RE: Stereotypes and reputations

 From mahaffy@mtcnet.com:
> I wonder why YEC or ID brings such an automatic negative response
> from this group. Actually ID's fight to allow more than the one
> secular story of creation [secular neo-Darwinism] into the public
> High School is a battle more of us should be in or respecting. I
> would like the public High School teacher be able to use the word
> Creation instead of Nature and even explain Creation from a TE
> position. I know the current idea that science has nothing to do
> with Creation keeps other stories that I do not like out, but in
> its place the student is being taught that God and religion have
> had nothing to do with Creation.

I wasn't taught that in public school. I was taught that science can't
address whether God was involved, not that God had nothing to do with
the universe.

YEC brings a negative response because essentially all its arguments
were put to rest decades if not centuries ago. I think this is the "you
should really know better by now" response. Given that this list is
sponsored by the American *Scientific* Affiliation, the substantial
non-science components of YEC are difficult to accomodate.

There is quite a debate about whether ID is a secular story, or even
whether it has a story at all. There's no there, there and it's hard to
teach something that as yet makes no positive claims and provides
practially no guidance for framing future research. Another problem with
the image of ID'ists only wanting to bring another secular story to the
fore is that to date, all legal battles have been caused by groups that
unabashedly had a *particular* story in mind (The "C" word, cloaked with
varying degrees of success in "new" ID wrappers. Upsettingly clumsy).
It's definitely not ready for prime time yet. Perhaps later.

I would like to see religious views discussed in public schools -- In
social studies, history or literature classes. However, one problem is
that many people will not like the way their own religious positions are
taught. Others won't like it if their beliefs are passed over.
Comparative religion discussions would be a minefield. But interesting,
though.

I think the reason why some people are willing to put up with such
curricula in college or private schools but not public schools is that,
well, they are paying for it. If they don't like it, they can leave at
any time. Public schools are another matter. You can't leave if you
don't like what's being taught -- Not without some difficulty or burden.

Regards,
TimI
tpi.hormel@comcast.hormel.net
(despam address by removing the *second* hormel)
Received on Thu Jul 28 21:58:51 2005