# Promote critical thinking? Or introduce religion into science class? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 11, 2012, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443 "2012-04-11T06:19:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/61 "2012-04-12T17:59:01Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > Being in TN now I am regularly embaressed by why we’re in the national news. Fortunately AZ is in close competition for first place. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/62 "2012-04-12T18:55:51Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > Don’t forget my great state Texas, we are hurdling towards the 12th century with gusto:eek: Have you heard of the Texas Freedom Network? From an [August press release](http://www.tfn.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6583), prompted by one of those “amusing” Republican hopefuls: > [@](#): > > Answering a young boy’s question while campaigning Thursday in New Hampshire, Gov. Perry said, “in Texas we teach both creationism and evolution in our public schools.” > > From TFN President Kathy Miller: > > > [@](#): > > > > Gov. Perry has once again waded into the culture wars for political gain, but without considering the harmful consequences. It is irresponsible for the leader of a state, or a presidential hopeful, to suggest to public school teachers that it is OK to teach creationism as science when such attempts have repeatedly been ruled unconstitutional by the courts, and could result in litigation against a school district. And it is outrageous that Gov. Perry would erode respect for and trust in public education in Texas, simply in order to promote his political aspirations. Texans and Texas schools are working to prepare our children for college and 21st-century jobs. Gov. Perry’s irresponsible comments wrongly suggest otherwise. Hey, due to redistricting, the entire Texas School Board is up for re-election this year! Let’s hope the good people of Tennessee have some advocates for non-stupidity… ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/63 "2012-04-12T19:14:00Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > Nice, I wonder what the rest of the World thinks about this, do they look at us and go “Oh S\*\*\*, the most powerful nation on Earth is intentionally making itself dumber” need to ask my German friends:p Yup. My daughter is living in Germany, and her German boyfriend’s mother was petrified that my wife and I were religious kooks. There was great relief when she discovered that we were about as religious as they are - in other words, not at all. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/64 "2012-04-12T20:54:25Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Have you heard of the Texas Freedom Network? From an [August press release](http://www.tfn.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=6583), prompted by one of those “amusing” Republican hopefuls: > > Hey, due to redistricting, the entire Texas School Board is up for re-election this year! > > Let’s hope the good people of Tennessee have some advocates for non-stupidity… And of course who will be elected to the SB? Persons that quote scripture better than science. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Jasper\_Kent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@Jasper\_Kent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasper_Kent)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/65 "2012-04-12T22:00:22Z")
**Bridget Burke:** “Let’s hope the good people of Tennessee have some advocates for non-stupidity…” Yes, and I’m one of them. I think that in science classes they should also discuss the fact that the laws of physics don’t always apply (consider Christ’s miracles), that Earth is only about 6000 years old, and that hurricanes, earthquakes, and AIDS are God’s punishment for our sinful ways. And in history classes they should discuss how slavery wasn’t such a bad thing and that maybe the Holocaust never happened. I’d also like to see discussions about how Obama is probably the Antichrist. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/66 "2012-04-12T22:05:31Z")
> [@Jasper\_Kent](#): > > I’d also like to see discussions about how Obama is probably the Antichrist. See? Teach the controversy. He’s _probably_ the Antichrist. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/67 "2012-04-12T22:47:47Z")
> [@Capt\_Kirk](#): > > Nice, I wonder what the rest of the World thinks about this, do they look at us and go “Oh S\*\*\*, the most powerful nation on Earth is intentionally making itself dumber” need to ask my German friends:p I don’t know about the Rest Of The World, but when I was growing up in the UK the general assumption was that the South was full of rednecks who thought evolution oughtta be illegal, gol durn it, and that the rest of the US was pretty normal. So, pretty much how it is, except that Texas, Arizona, Kansas and Missouri are also full of crazies. > [@Jasper\_Kent](#): > > I think that in science classes they should also discuss the fact that the laws of physics don’t always apply (consider Christ’s miracles), that Earth is only about 6000 years old, and that hurricanes, earthquakes, and AIDS are God’s punishment for our sinful ways. And in history classes they should discuss how slavery wasn’t such a bad thing and that maybe the Holocaust never happened. I’d also like to see discussions about how Obama is probably the Antichrist. You say that like it’ll shut them up, but that’s probably what they’d move on to after killing off the teaching of evolution. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/68 "2012-04-12T23:05:00Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I’ll admit that is (probably deliberately) ambigious, but it seems (weasel words) to allow or encourage “alternative” explanations to evolution. The language used here is devilishly close to that used by IDers. I think the bill’s crafters meant to straddle the line and not explicitly state what they really meant. I think what they have done is use language designed to avoid the statute being unconstitutional (ie “objective” and “scientific”) but in doing so they have made it a toothless tiger for reasons I have stated above. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/69 "2012-04-12T23:20:37Z")
[quote=“Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright, post:67, topic:618443”] I don’t know about the Rest Of The World, but when I was growing up in the UK the general assumption was that the South was full of rednecks who thought evolution oughtta be illegal, gol durn it, and that the rest of the US was pretty normal. So, pretty much how it is, except that Texas, Arizona, Kansas and Missouri are also full of crazies. Welcome to my life I live in a lake of blue surrounded by a giant sea bats\*\*\* crazy red, you cannot imagine how many times I have been asked “You still read books? I stopped as soon as I got out of school”:eek: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443/70 "2012-04-13T00:46:32Z")
Austin? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/promote-critical-thinking-or-introduce-religion-into-science-class/618443.md?page=3)