Ga. Evolution Stickers Ordered Removed

[Bluehawk]

Originally Posted by Woodmonkey

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It isn't the ACLU that's responsible for those stickers, it's the Christian Fundamentalists. They are the ones trying to force Creationism, a religious belief, into science classes.

Guerrilla warfare takes many forms.

[BrianK]

Originally Posted by Woodmonkey

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It isn't the ACLU that's responsible for those stickers, it's the Christian Fundamentalists. They are the ones trying to force Creationism, a religious belief, into science classes.

This paragraph was part of the article.
[Six parents and the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) then sued, contending the disclaimers violated the separation of church and state and unfairly singled out evolution from thousands of other scientific theories as suspect. ]

I saw nothing wrong with the disclaimer. My thought was the school was trying to clarify its position so they could prevent a lawsuit. Obviously with the help of the ACLU that didn't work.

[JohnRN]

Maybe people should dispute the "Theory of Gravity" seeing that THAT also is a "theory".

The problem is with the word "theory". When used in the context of Science, it assumes a different meaning that when it is used in the everyday sense.

The scientific definition of a theory is a "statement of what are held to be the general laws, principles, or causes of something known or observed". Nearly everything in the natural sciences is a "theory" because it is nearly impossible to replicate them - but that doesn't mean they have been proven true.

There are enough examples of Natural Selection to validate the theory of Evolution. Anti-Biotic resistance in disease causing bugs is a good example.

Maybe we should start putting warning labels on books that claim that the Earth is round

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by BrianK

This paragraph was part of the article.
[Six parents and the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) then sued, contending the disclaimers violated the separation of church and state and unfairly singled out evolution from thousands of other scientific theories as suspect. ]

I saw nothing wrong with the disclaimer. My thought was the school was trying to clarify its position so they could prevent a lawsuit. Obviously with the help of the ACLU that didn't work.

I thought you meant that the ACLU was responsible for the disclaimer being put on the books.

I respectfully disagree. The disclaimer was wrong. They didn't put it there to avoid a lawsuit, they put it there to get a religious message into the science book. I might add that it was their version and that not all Christians agree with it. That elected body was wrong to sponsor a religious view.

[Woodmonkey]

Originally Posted by John.

The scientific definition of a theory is a "statement of what are held to be the general laws, principles, or causes of something known or observed". Nearly everything in the natural sciences is a "theory" because it is nearly impossible to replicate them - but that doesn't mean they have been proven true.

It is an 'explanation' that answers those observations and is not taught as fact. However, something happens with Fundamentalists and science. They see science as invalidating their version of God and try to censor science as a result. There is nothing in the Theory of Evolution that negates Intelligent Design, a Creator, etc. Just like with the 'Big Bang,' they only try to explain what and how. They don't have an explanation for the ultimate cause ... the "caused cause."

[Snowden]

By Woodmonkey: Some believe that the world is 4,000 years old and everything is created as is and that Satan put the fossils there to fool people, others believe that God is directing evolution and I'm sure there are still other variations for Christians.

Actually, according to my resident theologian, they believe the world was exactly 4000 years old when Jesus was born. Just as silly; but I know you want it put down correctly - or as seen to be correct by those people.

I hadn't heard the legend of Satan putting fossils about - wonder where he got them? The ages are very cleverly concealed if they are made to appear millions of years old instead of just 6000 years old, give or take. I doubt he's quite that clever.

Really, joking aside, there is nothing in Genesis that is not to some extent supportive of the theory of evolution. We are given, as days (hence the "4000-years Bible Time" as a friend of mine put it), lengths of time that cannot be measured. People try to limit God, Who cannot be limited. He explained things in ways that people could connect with. One of the Psalms says God would like to gather us all "under his wings," which sounds like a mother hen covering her chicks for warmth or safety. God is not a chicken or bird. I wonder why they would so limit their understanding of one part of the Bible without realizing that much of it, if taken literally, is hilarious. The ancient way of teaching in Judaism is by story telling; the truth is there, but at times not in just so many words. Jesus did much of His teaching with proverbs, saying, "Let those with ears hear." Everybody had ears; He meant some would believe, some would not. He's a Jew; He taught Jews, and He used the Jewish approach.

Don't misunderstand me; I am a Bible believer - but I don't believe that it is written like a history book. It's a story. A series of stories, explaining not so much the physical aspects of this world, but what, seemingly to God at least, is important. The story of our relationship to God and His relationship to us.

It's basically a love story - the true romance of mankind. If read from that point of view, the small contradictions are seen as different view and often lead to the same conclusion; if read as history, it's a mess.

Just my way of looking at and reading it, of course. Much of it I believe to be absolutely accurate; but what it is all about - to me - is the love of God for His creation. I'm right glad for that - being part of that creation. It's nice to be loved. Even nicer when that love comes, as all love must, from God.

But evolution is a theory of how He did certain things - and a fascinating thing to explore. Much of it can be right. Mules throw us a bit of a curve - and a few other hybrids that can't reproduce their own kind. But it's like two aspects of any other thing - sometimes the magic works, sometimes it works differently. Also, maybe those hybrids will one day start reproducing their own kind. We are living in time; God is not.

And Science is the name of how we study to find out these things; if it were not ever to be known, we would find out nothing. However, the secrets of life are forever unfolding before us, and it's by scientists that these things are being revealed to a very great extent.

And yes; I do believe the universe is His creation - science may some day tell us how He did it.