Science and Non-science

by

Editorial cartoon of the day

An old cartoon but relevant to today’s blog post!

by

Creationism and education

Why should a religious school that refuses to teach evolution be accredited?

This issue has always bugged me. I support the right of parents to send their kids to a religious school. I believe that under our Constitution you have that right.

However, since school is mandatory, the students need to be taught the basics they need. They need to be taught facts. Otherwise, you’re dooming their future at a time when they cannot make that decision themselves.

If a religious school taught that 1 + 1 = 5, there is no way a state would allow them to continue. But somehow, they can teach that humans and dinosaurs were on the planet at the same time and it’s perfectly fine. What nonsense. That’s not education. That’s child abuse.

Sadly, there are even some Christian colleges that do this. You get credit for saying the earth is 6,000 years old. It’s the only school where you can fail by getting the answer right.

So when you see that new picture floating around the internet which purports to show a test where the student is rewarded for this nonsense, remember: It’s not made up. There really are schools like this. And Snopes even confirms it.

And that is something we should all be ashamed of. No wonder the rest of the civilized world beats us in science scores.

by

Why I cannot debate anti-abortionists

It’s just a complete waste of time.

You see, I agree that abortion should be illegal after a certain time, just like it is now. That time should be determined after looking at medical science, concerning viability of the fetus. As science changes, that date may have to be changed as well. It’s a decision based on facts and logic.

Anti-abortionists, however, think that a collection of cells is a “child” from the moment of conception. There is absolutely no evidence to support this position. It is entirely based on either a religious belief or some sort of emotional belief, neither of which belong in our laws.

So whenever I try to debate with these people, I talk science. It doesn’t work. It’s like trying to convince the True Believers concerning creationism or climate change. Facts are meaningless to them when these facts counter their already-held beliefs.

So lately, I have just ignored them. I will fight them every step of the way, because their religious views do not belong in our laws, but I won’t debate them.

anti-abortion

by

WTF is a Science Teacher Doing Teaching Creationism?

Doesn’t that, you know, automatically make him unqualified to teach science?

Apparently John Freshwater thinks his firing was unfair. Just because he taught creationism in his science class. And handed out flyers denying evolution. And waved the Bible around. Oh, and then there was that time he burned a cross into a student’s arm.

His lawyers argued, incredibly, that denying him the right to teach crap was a violation of his 1st Amendment rights, completely missing the point that no one was stopping him from spewing out his ignorance on his own time. But this guy was a science teacher! Knowing science seems to be, I dunno, a qualification of this job, don’t ya think?

It’s sad that we still have to fight these ridiculous battles almost 100 years since the Scopes trial. It’s embarrassing, actually.