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!”
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.
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.
Bible… koran… there’s a difference?
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
Obviously not for the completely ignorant.
Salaam. A
Is S.A. a theocracy? I thought it was a monarchy.
Wouldn’t Iran be a better example?
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…? 
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).
Both written by people claiming exclusive personal access to God. No difference.
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.
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. 
[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.
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!
HaHA… My presence on this message board goes still unnoticed.