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From: palmer@uw-june (David Palmer)
Newsgroups: net.origins,net.politics,net.religion
Subject: Re: Louisiana Creationism Law (A Soviet conspiracy?)
Message-ID: <1549@uw-june>
Date: Sat, 2-Jun-84 23:12:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: uw-june>.1549
Posted: Sat Jun  2 23:12:16 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 5-Jun-84 08:31:53 EDT
References: <930@ihuxq.UUCP>, <38@mouton.UUCP> <1790@randvax.ARPA> <691@ihuxn.UUCP> <1158@qubix.UUCP>
Organization: U. Washington, Computer Sci
Lines: 88



>>Yosi Hoshen
>Larry Bickford

>> The Louisiana creationism law could deliver a knockout blow to science
>> education in that state.
>Hey AT&T - Yosi's keyboard needs TP!:-) Physics teachers can still teach
>physics; ditto for chemistry and a host of other fields. But the
>evolutionary dogma will no longer continue unchallenged. Experiments
>have been made in several school districts with the two-model approach
>and the results have been *better* learning.

If a physics teacher taught that the stars are billions of years old,
and that the light from quasars has travelled for 10 billion years;  If
a chemistry teacher mentioned that the rock that she (I know the Bible
prohibits female teachers, but one step at a time) just disolved in
vinegar was made of the shells of animals which died hundreds of
millions of years ago;  If a math teacher suggests that his pupils
calculate the rate of rain required to cover all of Earth's mountains
in 40 days and nights (about 30 FEET per hour); Then the Holy
Inquisition (I'm sorry, I mean the thought police (I'm sorry, I mean
the Gestapo (I'm sorry, I mean the Moral Majority (I'm sorry, I mean the
curriculum board))))  will come down on them like a ton of bibles.

    I don't know what the people who made the studies meant by *better*
learning, perhaps the more faithful replication of their teacher's
prattle.  It may very well lead to thought, distrust of authority, and
other good things, but the studies wouldn't show that.  People who
learn such things also quickly learn to hide their learning, at least
until they find a good teacher.

>> Enacting similar creationism laws in other states will turn [the
>> shortage of qualified science teachers] from acute to critical.
>I guess advanced scientists had better stop their work, because public
>school teachers are too incompetent to learn any more. :-(
I guess advanced scientists like Aritosthenes(sp? the person who
discovered that the Earth was round), Galileo and Darwin had better
stop their work, because the Fundamentalist orders are too dogmatic to
learn any more.

>> Given the USSR's disastrous experience with interjecting dogmas
>> (Marxist) into science ...
>Alas, had they no support for their beliefs apart from their dogma?
>Actually, the U.S. schools are suffering from dogma mixed with science -
>evolutionist dogma.
Yes, they had support for their dogmas.  Places like Gorky,
organizations like the KGB, that strange theology called Marxism.  All
that their dogmas lacked was an ability to stand up to scrutiny (also
called science.)

>If I were any power wanting to subvert the U.S. (or any other country,
>for that matter), I wouldn't waste my time with things like science
>education. I'd go after something more basic - break down their moral
>system. Emphasize rights; weaken the concept of responsibility.  Get
>them to look at short-term goals, rather than long-range effects.
>Promote instant gratification - the more sensual the better. And in
>these, they've done a very good job.

If I were any power wanting to subvert the U.S. (or any other country,
for that matter)  I would attack the ability for independant thought.
Then I could destroy their technological base by bringing down science
education, give them a set of rigidly defined, unquestionable rules,
grind it into their very soul that they have no more rights than a
worm, make sure that they understand that it is their responsibility to
support the leadership in everything.  I would tell them that if they
are willing slaves now, they will eventually receive a great reward (on
Earth if I were communist, in heaven if I were Christian.)  Promote
ridiculous levels of self denial (People may have sex only with their
spouses, only and always if the husband wants it, and (if Catholic)
only if the purpose is to create more people who are potential willing
slaves.)  And in these, the Churches and the Communists have done a
very good job.

>To steal Yosi's phrase, we have the duty to ensure that science
>flourishes, unhindered by *evolutionist* religious dogma.

To steal Larry's phrase, we have a duty to ensure that thought
flourishes, unhindered by *any* dogma.

Flame all you like, I'm graduating on Saturday and will be away from
the heat.

                        The Cute Signoff of David Palmer
                        ...decvax!uw-beaver!uw-june!palmer

P.S. So long and thanks for all the fish.