http://www.religio...ntroduced_in_2011/

The National Center for Science Education has tracked a record-setting number of nine anti-evolution bills introduced in state legislatures since Jan. 1.

The latest is Texas’ HB 2454, which would prohibit an institution of higher learning from "discrimination related to research related into intelligent design."

“PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RESEARCH RELATED TO INTELLIGENT DESIGN. An institution of higher education may not discriminate against or penalize in any manner, especially with regard to employment or academic support, a faculty member or student based on the faculty member’s or student’s conduct of research relating to the theory of intelligent design or other alternate theories of the origination and development of organisms.”

What makes this bill such a precious gem is that it relies on creationists’ persecution complex and oft-repeated talking point that the science community discriminates against ID research. But as we all know, there is no such thing as ID research, which has not yet produced one single legitimate peer reviewed paper. But that doesn’t keep its proponents and gullible lawmakers from whining that science is mean to them. As NCSE points out, an example of this supposed persecution was exemplified in Ben Stein’s cynical piece of schlock Expelled. (My review of the movie is here.)

In addition to Texas, another anti-evolution bill was also introduced this month in Florida. HB 1854 would require "a critical analysis" of the teaching of evolution in public schools. The bill is little different from legislation currently in committee in Tennessee, which says that educators may not be prohibited from "helping students understand, analyze, critique and review in an objective manner the scientific strengths and scientific weaknesses of existing scientific theories covered in the course being taught."

As always, since intelligent design was ruled unconstitutional in Kitzmiller v. Dover, the introduced bills rely on such creationist code words as "teaching the controversy," "academic freedom," or "critical analysis." However, in the case of Florida, the bill’s sponsoring lawmaker Rep. Stephen Wise had proposed similar legislation in 2009. The bill died in committee, but not before he spoke publicly about wanting to see intelligent design taught alongside evolution to promote "critical thinking."

So you support limiting where science is allowed to look for answers. Ok gotcha.

Posted by jeepdave So you support limiting where science is allowed to look for answers. Ok gotcha.

The bible is fiction in a scientific view. As such has no bearing on science. One can do a scientific study around the bible and known facts. but to look at fiction for truth is absurd. Meanwhile, I suspect the deeper we go scientifically, the more spiritual it will get.

Posted by dirt The bible is fiction in a scientific view. As such has no bearing on science. One can do a scientific study around the bible and known facts. but to look at fiction for truth is absurd. Meanwhile, I suspect the deeper we go scientifically, the more spiritual it will get.

I understand what you are saying here dirt, but to silence scientist who look for evidence of intelligent design is limiting where science can look for answers.

You want ID? Homeschool your kids. Send them to a private school. Talk about it in your house and in your church. That should be good enough.

Posted by Esoterik You want ID? Homeschool your kids. Send them to a private school. Talk about it in your house and in your church. That should be good enough.

So, limit what science can look at. Ok got ya. Damn, you sound like the Vatican.

And I will be happy to send them to private school, please refund the money I have put into the pathetic public school system.

intelligent design is horseshit.

Posted by Samurai intelligent design is horseshit.

Proof?

Posted by jeepdave Proof?

you first.

Posted by Samurai you first.

ah Sam, wonderful Sam.

Posted by jeepdave ah Sam, wonderful Sam.

its on you to prove that shit... science has already done the research and has the data. produce god or shut the fuck up.
end of story.

Posted by Samurai produce god or shut the fuck up. end of story.

You sure do spend a lot of time in this forum for someone who despises the idea of God so much.

Prayer and God were in public schools at one point. And its real funny, after 1962 when God was banned in public schools, schools progressively went to shit. Now to the point metal detectors are required before you enter classrooms, thats incredible!

You may teach your children about God out side of school, but when you send them to public school (some people cant afford private schools), they brainwash you and beat the theoretical ravings of darwin into you at a young age, teaching it as if it were truth, and the only truth at that. And also failing to acknowledge other "origin" ideas. Seems mighty one sided to me.

Posted by Mr_Fiend You sure do spend a lot of time in this forum for someone who despises the idea of God so much.

it makes me feel better about myself. i am fascinated by that, what I consider, insane need to believe in an invisible friend.

Posted by Samurai i am fascinated by that, what I consider, insane need to believe in an invisible friend.

He's not invisible to me. If you want to limit your mind and emotions to just what your eyes can see, then yeah, He'll be "invisible" to you. You'll never see a thing or believe a thing unless you open your mind and heart. Until then, you will never understand and always just be "fascinated" and think I'm dingbat crazy.

Posted by Mr_Fiend He's not invisible to me. If you want to limit your mind and emotions to just what your eyes can see, then yeah, He'll be "invisible" to you.

invisible friends are like that.

You'll never see a thing or believe a thing unless you open your mind and heart.

you sincerely want to believe in something that has done nothing but promote hate for thousands of years and most certainly would love to rid the world of people like me? Oh good luck with that one... sure....

what really scares me, i mean right to the core of my fucking being, is the fact that you and people that believe in whatever flavor of god they choose really and truly believe it. Lock, stock and barrel. It's like a mania, a sickness i want no part of.

there is another word for faith... cult.

Posted by Samurai you sincerely want to believe in something that has done nothing but promote hate for thousands of years and most certainly would love to rid the world of people like me?

Um, if I wanted to get rid of you, I would have called you the most demeaning words I could think of, spit in your face, tell you your going to hell and run off and do that to another person. Instead, I have been taught and brought up to preach to "people like you" and show you that I love you and so does God. I cannot speak for other "christians" that have attacked you. God will judge them.

Posted by Samurai what really scares me, i mean right to the core of my fucking being, is the fact that you and people that believe in whatever flavor of god they choose really and truly believe it. Lock, stock and barrel. It's like a mania, a sickness i want no part of. there is another word for faith... cult.

Joooooin uuussss! We will welcome you by letting you dance with our poisonous snakes, shortly followed by letting you drink our "special" wine. ;)

If you went to a real non denominational church, you wouldn't think we're so crazy. You'd still think we're nuts, but not a cult.

Posted by Mr_Fiend Joooooin uuussss! We will welcome you by letting you dance with our poisonous snakes, shortly followed by letting you drink our "special" wine. ;)

LOL!!!

If you went to a real non denominational church, you wouldn't think we're so crazy. You'd still think we're nuts, but not a cult.

sorry, man, but to me it's all a cult, regardless of what flavor it is. I live with a fucking catholic and you think the conversations here are nasty, you ain't seen nothing. My mom had a 'bible study' group here and do you have any idea how hard it was to NOT heckle their silly asses? I thought I was going to explode!

i thought about faith once and dismissed it for what it is... a sham.
you know, if people could just keep their god to themselves, i probably wouldn't be so nuts over it. But when I see these cocksuckers trying to stick their noses into politics (and succeeding), it makes my blood boil. When I see that those fuckers don't pay taxes, my blood boils. When i see so-called 'god fearing christians' getting caught in hypocritical situations, I pop wood and stroke for hours... no one is that pious. Pompous, yes. Pious, no.

imagine a world without fucking god and I'll show you a quiet fucking neighborhood.

Posted by Samurai I live with a fucking catholic

Ah ha! No wonder you hate christians....

Posted by Samurai But when I see these cocksuckers trying to stick their noses into politics (and succeeding), it makes my blood boil.

Easy killer. You do know that we came to america because the english where pursicuting christians. And we came here to have religious freedom. The founding fathers obviously intended God to be in the government, or else they wouldnt have put His name on everything. Christians didnt poke their noeses into the government, they helped form it.

The original colonies were religious. They were essentially run as theocracies.

But the "founding fathers" were a little more enlightened and America was designed to support a bit more freedom. Religions were allowed to survive without being corrupted by government. They never intended for god to be in government; they intended for god to be a source of direction for people who were in government.

But more importantly, they were smart and educated men, who recognized some of the idiocies of religion. That is not what we have today. Now, most politicians are essentially religion whores.