# The war on ignorance may not be winnable **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 7, 2004, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497 "2004-12-07T04:40:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/81 "2004-12-07T21:27:37Z")
Voice of Ignorance (via megaphone): “All right, Dopers, we know you’re in there! Come out with your eyes closed and your minds open! And we better not see any brains in there!” ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/82 "2004-12-07T21:36:09Z")
I met this guy who tried to argue that the bible contained literal truths and that evolution was a falsehood. He was a hardcore Jehovah’s Witness and gave me a bunch of their ‘literature.’ The lies, misinformation and stupidity printed in those publications made me very sad. I still can not believe that people believe those things just because a basic science education and critial thinking class would blow 90% of the arguments they make out of the water. Sadly, I was unable to ‘convert’ him. He stopped coming around to see me after I started raising all these questions he, and his church, could not answer. The scary thing is, I knew the bible better than he did. I would mention bible stories and he would go “That’s not in the bible!” and I would take his bible and show him exactly where it was. I’ve met one or two other people who take the bible literally and all of them have been far from intelligent. It’s like trying to argue with a two year old, the intellect just isn’t there. It was terribly sad for me, because I like to hold that all people are intelligent and that through proper education, we can change the world, but I have found that there will always be people out there who will believe stupid, illogical things. ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/83 "2004-12-07T22:03:26Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Thank god for liberal educators, by the way. They’re the only thing stopping us from becoming Saudi Arabia. Where does Saudi Arabia fits in this picture, and in fact in this whole thread? Do you think Saudi children are teached to read the Bible and take it literally word by word? Salaam. A ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/84 "2004-12-07T22:09:13Z")
> [@Aldebaran](#): > > Where does Saudi Arabia fits in this picture, and in fact in this whole thread? > Do you think Saudi children are teached to read the Bible and take it literally word by word? > > Salaam. A I was using it as an example of a theocracy, not as an emple of Biblical literalists. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/85 "2004-12-07T22:17:30Z")
> [@Aldebaran](#): > > Where does Saudi Arabia fits in this picture, and in fact in this whole thread? > Do you think Saudi children are teached to read the Bible and take it literally word by word? > > Salaam. A Bible… koran… there’s a difference? ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/86 "2004-12-07T22:18:34Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I was using it as an example of a theocracy, not as an emple of Biblical literalists. It is in not such a good example to come up with when you talk about a subject like teaching evolution. Nothing in Al Qur’an prevents people from studying anything. On the contrary. It is common knowledge that studying is regarded as being even better then praying. Trying to understand Creation by learning as much as possible about it is honouring God in a rather direct way. Salaam. A ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/87 "2004-12-07T22:19:52Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Bible… koran… there’s a difference? Obviously not for the completely ignorant. Salaam. A ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/88 "2004-12-07T23:11:15Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I was using it as an example of a theocracy, not as an emple of Biblical literalists. Is S.A. a theocracy? I thought it was a monarchy. Wouldn’t Iran be a better example? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/89 "2004-12-07T23:56:27Z")
Probably. I didn’t know I was going to get quizzed on it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/90 "2004-12-08T00:12:39Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Probably. I didn’t know I was going to get quizzed on it. Well, you did started a thread called “The war on ignornace may not be winnable” didn’t you…? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/91 "2004-12-08T01:15:20Z")
> [@Satyagrahi](#): > > Can anyone recommend a good news, real news, magazine? The Economist. Read it for a month and you’ll be cursing yourself for having put up with the American “news” magazines as long as you did. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/92 "2004-12-08T01:23:16Z")
> [@Freddy the Pig](#): > > The Economist. Read it for a month and you’ll be cursing yourself for having put up with the American “news” magazines as long as you did. I was going to recommend that, too. Just be aware that it’s REALLY expensive. You’ll probably learn more just hanging around here and GQ (the SDMB forum, not the magazine). ---
**Author:** ![New\_Iskander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@New\_Iskander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Iskander)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/93 "2004-12-08T01:46:35Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Bible… koran… there’s a difference? Both written by people claiming exclusive personal access to God. No difference. ---
**Author:** ![Malodorous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47774/32.png) [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/94 "2004-12-08T01:49:15Z")
> [@Freddy the Pig](#): > > The Economist. Read it for a month and you’ll be cursing yourself for having put up with the American “news” magazines as long as you did. Though if you start reading it every week you start to think that “free market reforms” can do every thing from curing cancer to retroactivly preventing the rise of Hitler. ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/95 "2004-12-08T10:00:20Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > I was going to recommend that, too. Just be aware that it’s REALLY expensive. > > You’ll probably learn more just hanging around here and GQ (the SDMB forum, not the magazine). To be perfectly honest, the SDMB, my guild message board, and a particular EQ class forum I’ve read for years that has an interesting OT area (and continue to read, even though I don’t play the game anymore), is where I get my news these days, in that order. I used to include The Daily Show in that, but I don’t watch TV or Cable anymore, so have to make do with the little Daily Show clips they show at Comedy Central’s website, which aren’t generally current issues by the time they post em up, hehe. If it’s anything interesting or important, I can pretty much be assured I’ll find itunder discussion at one of those places. I _know_ I’ll get pertinent cites to follow here, and can then independently study/follow the train of thought/do my own research from the links posted. Plus, I get the _hugely_ invaluable bonus to watch alot of people who sometimes know a _whole_ fucking lot more than me about a certain topic discuss it back and forth, as well as things debunked. Hell, I have to go have a lie-down after trying to read GD threads on certain topics like math or philosophy. They boggle my mind. 😉 Beats the shit out of standard spoon-fed mass media , IMO. I’ve learned _way_ more on this board, than I _ever_ did just reading newspapers, watching TV news or reading News magazines. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Oilcan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Oilcan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oilcan)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/96 "2004-12-08T10:35:20Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Like I said in the other thread: Tell kids that evolution is a dirty subject, with too much sex in it to be taught in schools. Then maybe they’ll sneak into libraries to read about it and will actually learn something about the subject. Are you serious? What with all the rampant sex, incestuous begatting and smiting and atrocity in the bible? Mere science could never compete in terms of prurient interest. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/97 "2004-12-08T16:01:15Z")
> [@Oilcan](#): > > Are you serious? What with all the rampant sex, incestuous begatting and smiting and atrocity in the bible? Mere science could never compete in terms of prurient interest. Not to mention all the boozing! I’ve never understood the fact that certain Protestant denomination ask their members to avoid alcohol. Jesus’s first miracle was to turn water into wine! I guess that’s one thing we can thank the Catholics for-- no problem with drinking in that religion! ---
**Author:** ![Aldebaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Aldebaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aldebaran)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2004, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497/98 "2004-12-08T19:36:50Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Probably. I didn’t know I was going to get quizzed on it. HaHA… My presence on this message board goes still unnoticed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-ignorance-may-not-be-winnable/278497.md?page=4)