The British are unique in their irrationality. The same people who can be so sensible about things like evolution can still go gaga over reported ghost sightings.
It's not just the UK that is not seduced by the hokum of ID or creationism; the Council of Europe has a strong document saying that creationism is dangerous in education:
Although the Christian creationism movement looks strong in the US (and possibly Australia too), I think Americans often don't understand how little impact it has had in post-Reformation Europe; people just don't buy it and don't buy literalist worship of the Bible.
The Council of Europe document recognises the dangers inherent in letting Islamic creationism take root too. In the UK, Islamic "faith schools" are a worrying trend in promoting irrationality. We need to be vigilant, but we don't need to be paranoid!
I would imagine that in Europe Islamic creationism, as part of a trend towards the isolation and Islamistization of European Muslims must be a prime concern, and that by giving Creationism as a general claim the boot from schools, they tidily get rid of a few local loons, as well as justifying putting a stop to a much more troubling trend.
But don't for a moment forget that there is a small but often vocal English ultraconservative community which isn't all that different from the sort to be found in the US. They have tacit allies among the more mainstream British conservatives, who now seem on a quest to undermine British public education. The Telegraph's editorial section usually has one of these types at least once a week.
The British are unique in their irrationality. The same people who can be so sensible about things like evolution can still go gaga over reported ghost sightings.
Of course we are, we're British!
"In their rationality, all nations are alike. In their irrationality, all nations are unique." Comment.
It's simple really; we know the difference between science and religion plus we love a mystery.
It's not just the UK that is not seduced by the hokum of ID or creationism; the Council of Europe has a strong document saying that creationism is dangerous in education:
http://assembly.coe.int/main.asp?Link=/documents/workingdocs/doc07/edoc…
Although the Christian creationism movement looks strong in the US (and possibly Australia too), I think Americans often don't understand how little impact it has had in post-Reformation Europe; people just don't buy it and don't buy literalist worship of the Bible.
The Council of Europe document recognises the dangers inherent in letting Islamic creationism take root too. In the UK, Islamic "faith schools" are a worrying trend in promoting irrationality. We need to be vigilant, but we don't need to be paranoid!
I would imagine that in Europe Islamic creationism, as part of a trend towards the isolation and Islamistization of European Muslims must be a prime concern, and that by giving Creationism as a general claim the boot from schools, they tidily get rid of a few local loons, as well as justifying putting a stop to a much more troubling trend.
But don't for a moment forget that there is a small but often vocal English ultraconservative community which isn't all that different from the sort to be found in the US. They have tacit allies among the more mainstream British conservatives, who now seem on a quest to undermine British public education. The Telegraph's editorial section usually has one of these types at least once a week.