Christian Group: Teaching science violates religious freedom

[Crata]

Dear community, let me start with this:

This does, in essence, also sum up my feelings. Damn it, Kansas.

Anyway, here's what it's about: Christians trying to force teachers to stop teaching global warming and evolution. Because: "how life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it".

A religious group has filed suit against the Kansas Board of Education seeking to stop educators from adopting global warming and evolution into the state curriculum. The Christian organization said such lessons would violate parents’ religious freedom.

The non-profit group, known as Citizens for Objective Public Education (COPE), has attacked Kansas along with 25 other states and the National Research Council for implementing new standards which mandate that mainstream science be taught in classrooms. COPE is based in the small town of Peck, Kansas, to the south of Wichita.

Fifteen parents and their 18 children joined the suit, with one telling the Associated Press they are Christians who want their children to believe “life is a creation made for a purpose.” The Kansas state Department of Education and the state board are named in the suit.

“The state’s job is simply to say to students, ‘How life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it,’” said John Calvert, a local attorney involved in the case.

Here's the source.

[Spartan Philidelphia]

What the hell does global warming have to do with religious freedom or creationism?

[Mewtinigrad]

It's moments like these when I'm glad that I don't live in the Bible Belt.

[European Socialist Republic]

All I hear them say is: "We can't teach our children facts because that infringes upon their freedom to remain stupid."

[Pandeeria]

Just, wow. How does it even infringe on their religious freedom exactly? No one is oppressing them, no one is doing any harm to Christains (while on the contrary, some Christains are doing harm to others for religious reasons).

Schools should teach evolution, not creationism.

[Blakk Metal]

To be fair, "how life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it" is a correct statement.

[European Socialist Republic]

To be fair, "how life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it" is a correct statement.

But... "how life arises" has nothing to do with evolution. Please tell me these people understand that!

[Pandeeria]

To be fair, "how life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it" is a correct statement.

True but at least evolution has support from the scientific community and has valid evidence. Creationism does not.

[Ayreonia]

To be fair, "how life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it" is a correct statement.

How is that an excuse for not teaching global warming or evolution?

[Renoa]

AGH! NOT ALL OF US ARE LIKE THAT!

[Tlaceceyaya]

To be fair, "how life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it" is a correct statement.

True but at least evolution has support from the scientific community and has valid evidence. Creationism does not.

And is literally inevitable based on the way the universe works.

[Natair]

As a former resident of Kansas I say:

It's called the THEORY of Evolution for a REASON.

Anyways, global warming has NOTHING to do with this.

[Starkiller101]

Wow just wow and i though i was a relgious nut

[Grenartia]

Sometimes, I'm ashamed to be a Christian. Not all of us are collossal idiots like are described in the OP.

[Partybus]

To be fair, "how life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it" is a correct statement.

But who wants to be fair?

I say let the 18 parents and their 15 children start their own religious school, let them religion to their hearts desire...

[Tlaceceyaya]

As a former resident of Kansas I say:

It's called the THEORY of Evolution for a REASON.

Anyways, global warming has NOTHING to do with this.

It's not called the theory of evolution.
There's evolution, and there's the (scientific) theory of evolution by natural selection.

[Zoetland]

It's moments like these when I'm glad that I don't live in the Bible Belt.

Bible Belt?

[Mewtinigrad]

As a former resident of Kansas I say:

It's called the THEORY of Evolution for a REASON.

Anyways, global warming has NOTHING to do with this.

Its hysterical how often people confuse the conventional and scientific definitions of "theory".

[Pandeeria]

As a former resident of Kansas I say:

It's called the THEORY of Evolution for a REASON.

Anyways, global warming has NOTHING to do with this.

It's not called the theory of evolution.
There's evolution, and there's the (scientific) theory of evolution by natural selection.

While religion/creationism is still just a hypothesis.

[Tlaceceyaya]

To be fair, "how life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it" is a correct statement.

But who wants to be fair?

I say let the 18 parents and their 15 children start their own religious school, let them religion to their hearts desire...

Yay! Children taught bullshit with no choice in the matter and no way to escape! Apparently no mandated curriculum, either! Hurray for Freedom!

[Starkiller101]

As a former resident of Kansas I say:

It's called the THEORY of Evolution for a REASON.

Anyways, global warming has NOTHING to do with this.

It's not called the theory of evolution.
There's evolution, and there's the (scientific) theory of evolution by natural selection.

Evolution is still a bunch of BS

[DRNR ambassador to GAU]

Dear community, let me start with this:

This does, in essence, also sum up my feelings. Damn it, Kansas.

Anyway, here's what it's about: Christians trying to force teachers to stop teaching global warming and evolution. Because: "how life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it".

A religious group has filed suit against the Kansas Board of Education seeking to stop educators from adopting global warming and evolution into the state curriculum. The Christian organization said such lessons would violate parents’ religious freedom.

The non-profit group, known as Citizens for Objective Public Education (COPE), has attacked Kansas along with 25 other states and the National Research Council for implementing new standards which mandate that mainstream science be taught in classrooms. COPE is based in the small town of Peck, Kansas, to the south of Wichita.

Fifteen parents and their 18 children joined the suit, with one telling the Associated Press they are Christians who want their children to believe “life is a creation made for a purpose.” The Kansas state Department of Education and the state board are named in the suit.

“The state’s job is simply to say to students, ‘How life arises continues to be a scientific mystery and there are competing ideas about it,’” said John Calvert, a local attorney involved in the case.

Here's the source.

Wow, before I read the whole thing, I almost thought the WBC was the group. I would not be surprised if it had been. I mean they are a kansas group as well.

[Pandeeria]

It's moments like these when I'm glad that I don't live in the Bible Belt.

Bible Belt?

Y'know, the southern states that are really religious such as Texas, Louisiana, etc.

It's not called the theory of evolution.
There's evolution, and there's the (scientific) theory of evolution by natural selection.

Evolution is still a bunch of BS

Not really, at all.

[New Libertarian States]

This is Kansas after all.
No real suprises.

[Natair]

As a former resident of Kansas I say:

It's called the THEORY of Evolution for a REASON.

Anyways, global warming has NOTHING to do with this.

Its hysterical how often people confuse the conventional and scientific definitions of "theory".

The people aren't sure so it is actually considered a theory and unless concrete proof one way or the other is found it will remain a theory.

I paid attention in class.