Evolution

Editorial cartoon: I’ll be a monkey’s uncle

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Creationists demand equal time

Creationists, upset that Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s “Cosmos” series talks about facts, have demanded “equal time” to argue for their mythology.

In return, I think they should give scientists equal time on the 400 Club and other religious shows. tysonIt only makes sense, after all. I further demand that all science professors get equal time during your church service to refute whatever the preacher is saying about creationism. Teach the controversy!

For that matter, let’s not discriminate when it comes to creationism. We must also teach the Hindu version of creationism, which states that we “devolved” from pure consciousness. And the Cherokee creation story, which holds that the earth was created by a water beetle expanding mud to create the flat earth. Or the Egyptian story, wherein the god Ra emerges from a cosmic egg rising out of the water. Or the central African story of Mbombo, who came to feel an intense pain in his stomach, which led to him vomiting up the sun, the moon, and stars.

What’s that? Most of those are myths? They used to be religions but it turns out that no one believes those things any more? How about that.

Next in line to demand equal time are astrologers, alchemists, and the flat earthers, who demand that their vision of the world be taught alongside actual, real things.

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Anti-science hypocrites

“Conservatives hate science!  Look at how they deny evolution and climate change!”

Well, while that is true, you can’t smugly say that while consulting your astrology charts and using your crystals for positive energy.  You can’t say that we should listen to the scientists when they talk about global warming and we should ignore them when they talk about vaccines.  science

Mind you, there is a big difference — liberals who believe in superstition and non-science aren’t trying to force their views on everybody else, like the fundamentalists who want to ban Darwin from the classroom.  But still, I don’t see how you can criticize them for ignoring science if you are doing the same, even in smaller amounts.

Science is not good or bad — it just is.  Conservatives deny science when it contradicts their religious or economic views, but otherwise have no problem with it.  (They’ll scream that evolution is just a “theory” yet never complain about the “theory” of gravity, for instance).  Liberals tend to use generalizations too often with science, by claiming that all genetically-modified foods are bad or that nuclear power is evil without acknowledging that there are huge gray areas.   (And of course, both sides have their share of believers in psuedo-science like fortune-telling, faith healing, ghosts, and scientology.)

So look at your beliefs and make sure you aren’t being hypocritical for pointing a finger at non-believers in science if you too are picking and choosing which science to believe.

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Texas don’t need no science larnin’

All of the Republican candidates for Lt. Governor in Texas have reaffirmed their commitment to forcing schoolkids to learn creationism because the Constitution knows not to mess with Texas.Flintstones

These candidates may be dumb, but they’re at least smart enough to couch it in words that in their tiny little minds makes it OK — “We’ll teach both theories.”

Next, they’ll require astronomy teachers to also teach astrology, and chemistry teachers to teach alchemy, because you know, let’s be fair here.

Mind you, the only creationist story they want taught equally with valid science is theirs.  They don’t mean some American Indian creation story, or some Hindu one!  Ha ha!  Those aren’t real religions!  Everyone knows the Constitution only allows for Christian beliefs.  It’s in there somewhere, they know it, it has to be.

Let’s see… remind me again why Americans score so poorly in science?

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I don’t have to respect your views

When I criticize someone who has a religious view that, for instance, claims that marriage between anything other than a man and woman should be illegal, they sometimes come back at me and say that I am being anti-Christian and disrespectful to them.

Well, no, I am not being disrespectful to them. I am being disrespectful to their views.

Sometimes these people claim I am violating their rights by “not respecting” their views. This is ridiculous. No one has the right to not be criticized. (Let’s not veer off into a discussion about discrimination based on views — totally different topic.)

I will always respect everyone’s right to have unpopular and even stupid views. I even supported Westboro Baptist Church‘s right to spout their nonsense.

But I’m sorry — if you believe that the world is 6,000 years old and evolution is a lie, I have no respect for your beliefs. Why should I? You obviously don’t know anything about science. The fact that you believe something really, really strongly because of your religion doesn’t mean it should get treated any different from someone who believes that unicorns and fairies are playing in his backyard. Silly beliefs should be challenged no matter where they come from.

Some religions also believe that women should cover themselves from head to toe, never talk to a man, and be treated as subhuman. This is another belief that I have no respect for, and, ironically, many Christians will gladly speak out against that view too, while turning around and complaining whenever anyone challenges their own religious views.

I can distinguish these views about beliefs from views I have about people. Many have these silly beliefs but otherwise are honest, friendly, and wonderful people. After all, there are also people I disagree with politically who are some of my closest friends. I can respect them as people while not respecting their views.

No one’s views should be beyond question or criticism.

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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.