As PZ reported, my bestest bestest friend in all of Oklahoma has escaped from her cage again. You remember her 'HOMOZ IS GUNNA KILLLLLLL USSSS!!!' rant? That rant also included, you guessed it, "EVILUTION IS GUNNA KILLLLLL USSSSS!!!:Another practical benefit of Christianity was the elevation of knowledge, of learning, of science, okay, of the arts.
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... he believed that we needed to have a society that was based upon Christian principles because elevation of science, elevation of knowledge is very important if you're going to have an informed public. And I believe it was Thomas Payne also said, you know, you can look at a picture and it makes you think of the artist, you can look at some kind of invention and you think of the inventor. Why is it that we look at the creation and we don't think about the creator. You know, we don't do that. And if we really had Christian principles our educational system would not be in the mess it is in today.
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Another thing that I'm real big on that is a real detriment to this society is evolution. Evolution undermines Christian principles. Period. That's all there is to it. You either believe there is a creator or you believe there isn't. Some people say well I believe there is a creator and he used evolution. There's a lot of problems there folks. When does sin come in, when does the spirit come in? You know, it's evolution. You read God's word and you will see the word creation all through it, old and new testament. And it undermines people's faith. They have trouble reading or believing the Bible.
Now, gosh, golly, Im sure Sal has no ulterior motives with this retarded bill she wants passed.
What you all can do: Send Gov Brad Henry an email. Henry seems to be a good guy, pro-Obama, so no need to talk to him like hes a Falwell. Just a nice little note (or quick call) would be greatly appreciated.
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If she really wanted to quote Thomas Paine (rather than Thomas Payne, whoever he is), she might also be interested in this gem, from "Common Sense".
"Sincerely wishing, that as men and christians, ye may always fully and uninterruptedly enjoy every civil and religious right; and be, in your turn, the means of securing it to others; but that the example which ye have unwisely set, of mingling religion with politics, may be disavowed and reprobated by every inhabitant of America."
Your wish is my command. And, yes, I WAS respectful. Unlike "Rep" Kern, who hates the Constitution, and America.
Whoa hey, ERV is on scienceblogs, I should open up my eyes more.
I just sent the following letter to the governor:
Governor Henry,
Please allow a concerned citizen to voice his opposition to a newly-introduced bill in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. House Bill 2633, sponsored (as I understand it) by Representative Sally Kern, says, among other things, "students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions."
Governor, please let me express my dismay that this subject even needs to be addressed. This is the same Sally Kern who said "(e)volution undermines Christian principles. Period." This person, in my opinion, is mentally unbalanced.
Permit a non-believer to express a simple FACT: if a particular notion cannot be tested via the scientific method, it is not science and does not belong in a science classroom.
Christian fanatics like Rep. Kern are destroying this country. They seek to undermine REAL freedom in the guise of imposing "morality" on the rest of us who wish to be left in peace. Furthermore, they seek to put American children behind the curve where it comes to science education compared to the rest of the world. And we're at a severe disadvantage in that area as it is.
Please do what you can to oppose this offensive proposition.
Cordially,
Paul Lundgren
Ames, IA
Flying Spaghetti Monster wants this to pass and I have to agree. It's about equal time and the Spaghedeity deserves to be featured in our science classes. I mean come on it's the 21st century!
I have to disagree that evolution undermines "Christian principles." If I were to be the grand creator I imagine I'd do it something like this.
1. Cause single cell life to form.
2. Guide evolution only as needed, sit back and rest otherwise. I already did a lot of work making life exist in the first place and I'm lazy.
3. Add sin and spirit in when life is ready. Give them some names, tell them my ideas about good and evil/set rules, then wait for them to screw up and break my rules.
Wow, a three step guide to how evolution doesn't clash with anything Christian other than the young earth idea. Might need some rewording since I'm in a less than serious mood right now and have certainly butchered some of the Christian creation myth (sorry to the truly good Christians out there, you guys are good people and the three step guide is not targeted at you).
I think it's time to split up the species tree for humanity. Homo Intelligentus and Homo WTFBBQus* sound like a good start for separating us from them as I really don't want to think about belonging to the same species as her.
*I'll take anything that makes it clear how crazy the fanatics are in place of WTFBBQ
You know, I think she's got this one figured out
Kern: "I could give you lots of quotes about, oh Benjamin Rush and Noah Webster and Fisher Ames who actually penned the first amendment, the things they had to say about the main book in school should be the Bible."
James Madison was the person who penned the First Amendment.
I don't think the other three gentlemen had anything to do with the Bill of Rights other than being Americans in that time frame and possibly being some of the thousands who argued for them.
People like this are so depressing and dangerous (especially the hate speech). I live in an enclave of the religious right and, as you well know- it's not just this one loudmouth.
But, I delight in coming back to these people with 'hate is not a christian value, a family value, or any other kind of moral value'. And then, I tell them that I'll pray for them.... (although I'm not religious...) but it always gives ME a laugh, and pretty much stops them in mid sentence.
There is only one way around these people- and that is to teach kids critical thinking very very early- like K-1st, so if more great biologists volunteered in elementary schools we could get that rolling.
Yep, sent:
Dear Governor Henry,
Please ensure that education remains free of religious entanglements. The broad language of this bill would give any student free reign to simply stop learning and submit work with religious views instead of work that is the result of effort spent learning the material. As an educator Rep Kern should know this. However her religious fundamentalism has clouded her views to such an extent that she feels teaching Christianity is more important than knowledge.
Please don't allow her to do any more damage to Oklahoma's educational system and reputation than she already has. The children of your state are depending on you.
Sincerely,
Heh, I love your suggestion drdrA. I've thought about bringing up the "hate is not a Christian value" part before but telling them I'll pray for them is something I haven't thought of doing before. I'll have to use this the next opportunity I get.
Fundamentalist Christians should be careful about quoting Thomas Paine...especially passages from "The Age of Reason."
Sal should also think twice about basing her argument on the works of David Barton, who has had to admit that he can't locate sources for quotes he attributes to the Founding Fathers.