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PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
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In a footnote to the Supreme Court's 1961 Torcaso v. Watkins decisions, Justice Hugo Black wrote, 'Among religions in this country which do not teach what would generally be considered a belief in the existence of God is Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture, Secular Humanism, and others.' The Torcaso case dealt with religious tests for public office; it has nothing to do with public schools. The justice's comment is far from a finding that humanism is being taught in the schools.

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« Leprechauns always looked suspiciously fey to me | Main | Abiogenesis on the TV »

So many controversies, so little time in the classroom

Category: Humor
Posted on: June 16, 2008 10:01 AM, by PZ Myers

Let's all advocate teaching the controversy…by wearing the t-shirt!

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Comments

Posted by: gary | June 16, 2008 10:09 AM

Sounds to me like they are a bunch of UFO deniers. Even if UFOs aren't real, I think we should teach the controversy. And give each side equal weight of course.

Posted by: Ouchimoo | June 16, 2008 10:18 AM

Want!

Posted by: Tim Fuller | June 16, 2008 10:22 AM

Check out the other T-shirts as well. I kinda like the one that skews the periodic table.

Enjoy.

Posted by: Ben | June 16, 2008 10:23 AM

I've been rocking my anti-raptor and "Science, it works bitches" shirts from xkcd since they arrived a couple weeks back, but I could definitely use a few more science t-shirts.

Of course I could use food too...

Posted by: Nicole | June 16, 2008 10:25 AM

I love my "Science it works, bitches" shirt, but I have to admit that it does get funny looks.

Posted by: Remy-Grace | June 16, 2008 10:27 AM

No, no, no! God put the fossils there because he wanted his chosen people to have enough *fossil* fuels to power our Hummers! Duh. Praise the Lord!

Posted by: Peter | June 16, 2008 10:27 AM

Why the FCUK is the devil wearing dungarees?

Posted by: Rev. BigDumbChimp | June 16, 2008 10:31 AM

Already ordered...

Posted by: C Barr | June 16, 2008 10:33 AM

Everyone knows you don't need the devil to explain tyrannosaurus fossils. During The Flood the bigger heavier creatures which drowned, sank deeper, and were buried below the strata that contained the smaller lighter mammals. Geesh.

#10

Posted by: Matt Heath | June 16, 2008 10:33 AM

Pete @#7: Because he's digging of course.

(I considered "Because he's a lesbian" but thought better of it)

#11

Posted by: Schmeer | June 16, 2008 10:36 AM

Clearly the FSM has made a t-shirt for his followers under the "science" tab. It illustrates one of the two well known FSM-afterlife promises: stripper factory. Now, where's that beer volcano? I have a little understood holiday tomorrow, Bunker Hill Day. I could really use a beer volcano before I have to go back to work on Wednesday.

#12

Posted by: Lilly de Lure | June 16, 2008 10:38 AM

C Barr said:

Everyone knows you don't need the devil to explain tyrannosaurus fossils. During The Flood the bigger heavier creatures which drowned, sank deeper, and were buried below the strata that contained the smaller lighter mammals. Geesh.

D'uh! Everyone knows that Darwin planted t'eh dinosaur fossilz. What do you think the whole Beagle Voyage thing was about in the first place?

;)

#13

Posted by: Michelle | June 16, 2008 10:51 AM

I really like Satan's overalls. They're classy and functional.

#14

Posted by: Eli | June 16, 2008 11:07 AM

I'm glad the seller is joking... because quite honestly, the stupidity burns! I don't know how some people can believe stuff like that.

#15

Posted by: Felicia | June 16, 2008 11:16 AM

Ahaha, I wish that my family weren't all so religious because they will recognize what this is mocking right off. Shame too, my birthday is next Monday and I have to admit I love the Geocentric Universe one and would definitely ask for it!

Thanks for sharing this awesome link, PZ! :)

#16

Posted by: Kevin Anthoney | June 16, 2008 11:19 AM

I've always been amused at the idea that Satan could come up with a fantastically subtle and powerful idea such as evolution to deceive us - even going to the trouble of faking a complete fossil and genetic record to back it up - whereas all God can do is send round a couple of idiots now and then to preach Pascal's Wager at us.

#17

Posted by: ThePetey | June 16, 2008 11:19 AM

Wait...

Are these pro or con? I can't tell sometimes.

One person's idiocy is sounds an awful lot like another's sarcasm and irony.

#18

Posted by: zer0 | June 16, 2008 11:20 AM

I had to grab the geocentrism shirt too! Love their designs.

#19

Posted by: Leigh Shryock | June 16, 2008 11:24 AM

Apparently, there's a 'next' button. I like this one:
http://controversy.wearscience.com/design/unicorn/

#20

Posted by: mprigge | June 16, 2008 11:31 AM

Personally, I still like the Viva la Evolución a little better. http://www.bustedtees.com/vivalaevolucion

#21

Posted by: dogmeatib | June 16, 2008 11:41 AM

I'm just glad it's not about religion, and simply support for scientific inquiry.

/end sarcasm

#22

Posted by: dogmeatib | June 16, 2008 11:43 AM

Okay... no I'm ticked. Where the hell did they get the elephants on the back of the World Turtle?!?!? There are no elephants!!! And where the hell is otter???

Blasphemy!!!

#23

Posted by: Glen Davidson | June 16, 2008 11:48 AM

Seriously, ID is little different in principle than the "Satan planted evidence to deceive us" idea. The only difference is that God/Satan buried evidence of both selectionist and neutral evolution, which look nothing like design, in the genomes.

Yet the prophets Behe and Dembski are quite capable of distinguishing between macroevolution from microevolution, even though they both left similar evidences. One does require revelation to distinguish between evidence that sensibly looks like one continuous process--as much a sufficient singular reason why ID has to be recognized as creationism as any other reason that can be adduced.

Glen D
http://tinyurl.com/2kxyc7

#24

Posted by: co | June 16, 2008 11:50 AM

dogmeatib, at #22, you might want to see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discworld_(world) . There are _lots_ of World Turtles :)

#25

Posted by: Carlie | June 16, 2008 11:54 AM

I was a little confused on this one at first; I thought "Life was created by a game of Set that has no actual sets?" Then I realized my error. But now I'm stuck playing the game for the next hour or so.

#26

Posted by: GodlessHeathen | June 16, 2008 12:00 PM

The earth-centric and the IPU tees are MINE! Mine I tell you!

#27

Posted by: Brownian, OM | June 16, 2008 12:03 PM

Geesh.

C Barr, I think you meant to write 'Gish.'

Can't let the great work of creationist pioneers go unremembered.

#28

Posted by: James F | June 16, 2008 12:07 PM

Who was it, who could it possssssibly be? Oh, I dunno...

SATAN????

#29

Posted by: Jacques | June 16, 2008 12:08 PM

Sorry, I find those t-shirts to be a little too ambiguous for the mouth breathers and knuckle draggers to understand.

#30

Posted by: Brownian, OM | June 16, 2008 12:11 PM

Sorry, I find those t-shirts to be a little too ambiguous for the mouth breathers and knuckle draggers to understand.

Yeah, but did you notice you can mix and match designs to make your own? Including Dabney Coleman's head in a jar for your sleeve?!

We're gonna blow those squares' freakin' minds, man!

#31

Posted by: Randy | June 16, 2008 12:12 PM

Kevin @ #16:

Then, in case they're real, I guess we know who's side we should root for.

#32

Posted by: dogmeatib | June 16, 2008 12:12 PM

dogmeatib, at #22, you might want to see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discworld_(world) . There are _lots_ of World Turtles :)

*chuckle* Thanks. I use the Iroquois creation story as an example when students argue that creation should be taught alongside science for balance. I recite the creation myth and ask them, "which creation should be taught?"

#33

Posted by: miller | June 16, 2008 12:28 PM

They have "Science!" t-shirts too.
http://wearscience.com/
I like the one where they blow up man's ancient enemy, the moon.

#34

Posted by: mothwentbad | June 16, 2008 12:38 PM

The Flat Earth Theory shirt needs more turtles!

#35

Posted by: Dan Messier | June 16, 2008 12:42 PM

Just thought you might be interested:

Karl Giberson (author of Saving Darwin) just posted an extended (and somewhat unfriendly) comment about Intelligent Design on Science & Religion Today (http://scienceandreligiontoday.blogspot.com).

#36

Posted by: thegomezsymbol | June 16, 2008 12:49 PM

You are way off in this post. EVERYONE knows that it was doG who put the fossil bones there not to confuse us, but to test our faith.

I failed my test, by the way...

#37

Posted by: Patricia | June 16, 2008 12:59 PM

Ken Hovind said fossils don't prove anything, and there you go...the debble did it.

#38

Posted by: Gregory Kusnick | June 16, 2008 1:05 PM

I want to know why that rock 'n' roll robot is strumming a Nike missile.

#39

Posted by: James F | June 16, 2008 1:14 PM

#35 Dan,

Karl is an invaluable ally - he pulls no punches when dismantling creationism and ID from an Evangelical Christian perspective.

#40

Posted by: Janine ID | June 16, 2008 1:19 PM

Mothwentbad, you only need the one turtle, Great A'Tuin. Just follow the link at #24 or #32 and you will understand.

#41

Posted by: David Marjanović, OM | June 16, 2008 1:49 PM

Great A'Tuin, however, is a sea turtle that swims through space, methane ice on, uh, his or her flippers...

#42

Posted by: raindogzilla | June 16, 2008 1:55 PM

Inquiring minds want to know whether Satan's bib overalls have one of those Dr. Denton butt flaps in the back to accommodate his tail?

#43

Posted by: BetentacledBrad | June 16, 2008 2:20 PM

Gregory @38:

I want to know why that rock 'n' roll robot is strumming a Nike missile.

Because it just rocks that hard.

#44

Posted by: qedpro | June 16, 2008 3:36 PM

i think we need ones with storks carrying babies, cause no way my daddy did that to my mommy.

#45

Posted by: Kagehi | June 16, 2008 5:02 PM

They seem to be missing some, if you really want to nail the Christians. How about the geneology of Yahweh, pre-Christ. Showing he was one of three brothers who ruled kingdoms in the ME? Or, the Zoroastrian faith, which have multiple gods, but includes a whack job "supreme god" identical to the OT god, complete with his archenemy, the spreader of evil, sin and destroyer of worlds?

Nah, those would probably be too obscure.. Hmm. I got it, a Cthulu 'teach the controversy' shirt. ;)

#46

Posted by: peter garayt | June 16, 2008 5:04 PM

The only one that made me snort coffee out my nose.
Burning bag of poop outside the heavens gate.
pete

#47

Posted by: JJR | June 16, 2008 5:28 PM

Don't forget, the Devil is also responsible for all the other Messiah-gods very closely resembling the Jesus myth (from whose various components the Jesus myth was cobbled together) that pre-date it. That's still the Church's "Final answer" on that question, and it's still laughable.

#48

Posted by: Jan Heirtzler | June 16, 2008 5:50 PM

Thank you so much for this link -- I am making shirts for my whole family! Love being able to customize them, too -- very nifty.

#49

Posted by: Teach the Controversy | June 16, 2008 6:31 PM

That is a great idea qedpro, I'll include it in the next batch =)

#50

Posted by: Kel | June 16, 2008 8:19 PM

DO WANT!

#51

Posted by: apophenia | June 16, 2008 8:24 PM

What, no shirts with female scientists? Or is that just too "out there" for these guys?

#52

Posted by: Owlmirror | June 16, 2008 8:30 PM

One that PZ might like, heh:

http://amorphia-apparel.com/design/octolove/

#53

Posted by: Carlie | June 16, 2008 9:56 PM

apophenia, given the silhouettes of the women who are on the designs, I'd say your assessment is spot-on. Silly women! Stop trying to be scientists and go back to being sex objects like god made you! (yeah, yeah, ironic use of stereotype, whatever)

Other than that, though, great shirts, and I really really want the Discworld one. Really. And the scientist riding the amoeba.

#54

Posted by: BobbyEarle | June 16, 2008 10:46 PM

Decisions, decisions....

We have Colonel "King" Kong riding a paramecium and The Grim Reaper texting.

I shall use my "known the world over" abilities to discern quality formal wear, and buy them both.

#55

Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | June 17, 2008 12:51 AM

Want will soon evolve into Have.

Here's a design from another line of t-shirts on that site, this one featuring a nice, large cephalopod:
http://amorphia-apparel.com/design/squid/

#56

Posted by: Flamethorn | June 17, 2008 2:20 AM

Here's another cephalopod one. Would go well with the new squishy.
http://amorphia-apparel.com/design/octolove/

#57

Posted by: Kseniya | June 17, 2008 9:36 AM

Carlie! I come from a Set-playin' family. Fun!

(yeah, yeah, ironic use of stereotype, whatever)

LOL. "Whatever." Say, what's your opinion of the Feministing logo/tee?

Woooo!

#58

Posted by: Kseniya | June 17, 2008 9:41 AM

What's with the "Science [or scientists] destroying the world" theme, though?

#59

Posted by: Foob | June 17, 2008 9:51 AM

The creator of these shirts posted this thread. For those complaining about the lack of women scientists, the final comment is relevant.

#60

Posted by: Foob | June 17, 2008 9:53 AM

Uh, that's this thread: http://projects.metafilter.com/1553/Teach-the-Controversy

#61

Posted by: Euan | June 17, 2008 2:09 PM

I bought a 'gay evolution' shirt for a friend last week:
http://13298.spreadshirt.com/us/US/Shop/Article/Index/article/YellowIbiscom-Evolution-Mens--Unisex-Lightweight-T-Gay-Evolution-Navy-3118986

#62

Posted by: Arnosium Upinarum | June 18, 2008 11:55 AM

Pete #7 and Matt #10:

Wearing dungeries makes it obvious that he's a paleontologist...an evil scientist bent on unearthing DIRTY SECRETS that the Good Lord wants to remain buried.

#63

Posted by: Arnosium Upinarum | June 18, 2008 12:03 PM

I think their "intelligently designed T-shirts" stink.

#64

Posted by: cognitive dissident | June 19, 2008 2:23 PM

Those are some great t-shirts, all right...like I need more! (Thanks, PZ!) Before ordering, click over to the other sites, which have more clever designs.

#65

Posted by: Kseniya | June 19, 2008 2:40 PM

Nooo, it's the Devil, burying fossils, not digging them up!

#66

Posted by: «bønez_brigade» | June 24, 2008 12:37 AM

I ordered a few shirts from the Teach The Controversy (TTC) & Science! categories. The printing on the TTC shirts is a lot smaller than what is shown in the examples on the wearscience site, but the Science! shirt seems to be the same as advertised. I'm not a fan of the ink application method (as it may soon crack), but I shall wear them with pride as I mock creationists.

#67

Posted by: kattwild | May 10, 2009 12:37 PM