could use some critical thinking skills, but they are still humans caught in samsara and suffer just as we do. As one who is part of a community they would like to see burn in hell instantly, that's hard for me to remain with that attitude. They want to legalize their religion and it's up to the rest of Americans who aren't Bible Beaters to start thinking also and realize what they are doing. I hope they wake up before it's too late.
I'm sure you are right, Jerbear, and it is very sad. It is also symptomatic of creeping totalitarianism and of the cult of personality.
The Great Helmsman warned, time and again, against the cult of personality and, despite the fact that he became one of the few individuals who have been (and remain) subject of a cult by billions, I have no doubt that he was spot on! Our elections have turned into beauty pageants, our preachers have to be telegenic, sports people and media workers are hailed as "role models". Eheu fugaces, Postume, Postume, labuntur anni.
I hear you Jer, I was brought up in the same mindset and have been discarded by my family because I quit believing what had been pounded in my head for most of my life.
-bf