GubufumuHUH!?!

[xaq_the_aereon]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=573&ncid=757&e=4&u=/nm/20050114/od_nm/religion_evolution_dc

-quote-
ATLANTA (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Thursday ordered a Georgia school district to remove stickers challenging the theory of evolution from its textbooks on the grounds that they violated the U.S. Constitution.

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The stickers read: "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."


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The ACLU argued that the school board had demonstrated a clear bias about the material, effectively pushing the teaching of creationism and discriminating against non-Christians and followers of a number of other religions.

-/quote-

...Pushing creationism. Discriminating against non-Christians. Excuse my bluntness, but Doubleyou tee eff, sir?

I'm sorry, but that sticker was right on the money. It said NOTHING even remotely regarding Creationism, religion, or -anything-. It simply stated the (entirely true) fact that Evolution is a theory of how we came to be, and that one ought to read this with the mindfulness to explore other ideas and define their beliefs for themselves.

I've normally been pleased with the things that the ACLU has done in the past, but this is one of those occasions where I just have this to say:

*BONK*

*tucks Baka Mallet back into pocket* Ugh.

Comments

[tillieyo.livejournal.com]

Hey, I moved to Atlanta under a week ago, and I saw this yesterday! I think my boyfriend is upset too... I believe in evolution but he doesn't... I think the whole thing sounds silly but I'm hoping it will go away.

[yiffyraptor.livejournal.com]

The only problem with that is that there is a very clear definition of what a "theory" is - evolution fits this definition, Creationism does not.

Evolution is a theory in the same way that the "General Theory of Relativity" is a theory - it's backed up by countless amounts of independently verifiable data, and is a legitimate scientific theory.

Creationism says that God created the world 4000 years ago and runs directly counter to any and all scientific evidence.

The [i]only[/i] (and I mean only) reasonable explanation for how creatures came to be today is evolution - scientists don't debate about whether or not evolution is real, because it is, but about the specifics.

Unfortunately I have to run to work right now, but I'm sure KJ can fill you in on the whole matter if you want, or I you can e-mail me or something and I'll talk to ya about it.

[stryck.livejournal.com]

Nice to see somebody has their facts straight.

You know the number of people I've argued with this that have tried to tell me that evolution is a law? That it's proven beyond a doubt? Yeesh.

Personally, I'd want such a sticker or similar just for sheer nit-picky accuracy, since it seems that many people who go through high school manage to do so without knowing the difference between hypotheses, theories, and laws. It's shameful.

[arturus-magi.livejournal.com]

This could be because there is no difference between a theory and a law. Laws do not exist in any science other than mathematics. Only very well tested theories, like general relativity, and less well tested ones, like macroevolution.

The common concept of evolution is inaccurate, as well, and this 'warning' serves only to draw more attention to the false concept (that evolution explains the origin of life, which it does not), not real evolutionary theory.

[arturus-magi.livejournal.com]

The problem is that everything is a theory. There is no such thing as a Law in science. Several things are described as such, but it is nothing more than a label. Even the law of gravity is not a Law.

Also, there is the fact that the only opposing theory to evolution is purely unscientific, and that this sticker implies things that even evolution itself does not. Evolution is only a description of what happens to life over time, something we have direct evidence for in the form of observed speciation in various microorganisms. It does not attempt to explain how life came to be, or whether it all comes from some original source, only what may have appened to it from some unspecified point, and what will happen to it in the future.

This warning regarding evolution serves only to unduly hamper the advance of real science by implanting false concepts about what is or is not scientific in the minds of those who will be advancing the sciences in the future.

[araemo.livejournal.com]

Well, actually, I do have one little gripe with the wording of that sticker. It implies that theories cannot be facts.

I would have NO problem if the sticker read: "This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a proven fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."

Things like that should be on EVERY text book they give you. ;P "This is only one view of the history of our nation, written by people who like it. It should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered." ;P

In any case, who cares? it's just a sticker.(And I mean this to both 'sides', whats the big deal? Science has always had it's 'pet theories' that may or may not be the most accurate, but are taught to the exclusion of others.)

[pdrydia.livejournal.com]

-_-;; I love the people who say Creationism and Evolutionism can't be believed in simultaneously. Shock and surprise, many scientists are Christians! Who believe in Creationism! AND Evolution! Perhaps evolution was part of God's plan? Perhaps the Bible is NOT to be interpretted literally?

I'm not a member of any faith, but it's not that difficult to understand. Not everything needs to be shunted into black and white issues.

...*wipes froth from her mouth* Sorry, irritated much. Well, it IS livejournal. <.< *whistle*