Intelligent design proponents, having created a bogus controversy about intelligent degisn vs. evolution, argue that the only fair thing to do — now that there is a "controversy" — is to teach both theories. Yeah, bullshit:
Project Steve
I’ve known about this for some time [UPDATE: it appears that I blogged about it, too], but a recent post at Pandagon reminded me again of this. The Discovery Institute, the conservative think tank at the forefront of the Intelligent Design scientific political movement, likes to talk about all the "scientists" who support creationism/intelligent design. They, along with other groups, … Read More
Unintelligent Design
From a blogger named David Galbraith: I have a new theory – Unintelligent Design, which is the same as Intelligent Design, except that the creator is either a moron or Satan. This theory has no less evidence to support it than Intelligent Design, since its mechanisms are identical. This theory is more compatible with religious teachings in that it proposes … Read More
Kansas Determined To Become Stupidest State
Seriously, what is the matter with Kansas? TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas Board of Education voted 6-4 Tuesday to include greater criticism of evolution in its school science standards, but it decided to send the standards to an outside academic for review before taking a final vote. The Kansas school system was ridiculed around the country in 1999 when the … Read More
James Dobson’s Cure For Your Effeminate Son
Apparently, he’s totally serious: Meanwhile, the boy’s father has to do his part. He needs to mirror and affirm his son’s maleness. He can play rough-and-tumble games with his son, in ways that are decidedly different from the games he would play with a little girl. He can help his son learn to throw and catch a ball. I guess … Read More
Sex, Sex, Sex – Now That I Have Your Attention…
Via Kevin Drum comes an observation by Mort Kondracke, about . . . well, I’ll let Kevin explain: Mort Kondracke, writing today about abortion and contraception, says that there’s ground for suspicion that some religious conservatives are as much about punishing illicit sexual activity as they are about saving "life." Indeed there is. But Ramesh Ponnuru says Kondracke is nuts: … Read More
The “Wedge Document”
Since I have been on a tear about "intelligent design" lately, and what a crock it is, I thought it might be time to post about "The Wedge Document". The Wedge Document was authored by members of the Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute. The Discovery Institute is a think tank based in Seattle, … Read More
Religious Claws
These are examples of why religion needs to be kept out of the public sphere. It’s quite simple. Once you allow religion in, then there is a fight about which religion should be at the forefront. For example, the Carpetbagger Report tells us about this: In Pleasant Grove, Utah, for example, a Ten Commandments memorial, donated by the Fraternal Order … Read More
Faith-Based Spiffle
Dr. Roy Spencer. He’s a doctor, so you have to put the "Dr." in front of his name. Makes his opinion on matters sound weighty and important. I guess that’s why the folks at Tech Central Station gave him the chance to write an article entitled "Faith-Based Evolution", in which Dr. Spencer defends intelligent design. Let’s take a closer look. … Read More
Phelps Again
Fred Phelps and his minions are at it again. He intends to picket the funeral of Sgt. Christopher Taylor, a Marine who died in Iraq. Why? Because the military isn’t homophobic enough for Phelps, or because Phelps’ god (allegedly) hates fags, or something… Friday, about 15 members of the group — some of them children — picketed the funeral of … Read More
Wall? What Wall?
I’ve always thought that mixing politics and religion creates and cheapens both. Worse than that, it is downright dangerous. USA Today carries an excellent story about how the far right is spreading its divisive values (and, yes, un-Christian values) from the pulpit: CANTON, Ohio — Pastor Russell Johnson paces across the broad stage as he decries the "secular jihadists" who … Read More
Dobson-Frist Smackdown
Focus On The Family’s Dr. James Dobson is apparently unhappy about Bill Frist’s flip-flop on stem cell research: Dobson says he can’t bear being "stabbed in the back by somebody that I thought was a friend … [And] that is what I think has happened here. This is not personal … Sen. Frist has not put the knife in my … Read More
Coalition Of The Stupid
Right-centrist blogger John Cole says it all. The following is from him, but it echoes the sentiments of every educated person regardless of political persuasion: By now you have probably already heard (the hazards of not blogging for a few hours) that President Bush has endorsed the inclusion of intelligent design in public school curricula: President Bush said Monday he … Read More
The National Council of Bible Curriculum in Public Schools . . . Lies
Every sentence in this post (apart from this one) was ripped off from Jesse Taylor at Pandagon; he did the work so I didn’t have to. How does one teach the Bible in public schools? Not like this. Hundreds of miles away, leaders of the National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools notched another victory. A religious advocacy group … Read More
That Didn’t Take Long
Bill Frist bucks Leader George and comes out for embryonic stem cell research. Good for him. Very quickly, he is condemned by the Christian Right, who he has catered to so relentlessly: WASHINGTON, July 29 /U.S. Newswire/ — The Christian Defense Coalition says Sen. Bill Frist can no longer consider himself pro-life and vote to expand funding for embryonic stem … Read More