This makes me feel ill.

[Natako]

I...uh...think it's okay to post this since I saw another like it earlier on this forum.

So I opened up my email this morning, and nestled in my inbox was a message from a petition site. I proceeded to read it and GRR IT MAKES ME ANGRY. Because it makes me so angry, I feel compelled to share it with the rest of you.

Apparently, the Texas Board of Education wants to put creationists in charge of the content of science text books. This is a stupid move for obvious reasons. Many of these people deny evolution, and some completely deny science at all. To quote from the email:

One said, "I can find physical and written testimony that the Earth is only 6,000 years old ... Studying natural history can be an interesting, fun, and adventure-filled pursuit, but it is not real science." Another puts it even more bluntly:  "As a creationist, I believe naturalism in the sciences to be science-fiction."

Furthermore, this change might have a significant impact on the rest of the United States, as many of our textbooks and educational materials come from Texas. I seriously doubt that Texas will succeed with this because...well, let's face it. I know CHRISTIANS who believe that evolution is practically irrefutable, my grandmother included. And whatever happened to the separation of church and state? Texas's idea is not only dumb - it's plain unconstitutional.

Anyway, I could rant on and on about this as an anti-theist, but I'm not going to. If you want to sign the petition, here's the link:

http://act.demandprogress.org/sign/txwaronscience/?akid=324.349148.MrD74P&rd=1&t=2

Because all America needs are more idiots. =\

[Archem]

As a Texan, I am quite irked to hear this. It's giving us all a bad name when the most ignorant have the loudest voices.

Oh, and let's not turn this into a religious debate. The only thing I hate more than religious extremists are atheistic extremists, and any religion debate is sure to make that side of people surface. Let's keep things firmly government (but not necessarily political), factual, and on-topic.

[HobomasterXXX]

I like living in a country made up mostly of athiests. Stuff like this just doesn't happen.

[fruckert]

I find this more facepalm-y than the whole "Let's apply phone internet charges to home computers!"

Signed.

[drenrin2120]

High five for you archem.

Also, anyone heard about the bill in GA that wants to make abortion a crime punishable by death. Under this, certain kinds of miscarriage would be considered murder.

I just don't know what to make of all the ignorance popping up lately. I know there are a lot of smart people in America, so why do all these idiots have such loud voices.

[Cerebus]

Things like this sure help Religious people to be taken seriously.
Of course, I personally don't generalize, but some others do.

[HackersTotalMassLaser]

I really don't care. The newer generations coming up are appearing to be dumbest generation there's been. So whether mad scientists or religious fanatics control the books, is all same. It won't change the fact that people will still want to shoot other people.

Reading books help pass grade school. After that whether you are an atheist or a dedicated christian, you are on your own.

[SaiKar]

Oh, and let's not turn this into a religious debate. The only thing I hate more than religious extremists are atheistic extremists, and any religion debate is sure to make that side of people surface. Let's keep things firmly government (but not necessarily political), factual, and on-topic.

I have to admit, you deserve some props for this one.

[drenrin2120]

Eh, unless you're speaking of brazil, a surprising amount of people in America are strongly opposed to evolution.

[A Forgotten Legend]

Bahaha.

You forgot to enlarge each time.  Tsk. Tsk.

[Prpl_Mage]

Love this debate, we have a couple of backwater islands over here were people stare and points at dinosaurs if they ever see one.

They solution I see to this is : God made evolution happen, science explains how it happened. And then all the crazy people should just agree on it.

Fun part is that Texas receives a lot of crap for your zealotly minority, tv shows like to portray you guys as mad and then there are some other stuff that happens that actually reach the news. Like the Texas Chainsaw massacre.

[zuhane]

As a biologist, I find it rather difficult to not be atheist. I can't just be religious when facts smack
me head-on in the face at every lecture. Choosing bronze-age myths over hard evidence available
in any basic A-level biology research paper does not make Zuhane a happy bunny

[drenrin2120]

I had a crazy communist professor for Political Science 101, he had a vendette against Texas. He was a crazy asshat.

[SaiKar]

Eh, every ideology will have a wing that's so far out that it makes the rest of the ideology look bad.

[Archem]

Both my parents were biologists, and both believed in the "God made evolution happen" thing. ><

And yeah, TV loves to show Texans as crazy Christian zealots. I love how The Big Bang Theory has Sheldon being from Texas, though. And his family being religious. It's so hilarious.
I imagine Archem's life being somewhat like his.

Sort of, but not a lot. My parents grew up in a religious family, but they seem to be non-practicing. My mother grew up Catholic, my father was something a bit less Catholic, and while my grandparents (none of whom are still with us, sadly) were very religious, my siblings and I are agnostic at best. I prefer just to ignore the whole religion thing altogether, since I can't commit to religion, and I don't feel as strongly as atheists. A lot of Texans do have their beliefs, but so do other parts of the world. The difference seems to be that we have about as many extremists as the middle east, which makes an unnecessarily large part of the current military action religious.

And that's about as far down that road as we're going. Let's not stray any further into religion.