Evolution Must Be Taught in Public Schools

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by Thunderbird

Pyrotex Do you think that mythology serves us an underlying narrative understanding what it means to be human? Not just the stories contained in the Bible or Buddhist text but fictional stories in general.
Even science and scientist where inspired by the works of Vern and wells.

Studying myth has informed me about the “spirit “ of man. His metaphorical demon's and angels, fears and desires.
To me “Spirit” is something about overall order that connects to promote life. God is only a metaphor that eludes to the concept of totality of spirit. It is not to me a thing but a force that cannot be encapsulated by anyone, or in any book.
I personally believe that if a person thinks he knows the mind of God that person is insane. I tend to generally trust atheist more than I do the devotedly religious people in positions of authority and power. However to understand the human spirit one should study fiction and mythology. Its a gold mine as long as you inoculate the mind from superstition with science, logic and history first.

My point being a person can study the Bible in Sunday school every week and not be superstitious .
I have to be honest here and admit I have no clue what happens to us after we die. If heaven does exist its more than likely just for artist and playboy bunnies. The rest of you are going straight to hell.

T-Bird, I have to agree with both you and Pyro, when veiwed as a the literal truth the bible is indeed stupid. It can cuase nothing but harm when veiwed this way. when used a source of wisdom about humanity and the things that make us tick the bible is obviously a fount of wisdom. The bible contaions much that is so very accurate about people and their motivations under duress but it also contains much that is nothing less than despicable. Punishment for things from cutting off the hand of a thief to murder by stoning of adulterers (mostly for women) and unruly children to homosexuals is nothing less than despicable and can only serve to destroy society and the people in it. Books of so called ancient wisdom can be sources of real world information abut they can also lead you down the path of anarchy. The danger is great that a person who uses a good example from the bible would be prone to use a very bad one. Even worse would be the person who interpreters the bible to please his own world view instead of reality.

[goku]

Originally Posted by C1ay

Did you ever ask yourself if it's possible, even a little, that evolution is God's way? Is it possible that your God created life and designed it to evolve? Do you also understand that arguing against evolution, or even disproving it entirely, would do nothing to support your belief in creation? Creation and evolution are two different topics about two different things, the creation of life and the mutation and adaptation of life to physical conditions. In short, are you open minded about all of the possibilities or have you already closed it to evidence that refutes your belief? Science is about the search for the truth. Are you interested in looking for the truth or should we just decide what we want the truth to be regardless of the ultimate truth? Are you here to participate as part of the science community using science to look for the truth or not?

i've had so many thoughts, and honestly i don't iknow which would help you the most.

i'm not here to help me, i'm here to try and help someone else.

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by goku

i'm not here to help me, i'm here to try and help someone else.

Help them how?

I say we must not so stain our judgment, or corrupt our hope, to prostitute our past-cure malady to empirics, or to dissever so our great self and our credit, to esteem a senseless help when help past sense we deem,
Buffy

[C1ay]

Originally Posted by goku

i've had so many thoughts, and honestly i don't iknow which would help you the most.

i'm not here to help me, i'm here to try and help someone else.

So you're saying that you are not open minded about the possibilities?

[Galapagos]

Creationist Evolution in Texas: Updated - The Panda's Thumb
More coverage on Texas over at Panda'sThumb. The creationist chair of the Board of education is caught up in the typical stealth-creationist tactic of pretending anti-evolution sentiments are not due to religious motives.
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Also, saw this drifting through the blogosphere today and thought I would share. Wasn't sure where this fit, so in our creationism/evolution thread it goes.
Roger Ebert has reviewed Ben Stein's creationism/ID documentary "Expelled", and it is quite hilarious. Enjoy:

Win Ben Stein's mind - Roger Ebert's Journal

Originally Posted by Ebert

I've been accused of refusing to review Ben Stein's documentary "Expelled," a defense of Creationism, because of my belief in the theory of evolution. Here is my response.

Ben Stein, you hosted a TV show on which you gave away money. Imagine that I have created a special edition of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" just for you. Ben, you've answered all the earlier questions correctly, and now you're up for the $1 million prize. It involves an explanation for the evolution of life on this planet. You have already exercised your option to throw away two of the wrong answers. Now you are faced with two choices: (A) Darwin's Theory of Evolution, or (B) Intelligent Design...

[goku]

Originally Posted by C1ay

So you're saying that you are not open minded about the possibilities?

open mined about things that could actually happen.

are you open mined about things that absolutely are not possible?

[C1ay]

Originally Posted by goku

are you open mined about things that absolutely are not possible?

Such as?

[Moontanman]

Originally Posted by goku

open mined about things that could actually happen.

Goku, you really need to explain what you mean by this, why wouldn't anyone be open minded to things that could actually happen?

are you open mined about things that absolutely are not possible?

Absolutely yes! All you need is evidence of the impossible happening and i and most everyone else will be willing to believe it and bring it into the possible column. When radioactivity was first discovered it was considered impossible to get energy out of matter with out a chemical reaction. Radioactivity was first seen as some sort of perpetual motion type thing and impossible. But once the impossible was shown to be true it was put in the possible column, no problem, no one had to die, no wars were fought over the reality of radioactivity. No armies were raised to defend the dogma of immutability of matter. Think of how many people had to die just to break away from the Catholic Church. Many other times when religious doctrine changed people felt the need to defend their world view by violence and killings. If tomorrow someone demonstrates that matter can indeed somehow travel faster than light you will not see one group of scientists trying to kill the other group to silence them. so yes i am prepared to believe in the impossible, all it needs is evidence, i am even prepared to believe in religion, all it needs is evidence, so far it has none.

[goku]

Originally Posted by C1ay

Such as?

life

[goku]

Originally Posted by Moontanman

Goku, you really need to explain what you mean by this, why wouldn't anyone be open minded to things that could actually happen?

so you want me to tell you why you are not open minded about what could actually happen?