State Government at it again - Evolution

[Townsend]

Might help us understand why Oklahoma's law makers are so confused.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Just more evidence of why we are so far down the scale in engineering and science in the world today.

[Townsend]

Louisiana senator asks if E. coli evolve into persons

It's a painfully familiar scene. A Louisiana state senator (Mike Walsworth) is asking a high-school science teacher about the teaching of evolution in class. He asks if there's any direct example of evolution that can be taught in class. In response the science teacher settles on one of the most elegant and convincing experiments in evolutionary biology – Richard Lenski's decades-long study in which he froze selected generations of E. coli bacteria while allowing others to evolve. The differences between the evolved and original bacterial populations clearly demonstrated evolution.

At that point the good senator asks if the E. coli evolved into a person.

The senator's quip might be regarded as a particularly startling admission of ignorance – not to mention anthropomorphism – if it weren't one of the oldest ploys in the creationist playbook. The march of evolutionary science has left creationists very few places to hide, but one of the most common, apparently killer questions they have lobbed from these nooks is to question the difference between "microevolution" and "macroevolution". Microevolution in which mutations in amino acids lead to gain or loss of  functions is all well and good they say (well, not all of them), but presumably there's still no evidence of macroevolution. The skeptics refuse to be convinced unless, as the senator helpfully points out, they see an example of a bacterium directly transforming into a human being.

Until now those of us who have even the most basic understanding of science have pointed out that such a transformation would be impossible if standard evolutionary theory is well understood since it completely ignores the non-linear, branched nature of the evolutionary tree and the role of contingency in evolution, not to mention the completely solipsistic belief that man must be the pinnacle of every creature's aspirations.

But what we should be really pointing out is how fundamentally this accusation questions not just evolution but the basic scientific method. In questioning macroevolution, the creationists are essentially questioning the whole premise of scientific understanding based on indirect evidence, a philosophy most starkly pioneered by Galileo. Most of science including atoms, the Big Bang, black holes, biochemistry and the understanding of disease, lasers and computers is derived not from direct observation of things we can all see but from indirect but foolproof evidence gained through an exceedingly accurate array of instrumental techniques and conjecturing.

So if you are really denying "macroevolution", you should be questioning the validity of pretty much all of science. Next time a creationist denies macroevolution, we should not be hard pressed to point out that he or she is effectively denying the existence of the material universe.

[Conan71]

I guess it could evolve into a person, maybe that's how we end up with so many poo-poo heads.

[shadows]

Just more evidence of why we are so far down the scale in engineering and science in the world today.

It is by the limited capacity of the human brain and the 4th dimension of time are we captive in a solar system of mass and space, depending on an unexplainable sun.

Being one solar system of the possible 3 trillion, that by our mode of limited space travel, it is estimated it would require thousands of years of travel. 

   

[Townsend]

It is by the limited capacity of the human brain and the 4th dimension of time are we captive in a solar system of mass and space, depending on an unexplainable sun.

Being one solar system of the possible 3 trillion, that by our mode of limited space travel, it is estimated it would require thousands of years of travel. 

[Gaspar]

It is by the limited capacity of the human brain and the 4th dimension of time are we captive in a solar system of mass and space, depending on an unexplainable sun.

Being one solar system of the possible 3 trillion, that by our mode of limited space travel, it is estimated it would require thousands of years of travel. 

   

I'ts Friday and I'm ready to party!

I'll have what he's having please. 

[shadows]

I'ts Friday and I'm ready to party!

I'll have what he's having please. 

if you are going to party outside our solar system better take plenty of your favorite wine cause it could be a lengthy trip.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
(townsend 

As it is written unless one’s name is not in the book of life they will not be in the resurrection.

So those nonbelievers will remain as the dust thou art’ and not have to answer on judgment day.

 

[Red Arrow]

So those nonbelievers will remain as the dust thou art' and not have to answer on judgment day.

So non-believers can do whatever they want and not have to answer for it on judgement day?  What a deal.   

[Townsend]

So non-believers can do whatever they want and not have to answer for it on judgement day?  What a deal.   

You have to be righteous.  Kind of subjective.

Just keep your toes out of the impurities and you're golden.

[shadows]

You have to be righteous.  Kind of subjective.

Just keep your toes out of the impurities and you're golden.

___________________________________________________________________________________________


“In my father’s house are many mansions.”  “Were that not true I would not tell you“.

It would be presumed that on judgment day only those names written in the Book of Life would be in attendance.     

[heironymouspasparagus]

As it is written unless one's name is not in the book of life they will not be in the resurrection.

You make it sound like an open invitation to anyone and everyone, when the reality IS that only 177,000 will be allowed in...as it is written!

So, do you have some inside information that there are still open reservations?  Perhaps the planet hasn't had 177,000 worthy people yet...??   Or are you passing a falsehood just in hopes of furthering some unknown hidden agenda??

[shadows]

You make it sound like an open invitation to anyone and everyone, when the reality IS that only 177,000 will be allowed in...as it is written!

So, do you have some inside information that there are still open reservations?  Perhaps the planet hasn't had 177,000 worthy people yet...??   Or are you passing a falsehood just in hopes of furthering some unknown hidden agenda??

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel measured the heavens in the sixth century and according to his measurements 177,000 vacancies in this corrupt world of today would be hard to fill.   
 

[heironymouspasparagus]

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel measured the heavens in the sixth century and according to his measurements 177,000 vacancies in this corrupt world of today would be hard to fill.   
 

So, the other 7 billion or so are just out of luck.  Sounds like a Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell approach to salvation.

[Townsend]

Oklahoma 'Creationism Bill': State's House Education Committee Passes Scientific Education and Academic Freedom Act

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/21/oklahoma-creationism-bill-passes-common-education-committee_n_2733977.html

Oklahoma's most recent creationism measure has made it over its latest hurdle.

The Oklahoma Common Education committee passed the Scientific Education and Academic Freedom Act Tuesday in a close 9-8 vote, Mother Jones reports.

Introduced by Republican state Rep. Gus Blackwell, the legislation would "permit teachers, schools, and students to explore alternative theories without repercussions," the Week columnist Dana Liebelson writes.

In layman's terms, students would be able to challenge universally accepted scientific theories, such as evolution and climate change. Teachers would also be required to find more effective ways to address such controversies in their teachings.

The legislation's language specifically mentions "biological evolution, the chemical origins of life, global warming and human cloning" as subjects that may spark controversy in the classroom.

While creationism bills have often been linked to religion, Blackwell insists that the legislation's focus is scientific exploration.

"I proposed this bill because there are teachers and students who may be afraid of going against what they see in their textbooks," Blackwell explained to Mother Jones. "A student has the freedom to write a paper that points out that highly complex life may not be explained by chance mutations."

House Bill 1674 mirrors another creationism measure co-authored by Blackwell -- Senate Bill 758 -- that is currently being considered by the state's Senate Education committee. If passed, H.B. 1674 would take effect on July 1 and would be implemented in the state during the 2013-2014 school year. Oklahoma's House of Representatives will vote on the legislation next.

Blackwell's bill is not the first creationism measure Oklahoma has seen. In 2012, a similar proposal survived an initial rejection by the state's House Common Education Committee, only to die in the Senate Education Committee.

H.B. 1674 is one of several "academic freedom" bills that are being touted by state republicans. According to the National Center for Science Education, Montana, Arizona, Missouri and Indiana are also considering similar pieces of legislation. Thus far this year, Colorado has been the only state to turn down an academic freedom bill, postponing it indefinitely in committee.