America is doomed

In one sense you are right, as the scientists are generally the only ones the do anything with the knowledge. However, I think it is still important that the general population be educated as much as possible. They do, after all, run this nation as we in America live in a democracy. With numbers like this, it isn't much of a stretch to think a demagogue will use people's ill-founded ideas to gain power and to suppress real scientific thought.

 

Which is why science does not make such declarations. Do you know who Karl Popper is?

 

Your dumb-it-downness in everything positions you such that you can "guarantee" nothing. Either things are reflective of something, or they are not. The U.S., as a representative republic, needs a certain amount of fundamental reality among its citizens, such that they produce representatives who can share in that reality with the rest of the world. If we produce representatives to are committed to teaching Creation and living Revelations, that's ********ing IMPORTANT, and your guarantee will not extend past this generation. It's dangerous for the nation with the nukes and the bombs to be so committed to such unprovables, and for its citizens to be so committed to those unprovables being acted out to their completion.

YOU are not worried about it. YOU are not lobbying Congress everyday. You're engagement seems limited to BS. I wouldn't extrapolate you to the nation. In fact, Christians are demanding "payback" for what they see as having put Bush in the WH with an enactment and fulfillment of theri decidedly anti-Christ vision. The 'faithful' are taking over textbook writing and editing in certain states. You think that these questions are irrelevant in their lives? Are you joking?

This is fundamental BELIEF, guy. This is how it works, how it's always worked. It consumes. It condemns. It cannot be ignored, and must be challenged, or it does absurd levels of damage. It currently threatens to take the US through a mini-Dark Ages, to which the rest of the world will be proportionately subject, because the place where the Enlightenment goes out will also be the place capable of killing everyone on the planet.

This is no joke.

Wake up.

 

Evolution vs Creationism is so 19th century...

 

Aaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!! I'm agreeing with Mel!! What is the world coming to!!!

Seriously this is important and MelB is right. If every unfounded cockamamy theory that any religious nut wants to foist can be taught in schools, science education suffers. Ultimately the development of science and economic competitiveness suffer.

Who is to say that the next Einstein or Bohr or Pasteur isn't sitting in a classroom in America right now being taught some religion-based idolatry rather than the best that science can offer. What a loss that is for mankind.

Face it, evolution is fact, not theory. It happens. It is what makes virii so difficult to combat. It is why most mosquitoes are resistant to DDT. There are a million examples supporting this fact of biology.

 

I wish you were right.

 

First they came for the gays.

Then they came for the evolutionists.

Then they came for the Indiana Pacers.

They will take away our globes and replace them with Applebee's placemats.

Where have you gone, Dr. Stephen Jay Gould? A lonely nation turns its eyes (which evolved through scientifically valid theoretical principles) to you. Woo woo woo.

 

That's because we are descendents of a more chimp like creature.

 

I'll start worrying when a group of concerned scientists are PREVENTED from producing a report like this.

But then again, you and your ilk think freedom is on the way out in this country.

Meanwhile, I know you only like to read what you like to read if it happens to suit your rather peculiar sensibilty, but read the other side of the story here.

http://www.ostp.gov/html/ucs/ResponsetoCongressonUCSDocumentApril2004.pdf

A point by point refutation that, as far as I can recall, has generated no formal counterargument from the UCS.

Also read this:

http://www.ostp.gov/nstc/21stcentury/Final_sm.pdf

Blah blah blah blah blah blah.

 

I especially liked this part: "The Administration’s strong commitment to science is evidenced by impressive increases devoted to Federal research and development (R&D) budgets."

So researching tactical nukes, missile defense systems and "clean" coal is a strong commitment to science?

 

You know, it just warms my heart to hear this demogogic wisea$$ comments from folks like you who, rather than look at the facts, would rather name call, slur, loathe, sneer, and express a supercilious contempt for those who don't walk like you, talk like you, or just don't give a **** like you.

This is why you and your ilk are slowly, but inevitabley, going to be politically marginalized.

Read the real numbers, jerk.

http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/infbrief/nsf04331/start.htm

DOD accounts for slightly more than 10% of the federal funding for research. And my understanding is that all of the arms related work is placed in another budgetary line item.

Do us a favor? Print this out, fold it in five, and stick it where the sun don't shine? Twist it a little while you're at it.

 

A few years ago, I heard Gould give a talk and it was pretty astonishing (everybody should read his Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History).

Bottom line?? We're just one big piece of accidental contingent luck. Or that we could have all wound up looking like Jabba the Hut.

Though I think everyone will agree that Loney is more accidental and contingent than most.

 

And how long have they been teaching evolution in public schools? 100 years or so?

Where do you think these poll respondents were educated, Mexico?

 

Karl...

Have you ever considered who "created" all of the above...

I am amazed at how "smart" we all think we are! It is though we each possessed an equal aptititude with God himself.

Funny thing is...in 25 years, what WE THINK WE KNOW now will be proven incorrect.

I was absolutely positive that WMD existed in Iraq before we invaded. So was every "smart" intelligence agency worldwide. It was the "popular" consesus.

I give the theory of evolution about as much credence as I give to Colin Powell's UN speech last year.

It is not what you know...it is what you don't know. And what you don't know is not knowable!

 

Who's to say the next Einstein or Bohr or Pasteur hasn't been aborted over the past 30 years, due to humanistic idolatry rather than the best that society can offer. What a loss that is for mankind.

 

where did all the gas or material or elements that exploded that sent the universe into existence come from?

 

Maybe the Antichrist was aborted, thus sparing humanity Armageddon.

 

Maybe a liberal that can actually win a national office was aborted, thus giving Republicans control 2 branches of government.

 

What's so bad about "clean coal" research? Anyhting to replace oil I say!

 

More likely the next Einstein got filled with self-esteem in school, dropped out and is now inventing stuff like the scoop-n-strain and the grip-n-flip.

 

Which are also worthy endevors!

In any event, there was some guy claiming a year back that as liberals are more likely to have abortions than conservatives, the number of liberals would decrease over time. Not sure I believe it. Then again, I am very ambivilant towards the whole issue.

 

You have this question with or without supernatural creatures. If you claim some supernatural "god" created it, then who created your "god"?

Also, please note that e=mc^2 works in both directions.

 

Neither did I.