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[grooviechickie]

What should schoolchildren be taught about the origins of life, especially considering the whole Creationism debate in the US?

Did anyone watch Andrew Denton's "God On My Side"? And what about Richard Dawkins' two part special on ABC's Compass over the last two weeks?

Are Yankees all crazy friggin' nutcases over religion?

[Nick 2]

Dawkins is as rabid as the zealots he opposes!

That said, I don't think anybody - well, Americans excepted - would be daft enough to even suggest that 'creationism' be taught at all in our schools, let alone put on the same level as the theory of evolution.

[Ibby]

Gods, Dawkins is hilarious. XD

I'm not that fussed about whether religion is taught in schools or not, but creationism and ID have no place in science classes.

[The Rogue Doll]

I was taught creationism while I attended a public school. We all hated it, mainly because it was boring. Now that I've grown, I think it was ridiculous. We weren't taught much about evolution either.

As a Darwinian, I believe that both should be taught in schools. It's not fair to just be taught one, it definitely makes it harder to make an educated decision as to what you believe.

[Ibby]

I went to a private high school, and I'd have to say, our science classes were much better than our religion classes. But that may have been down to crappy RE teachers more than anything. XD

[bollocks]

Dawkins is as rabid as the zealots he opposes!

he is, which is abit sad, because he has the profile to be able to make a big difference.
but he goes off half-cocked and ruins it.

ID is for people who don't understand evolution and natural selection properly.

[DiddlySquat]

Check out this piece by Michael Gawenda today about the state of America.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/obese-gunhappy-and-violent-but-thats-half-the-story/2007/05/27/1180205070036.html

I'm not a fan of America per se, but my experiences there and with Americans around the world fits roughly with his findings.

But I digress..............

I've never wanted my kids to be taught creationism, except as a Christian fairytale that is one way of explaining the beginning of the world.

A Christian or other religious belief comes down to faith in the end. It's primarily about how one lives one's life.

The beginning of life as we know it can't be properly explained by either side in the subject line. It may be amusing to play with the various hypotheses but in the end it just muddies the waters.

And the muddying is worse for the believers, as the little of Denton that I saw starkly but gently showed.

[Darq Gus]

Yes, I agree schools should only teach evolution.

Creationism should perhaps not be taught at all, given how it has a nasty habit of spreading amongst stupid people. It isn't real afterall. No omniscient Santa judges the wicked and the good, a wonderful oblivion awaits us when we die, and the majority of important messages offered in the Bible are routinely ignored by its most vocal supporters.

In the beginning, God said "Let thar be pirates."

[Kelchables]

Hmmm, I personally think there should be a little bit of both, not completely cut something out just because it's completely flawed. Then it creates ignorant people. There should be the opportunity for kids to learn about different theories on evolution and such, yet there's no need for it to be prominent or anything.

[grooviechickie]

I agree, Kelch. We should allow our kids to have options.

Government schools in Oz have religion as an elective - you can choose to have your kid brainwashed or not.

My issue with these weirdo Creationists is that they are trying to force schools to teach it instead of Darwinian theory, as opposed to as well as. And these are government schools... fucking Dubya. 

[Fritz]

There is the point that creationists take it too far. I will not argue with that. However, from experience I have found that the benefits of teaching from a creationists point of view is not preaching the world was built in 7 days but moulding a child with a value system that a christian society has. This is not saying that those without a faith have no values, however it is a good guidance to other wise shit house attempt a discipline.

It should be taught as a faith, not as an absolute fact. The problem these days is that the press grab hold of the fanaticals and wave them in your faces. The guys who "talk" to God daily and those that cannot help breaking out in  barber shop quartet everytime they feel the need to praise jesus....wherever it is.

[Nick 2]

I prefer Muslim values. No drugs, no alcohol, no promiscuity - no wonder the Anglos have such a hard time getting along with them!

Dawkins might be a prat, his followers as indoctrinated and blind as those they are determined to 'save', but you can't deny they have a sense of humour:

http://richarddawkins.net/article,1171,n,n

[grooviechickie]

I prefer Muslim values. No drugs, no alcohol, no promiscuity - no wonder the Anglos have such a hard time getting along with them!

And I'm sure you really appreciate what they do to their women to keep them in line.

Dawkins might be a prat, his followers as indoctrinated and blind as those they are determined to 'save', but you can't deny they have a sense of humour:

http://richarddawkins.net/article,1171,n,n

Some of the comments are great.

[Nick 2]

And I'm sure you really appreciate what they do to their women to keep them in line.

lies spread by the american propaganda machine. women only get stoned for committing the worst crimes, like adultury, exposing their ankles, or looking at another man. usually a crack over the head is enough to get them to comply .. that, or threaten to sell them off to the local harem.

islam really is a top religeon for blokes.

[grooviechickie]

lies spread by the american propaganda machine. women only get stoned for committing the worst crimes, like adultury, exposing their ankles, or looking at another man. usually a crack over the head is enough to get them to comply .. that, or threaten to sell them off to the local harem.

islam really is a top religeon for blokes.

You forgot that you wouldn't need to bother with giving your woman one of those overrated pesky orgasms anymore, because she'll be so cut up she'll look just like a Barbie doll, for your pleasure only.