Freethought & Rationalism Archive

theIPU · 03-22-2003, 10:03 AM

My religion textbook contains the following:

"But not even the most complicated scientific formula can account for all the wonderful differences between human beings."

"And no scientific theory can replace our free will."

P.23, Benziger Family Life 8 (for eigth-grade) Third Edition
Copyright (C) 1995 by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill

I'm wondering what I should do about this...I mean haven't they even heard of evolution??? I'm considering contacting the benziger publishing company. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Yellum Notnef · 03-22-2003, 10:07 AM

What the hell is a religion textbook?

Toto · 03-22-2003, 10:17 AM

Benzinger Family Life "is in conformity with the teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and therefore presents the moral theology of the Catholic Faith. "

I gather you are in a Catholic or private religious school. If not, contact the ACLU quickly.

But if you are, remember that Catholics do not reject evolution. They think they can find God guiding it. Even so, the authors of this textbook aparently think that 8th grade minds might not be able to deal with a completely deterministic universe.

Turn a similar critical eye on all of your textbooks. Leading scientists and historians who have examined grade school textbooks have come away apalled.

lisarea · 03-22-2003, 10:21 AM

I did a quick search on that textbook, and it looks like it's supposed to be a sort of Catholic sex ed book. Benziger is McGraw Hill's imprint (I think that's the word) for Catholic textbooks.

Look at their mission statement.

Do you go to a Catholic school, or a public school?

If it's a public school, there's a possibility that the textbook review committee just didn't do their homework, and they ordered it accidentally. In that case, it should be brought to their attention and they'll need to replace the books. Even if this is specifically a course on religion, it's not appropriate for them to be evangelizing. Besides, why would they pick a "family life" book for a religion course?

If it's a Catholic school, there's not much you can do.

theIPU · 03-22-2003, 12:58 PM

Yes, I do go to a catholic school (not my choice) but fortunately I am going to a secular school next year.

Even so, the authors of this textbook aparently think that 8th grade minds might not be able to deal with a completely deterministic universe.

yea well, they still shouldn't say science CAN'T explain differences between humans because it obviously can. That seems dishonest to me.

lisarea · 03-22-2003, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by theIPU
Yes, I do go to a catholic school (not my choice) but fortunately I am going to a secular school next year.

Even so, the authors of this textbook aparently think that 8th grade minds might not be able to deal with a completely deterministic universe.

yea well, they still shouldn't say science CAN'T explain differences between humans because it obviously can. That seems dishonest to me.

In that case, depending on how gutsy you are, and what your personal situation is, you could bring up your questions in class.

DON'T DO THIS, though, if it might cause repercussions with your parents or anything.

Toto · 03-22-2003, 03:15 PM

It sounds like the authors of that textbook don't think that 8th graders are ready for the whole truth, or they tend towards an "Intelligent Design" theory of God.

I agree that there is very little percentage for you in challenging your textbook or your school or your parents at this point in your life. But if you do decide to, you have a lot of support.

Kenneth Miller is a believing Catholic and a very effective defender of evolution and naturalism. You can read what he says about belief based on that sort of thinking in the last chapter of Darwin's God, from his web page.

Quote:

If we accept a lack of scientific explanation as proof for God's existence, simple logic would dictate that we would have to regard a successful scientific explanation as an argument against God. That's why creationist reasoning, ultimately, is much more dangerous to religion than to science. Elliot Meyerowitz's fine work on floral induction suddenly becomes a threat to the divine, even though common sense tells us it should be nothing of the sort. By arguing, as creationists do, that nature cannot be self-sufficient in the formation of new species, the creationists forge a logical link between the limits of natural processes to accomplish biological change and the existence of a designer (God). In other words, they show the proponents of atheism exactly how to disprove the existence of God - show that evolution works, and it's time to tear down the temple. This is an offer that the enemies of religion are all too happy to accept.

Putting it bluntly, the creationists have sought God in darkness. What we have not found and do not yet understand becomes their best - indeed their only - evidence for the divine. As a Christian, I find the flow of this logic particularly depressing. Not only does it teach us to fear the acquisition of knowledge (which might at any time disprove belief), but it suggests that God dwells only in the shadows of our understanding. I suggest that, if God is real, we should be able to find him somewhere else - in the bright light of human knowledge, spiritual and scientific.

03-22-2003, 10:03 AM	#1
theIPU Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 65	my religion textbook My religion textbook contains the following: "But not even the most complicated scientific formula can account for all the wonderful differences between human beings." "And no scientific theory can replace our free will." P.23, Benziger Family Life 8 (for eigth-grade) Third Edition Copyright (C) 1995 by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill I'm wondering what I should do about this...I mean haven't they even heard of evolution??? I'm considering contacting the benziger publishing company. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

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03-22-2003, 10:07 AM	#2
Yellum Notnef Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Gone Posts: 4,676	What the hell is a religion textbook?

03-22-2003, 10:17 AM	#3
Toto Contributor Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles area Posts: 40,549	Benzinger Family Life "is in conformity with the teachings of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and therefore presents the moral theology of the Catholic Faith. " I gather you are in a Catholic or private religious school. If not, contact the ACLU quickly. But if you are, remember that Catholics do not reject evolution. They think they can find God guiding it. Even so, the authors of this textbook aparently think that 8th grade minds might not be able to deal with a completely deterministic universe. Turn a similar critical eye on all of your textbooks. Leading scientists and historians who have examined grade school textbooks have come away apalled.

03-22-2003, 10:21 AM	#4
lisarea Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Broomfield, Colorado, USA Posts: 5,550	I did a quick search on that textbook, and it looks like it's supposed to be a sort of Catholic sex ed book. Benziger is McGraw Hill's imprint (I think that's the word) for Catholic textbooks. Look at their mission statement. Do you go to a Catholic school, or a public school? If it's a public school, there's a possibility that the textbook review committee just didn't do their homework, and they ordered it accidentally. In that case, it should be brought to their attention and they'll need to replace the books. Even if this is specifically a course on religion, it's not appropriate for them to be evangelizing. Besides, why would they pick a "family life" book for a religion course? If it's a Catholic school, there's not much you can do.

03-22-2003, 12:58 PM	#5
theIPU Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 65	Yes, I do go to a catholic school (not my choice) but fortunately I am going to a secular school next year. Even so, the authors of this textbook aparently think that 8th grade minds might not be able to deal with a completely deterministic universe. yea well, they still shouldn't say science CAN'T explain differences between humans because it obviously can. That seems dishonest to me.

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