Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Coragyps · 10-14-2002, 11:49 AM

For what it's worth, the Ohio School Board did finally release <a href="http://www.nbc4columbus.com/news/1718144/detail.html" target="_blank">something</a> like a policy on teaching "Intelligent Design" as biology.

Buffman · 10-14-2002, 01:40 PM

VOTE in the news survey!

"In no other part of the standards did we receive 20,000 comments," said Deborah Owens Fink, of Richfield, a board member who earlier this year had supported intelligent design as part of the curriculum.

[ October 14, 2002: Message edited by: Buffman ]</p>

beekay · 10-15-2002, 03:03 AM

Yup, I voted. I realize voting in an online pool like that doesn't do much. However, getting our voice heard, even in this small way, might make someone straddling the fence think a little harder on the issue. "Hmmmmm, are there really that many people who think evolution should be taught exclusively?" You never know what affect poll results like this might have on the general public.

Toto · 10-15-2002, 09:25 AM

This is from Michael Shermer of the Skeptics Society:

Quote:

E-SKEPTIC FOR OCTOBER 15, 2002
Copyright 2002 Michael Shermer, Skeptics Society, Skeptic magazine, e-Skeptic magazine ( <a href="http://www.skeptic.com" target="_blank">www.skeptic.com</a> and skepticmag@aol.com ). Permission to print, distribute, and post with proper citation and acknowledgment. We encourage you to broadcast e-Skeptic to new potential subscribers. Newcomers can subscribe to e-Skeptic for free by sending an e-mail to: join-skeptics@lyris.net
. . .
----------
EQUAL TIME ALL THE TIME FOR EVERYONE

By Minister Michael Shermer*

Good morning ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls.

This morning we are going to talk about the creation of the universe and the origins of life on Earth. According to the Bible, Genesis 1:1-3: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

Now, it is important for us to understand that no one was actually present at the creation so we don't really know what happened. Genesis 1:1-3 is only a theory, and as such cannot be treated as fact and is really nothing more than an educated guess. It is only fair that we remember that there are other theories of the creation that deserve equal time. For example:

Some Sumerians and Babylonians, Gilbert Islanders, Koreans, and Greeks believed that the world was created from the parts of a slain monster.

Some Zuni Indians, Cook Islanders, and Tahitians have a theory that the world was created by the interaction (read "sex") of primordial parents.

Some Japanese, Samoan, Persian, Chinese, and Hindu cultures have a theory that the world was generated from an egg.

Some Mayan and Egyptian cultures have a theory that the world was created by the spoken edict (command) of a god. Oh, come to think of it, the Hebrews have this same theory.

Some Burmese and Icelandic cultures have a theory that the world was created out of the sea.

And, of course, there is that dogma being foisted upon us by the liberal media and left leaning academics, the theory of evolution. But remember, it is only a theory.

As for the origins of human life, that is spelled out in Genesis 1:27: "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

Of course, not only was no one present to witness this act (except for Adam and Eve after they were created), it should be pointed out that this theory has a counter theory in Genesis 2:7, where "the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." In this theory Adam is all alone without a mate, so in Genesis 2:21-22 "the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man."

Since everyone here was blessed by the almighty with a brain that thinks, I will allow you to decide which theory is the correct theory of the creation of humans: Genesis 1 or Genesis 2. Weigh the evidence and decide for yourselves. You be the judge.

Oh, there is one other minor wrinkle in the story. Adam and Eve begat Cain and Abel. Now, Cain--as firstborns are wont to do to their laterborn siblings who might cut into their limited parental resources--slew him. That left Adam, Eve, and Cain as the only humans on the entire Earth. But in Genesis 4:17 we read that "Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch."

Now, I don't mean to burden you with more of the liberal media's fascination with smut and porn, but I think as created beings endowed with intelligence and critical thinking skills blessed to us by the good Lord, it might be reasonable to ask just who it was that Cain "knew." Unless Adam was blessed with both types of reproductive organs, or Cain was capable of parthenogenesis, then we are left with the theory that Cain "knew" his mother.

But that's just a theory, and as we all know, theories are just wild guesses and should not be taken seriously. Let us pray instead . . . . amen.

*I actually am a minister in the Universal Life Church, someone anyone can do on line (just download the form and fill it out). It is legal and binding and I have actually performed three wedding ceremonies as a minister!

Stephen Maturin · 10-16-2002, 05:01 AM

The full board adopted the panel's recommendation <a href="http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/news/stories/20021016/localnews/298805.html" target="_blank">yesterday</a> by a unanimous vote. As expected, the new curriculum guides basically dump the ID decision in the laps of local school boards.

10-14-2002, 11:49 AM	#1
Coragyps Veteran Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Snyder,Texas,USA Posts: 4,411	Ohio ID decision For what it's worth, the Ohio School Board did finally release <a href="http://www.nbc4columbus.com/news/1718144/detail.html" target="_blank">something</a> like a policy on teaching "Intelligent Design" as biology.

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10-14-2002, 01:40 PM	#2
Buffman Beloved Deceased Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: central Florida Posts: 3,546	VOTE in the news survey! "In no other part of the standards did we receive 20,000 comments," said Deborah Owens Fink, of Richfield, a board member who earlier this year had supported intelligent design as part of the curriculum. [ October 14, 2002: Message edited by: Buffman ]</p>

10-15-2002, 03:03 AM	#3
beekay Regular Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 121	Yup, I voted. I realize voting in an online pool like that doesn't do much. However, getting our voice heard, even in this small way, might make someone straddling the fence think a little harder on the issue. "Hmmmmm, are there really that many people who think evolution should be taught exclusively?" You never know what affect poll results like this might have on the general public.

10-16-2002, 05:01 AM	#5
Stephen Maturin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Broomfield, Colorado, USA Posts: 1,295	The full board adopted the panel's recommendation <a href="http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/news/stories/20021016/localnews/298805.html" target="_blank">yesterday</a> by a unanimous vote. As expected, the new curriculum guides basically dump the ID decision in the laps of local school boards.

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