A Mississippi lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require textbooks to include a disclaimer describing evolution as a “controversial theory” and advising students to keep an “open mind” to other explanations for the origin of life.
Rep. Gary Chism introduced the legislation, House Bill 25, earlier this month. The bill has been referred to two committees, Education and Judiciary A.
The proposal, if enacted, would require the State Board of Education to include the 200-word disclaimer on the inside front cover of textbooks that include evolution topics.
“The word ‘theory’ has many meanings, including: systematically organized knowledge; abstract reasoning; a speculative idea or plan; or a systematic statement of principles,” the opening paragraph of the bill states. “Scientific theories are based on both observations of the natural world and assumptions about the natural world. They are always subject to change in view of new and confirmed observations.”
“This textbook discusses evolution, a controversial theory some scientists present as a scientific explanation for the origin of living things. No one was present when life first appeared on earth. Therefore, any statement about life’s origins should be considered a theory,” the proposal continues.
#88 – Ivor TinyDick,
You folks go ahead and pound the keyboard in anger all you want. I know the truth and I believe it. As I said, when things start happening that science can’t explain or predict, I’ll be breathing easy while lots of you out there are hyperventilating.
Interestingly, there are people who believe in religion and people who feel it deep down in their bones and know it to be true. Clearly, you fall into the latter category. However, that doesn’t make you right. It just makes you more confident than most. You’re entitled to that opinion, of course, just don’t legislate from it.
I also know my belief to be true in the same way. I have looked into the eyes of a chimp and seen my cousin and deep in my heart of hearts know evolution to be true.
That also doesn’t make it right.
However, an overwhelming abundance of scientific evidence does. And that, not my own personal feeling, is why evolution should be taught as science and creationism should be taught in church.
Attack my religion all you want. I’m comfortable with it because I am confident in what I have read and studied and have a pretty good idea what is coming and how to deal with it. If you want to see that as boasting, fine, but I’m not.
I would never attack your religion. However, if you attempt to claim it is science and should be taught in a public school classroom, then it becomes fair game for all sorts of attack.
I am solid in my beliefs and nobody not even bobbo the monkey muffin is going to talk me out of them. I don’t care how illiterate he is. I am praying for you all.
Please don’t disrespect my own beliefs by praying for me. You have no idea how infuriating that is. Keep your imaginary friend the fuck away from me. He (or more accurately his fauning minions) have already killed enough, thank you.
Ivor Biggun, since Misanthropic Scott told you he doesn’t want you to pray for him, please use the extra time to say a double prayer for me. Thanks, and if anyone suggests to you that I may be trying to waste your time so you’re too busy to cause trouble, don’t believe them. I really do need prayer.
If there are any other Christian activists out there, please spend a couple of hours a day praying for me, that I may find redemption.
Rep. Gary Chism wins. Look who many comments he brought forth on DU just by intoducing a bill that will probably just sit in committees, going nowhere.
Thinking anyone wins anything by the number of posts in a blog makes about as much sense as thinking you know the truth because you believe it.
I am an anti-theist, but I do wish the rapture would come.
#97 – bobbo,
I am an anti-theist, but I do wish the rapture would come.
It’d be a great way to get rid of the wackos of the world. As for heaven vs. hell, if I find out the fundies and born against are right, I’d still prefer hell. Heaven full of these wackos would be hell enough for me.
Personally though, I’m still expecting to feel during my apres vie exactly the way I felt for the first 13.7 billion years of the universe.
# 98 Misanthropic Scott said, “Personally though, I’m still expecting to feel during my apres vie exactly the way I felt for the first 13.7 billion years of the universe.”
Something tells me they’ve underestimated the age by a few trillion years.
98–Scott: “Personally though, I’m still expecting to feel during my apres vie exactly the way I felt for the first 13.7 billion years of the universe.” //// Good one. Not even a chance to dream?
Paddy–so your concept of infinite time is measured in the trillions huh?
# 100 bobbo said, “Paddy–so your concept of infinite time is measured in the trillions huh?”
You’re babbling again. Drink more coffee. 😉
BTW, time really doesn’t exist. We seem to perceive it, that’s all.
Discalculia: Why some people can’t put two and two together.
Explains a lot. Every 6 months or so I see another item about how so much is driven by our genetics.
I have read some about various “centers” now modules about various things and it seems they are becoming more narrowly defined taking in more social phenomenon seen as more general and diffuse.
Makes me wonder if there is a god module?
http://newscientist.com/article/mg20126921.700-why-some-people-cant-put-two-and-two-together.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
#99 – Paddy-trOll,
Something tells me they’ve underestimated the age by a few trillion years.
Something tells you that. But, it’s not science. It’s your own misfiring neurons.
Science, for those who care about pesky things like evidence, has a pretty tight bracket on that now. It’s 13.73 billion plus or minus 120 million at most.
Here’s another link you won’t click because you’re a troll.
http://tinyurl.com/22chwu
#102 – bobbo,
Dang. That sounds like a good article. Unfortunately, I think a subscription is required to read it.
# 103 Misanthropic Scott said, “Science, for those who care about pesky things like evidence, has a pretty tight bracket on that now. It’s 13.73 billion plus or minus 120 million at most.”
Oh, I’m not saying it lacks evidence. I just think as we get more & more advanced ability to examine the universe the estimates will continue to be revised upward. This has been the case since the age has been attempted to be determined.
Scott–I don’t pay for nutting, so try this home page, the link is there
http://newscientist.com/
#105 – Paddy-trOll,
Oh, I’m not saying it lacks evidence. I just think as we get more & more advanced ability to examine the universe the estimates will continue to be revised upward. This has been the case since the age has been attempted to be determined.
Then, what your misfiring neurons have failed to notice is the dramatic shrinking of the error bars around the time frame. We’ve been at 13.7 billion years now for at least a decade. The error bars keep shrinking around that time frame. I think it highly unlikely that the estimate will change dramatically now, almost certainly not by two orders of magnitude.
Notice, if you can, that the error bars now put the number within less than 1% of the current estimate. This is what happens as technology improves and gives more methods of checking and greater accuracy. Oh wait. I forgot, you don’t actually understand science and technology, do you?
#88, Not a big one
bobbo the monkey muffin
Now that is rich.
hahahahaha,
Sorry Bobbo, I can’t help but laugh. The next time I get pissed at you I just might use it. But, I will with a twinkle in my eye.
The movement is to make sure that people understand that fact that, like most ‘theories’ of the text books, they are just that, ‘theories’. You go through the ‘facts’ and ‘theories’ and ‘beliefs’, then you choose what you wish to base your life and focus on. Free world, free choices. Why is there discrimination against none but those who are religious?
Believe it or not, many religious people are those that have looked over all the evidence and even are the scientists. Spite them not if they don’t see that it’s concrete.
I’m saddened to see JCD call Mississippians “not dumb enough” for this action. I’ve lost a lot of respect for that.
i know most of you who made previous comments are probably not reading this but as one of the members bringing the bill to our rep. i am amazed that there is so much misunderstanding out there, this warning is not saying which theory is right and which is wrong it only states that evolution is a theory and that the reader should not take it as fact, but keep their mind open to other theories as well.