How Fundamentalist Collectivism Empowers Hardliners Against the Wishes of Most Americans
From the article:
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This is one reason that, no matter how often the courts try to kill it off, creationism ends up being presented again and again in classrooms as if it’s a scientific theory. The majority of Americans agree that evolution is how humans came to be. Despite this, as Slate recently reported, Texas students in charter schools are not only being incorrectly taught that evolution is a scientific “controversy” (it’s actually not controversial among scientists at all), but are being given religious instruction in the classroom. It’s not subtle, either, with one popular science workbook opening with a Bible quote, “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth.”
Only about 21 percent of Americans reject the label of Christian, which means that the majority of people who accept evolution is a fact are actually Christians. So, if there’s so much Christian support for the theory of evolution, why is this such a struggle? The problem is that the Christian right has successfully framed the issue as a matter of atheists and secular humanists against Christians. While some pro-science groups like the National Center for Science Education, try really hard to avoid talking at all about religion – except to say it should not be taught in science class – the truth of the matter is the pro-evolution side is strongly associated with atheism and secular humanism.
A lot of Christians actually believe that creationism is not true and should definitely not be taught in the classroom, but coming out and saying so can feel like you’re siding with the atheist team instead of the Christian one. Unsurprisingly, then, the notion that pro-evolution forces are atheist and secularist becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Nearly all the most prominent voices on the pro-science side of this issue are atheists or agnostics, because they, for obvious reasons, aren’t particularly worried about being perceived as not Christian. Once again, identity works to scare Christians into toeing the party line even if they privately disagree with what the leadership wants.
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This is one reason that, no matter how often the courts try to kill it off, creationism ends up being presented again and again in classrooms as if it’s a scientific theory. The majority of Americans agree that evolution is how humans came to be. Despite this, as Slate recently reported, Texas students in charter schools are not only being incorrectly taught that evolution is a scientific “controversy” (it’s actually not controversial among scientists at all), but are being given religious instruction in the classroom. It’s not subtle, either, with one popular science workbook opening with a Bible quote, “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth.”
Only about 21 percent of Americans reject the label of Christian, which means that the majority of people who accept evolution is a fact are actually Christians. So, if there’s so much Christian support for the theory of evolution, why is this such a struggle? The problem is that the Christian right has successfully framed the issue as a matter of atheists and secular humanists against Christians. While some pro-science groups like the National Center for Science Education, try really hard to avoid talking at all about religion – except to say it should not be taught in science class – the truth of the matter is the pro-evolution side is strongly associated with atheism and secular humanism.
A lot of Christians actually believe that creationism is not true and should definitely not be taught in the classroom, but coming out and saying so can feel like you’re siding with the atheist team instead of the Christian one. Unsurprisingly, then, the notion that pro-evolution forces are atheist and secularist becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Nearly all the most prominent voices on the pro-science side of this issue are atheists or agnostics, because they, for obvious reasons, aren’t particularly worried about being perceived as not Christian. Once again, identity works to scare Christians into toeing the party line even if they privately disagree with what the leadership wants.
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Scientific people do not follow Darwin's account. For one thing, he thought one reason species change Lamarckina evolution, in which giraffes' offspring grew longer necks due to their parents physical stretching. That turned out to be false. Scientists do not follow a great man or sacred text. Everything's open to new experiments that change our understand or in some cases usher in a new paradigm.
I wonder what is the purpose of the Watson quote. Is it 'universally accepted', or 'special creation is clearly incredible'?
Yes, when you disagree strongly it is tempting to be rude. I suppose knowing your material can help, but 'manners maketh man'.
That said, the comment is made about a bible phrase being used in a textbook. Since we don't have the full context of how it is used, we cannot make a reasoned evaluation of whether or not it really is religious indoctrination. Here's a possible scenario in which it would not be religious indoctrination: "In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth. Can science provide evidence to support or refute that proposition?"
As well, consider the gap between the fossils of two creatures. Then an intermediary is found. The creationists then require an intermediary between the two smaller gaps. and so on. If a million small steps are found then they say it only 'micro-evolution'. (A concept invented to confuse). Conclusion- no evidence and no argument can be used on those with set minds.
Carbon causes warming, printing money creates jobs. Same same.
Creationism does not have to be taught that there was a particular source, rather that there was some unknown force that caused the original creation. That is not establishment of a religion, it is a scientific explanation of the as yet unexplainable.
So many people get wrapped up in "religion" and preventing that at all costs that they blind their thinking to rational viewpoints.
Sections of Christianity are not pushing certain agendas, they're trying to preserve traditional views. And what about Moslems? You think "radical" Moslems are going to disagree with creationism? How about fundamentalist Jews?
And what about those who believe the world rides on the backs of 4 elephants, who in turn ride the back of an enormous turtle swimming the cosmic sea?
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