Evolution's role in class set to grow

Florida has written new standards for teaching science that for the first time say public-school students need to learn about evolution.

[Orlando_Atheist]

This is great news. No matter what your religious beliefs are, evolution is here to stay. There is no debate in the scientific community about whether evolution occurs. Our children deserve the best scientific education they can get.

[Orlando_Atheist]

Also, the Discovery Institue invented Intelligent Design to try to "wedge" wheir way into classrooms. This is the document that was leaked that exposed them:
http://www.antievolution.org/features/wedge.p...

[LIBERALS HATE facts]

Sure...teach them all kinds of lies...global warming caused by humans...evolution...... Why not. The school system is turning out idiots anyway. Who cares if the info they're getting is accurate.

[o2bndisney]

I believe in the "Big Bang" theory. GOD said it and BANG it happened.

[Imagine That]

Which “theory of evolution” are they going to teach? We came from apes, we share a genetic parent with apes, gradual change evolution, sudden change evolution, are just a few. This theory changes every few months as new evidence is found that contradicts it. How are they going to teach something that changes so frequently? Get 100 atheist scientists together and you will have 100 different “theories” of evolution

[SRicket]

In the case of JBB, from a monkey is a no-brainer. If social conservatives don't like a scientific concept or theory, it isn't "wrong", it is a lie or junk science. I'm tired of idiots dominating the debate.

[jason]

What does evolution have to do with being a good scientist? Truth doesn't change, science does. Why is it critical for the next generation of teachers to understand evolution, it seems to be a poor attempt to push lies. You scientist have already proved your god "Darwin" was wrong, well my God, the most High is never wrong and can't evolve to be wrong. I sure would like to see all these scientists sitting in Judgement, what lies can you tell then? The Son of Man, Jesus, sitting in front of you opening his science book, The Book of Life. No lies will be told, you will bow down and confess the name Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. God have mercy on all those who come against you, for they do not know.

[Eagan0555]

This proposed new wording on evolution has nothing to do with turning out more scientists. To promote it as such is insulting to our intelligence.

[Fl Person]

I agree evolutionary biology is an important science. I'm a person of science but also of faith too. Who says a "creator" didn't start the seeds to what we ended up growing from and became now. If God created us in his image what did this person look like? Were they white, black, Asian, red hair, brown eyes, curly hair, etc. To assume a person was created in his image assumes the person looked a certain way and we all know that we do not all look alike in the world. To assume this would be to assume there is a chosen people or a favorite race.

Like I said, I believe in God and believe he/she created us but I don't buy into the whole in "his image" thing. So what if millions of years ago we didn't look anything like our common ancestors. It doesn't mean though that ancestor evolved from an ape or monkey.

[Tamara]

jason wrote:

What does evolution have to do with being a good scientist? Truth doesn't change, science does. Why is it critical for the next generation of teachers to understand evolution, it seems to be a poor attempt to push lies. You scientist have already proved your god "Darwin" was wrong, well my God, the most High is never wrong and can't evolve to be wrong. I sure would like to see all these scientists sitting in Judgement, what lies can you tell then? The Son of Man, Jesus, sitting in front of you opening his science book, The Book of Life. No lies will be told, you will bow down and confess the name Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. God have mercy on all those who come against you, for they do not know.

You have a personal line to god? He told you that evolution is a lie? It's people like you that are turning the US into a backwards laughing stock in the world.

[AAAARRRRGGHH]

LIBERALS HATE facts wrote:

Sure...teach them all kinds of lies...global warming caused by humans...evolution...... Why not. The school system is turning out idiots anyway. Who cares if the info they're getting is accurate.

Yes - it makes more sense that an imaginary god created the world in 7 days by magic. That's a good theory. Sounds pretty accurate.

[Pat]

To teach good science one should first begin with teaching scientific method which is based on letting the facts speak for themselves rather than trying to fit the evidence you find into what you already want to believe. I am a Christian and I believe in God as the creator - I don't believe there is scientific evidence that conclusively proves or disproves this - there is an element of faith involved since I was not there to witness the creation. I also don't believe there is scientific evidence that conclusively proves evolution. To put in the standards that we should teach our students that there is conclusive fossil evidence for man's evolution from other species would be absolutely false and incorrect. There is no such conclusive fossil record. Quite to the contrary, for any species there is no fossil record to show intermediate changes from one species to another. There is an element of faith involved in evolution as well and it should not be taught as any thing other than a theory if we are going to teach our students good science.

As far as being created in the image of God - I don't think that this is referring to His physical image. He is Spirit and we as humans are spirit beings - created in His image.

[UNbelievable]

Tamara wrote:

<quoted text>
You have a personal line to god? He told you that evolution is a lie? It's people like you that are turning the US into a backwards laughing stock in the world.

Now that is a stupid, stupid statement.

Regardless of your beliefs on evolutionary theory, to state that someone with Christian and/or anti-evolutionary beliefes is responsible for turning the U.S. into a BACKWARDS laughingstock makes absolutely no sense.

It can be argued that the greatest period in our country's history was during the time when the majority held and practiced Christian beliefs.

I would say that the road we're on now is a downhill slide -- and it's paved with negative attitudes towards others who hold different beliefs from our own.

[UNbelievable]

Orlando_Atheist wrote:

There is no debate in the scientific community about whether evolution occurs.

That is also an incorrect statement. The majority of individuals cranked out of the public education system may believe evolutionary theory explains the origins of life, but you can't conclude that "there is no debate."

Similar disagreement exists on the causes of climate change. The majority may believe humans are the cause, but enough questions exist in both areas to warrant continued debate.

It is interesting that most efforts to stifle debate are made by those on the supposedly "scientific" side. True science encourages questions/debate. How else can we reach the truth?

[Snapped]

Satan is always on the job, 24/7.

[Eye Opener]

Fear is the enemy of fact. To think that our elite science community would fear even a discussion of "intelligent design" in our standards smacks of an ostrich mentality. Ideas of origin have been set back hundreds of years due to this filter of incompetence. This topic lends itself to excellent debate and opportunities to learn from the thoughts of others. If we are truly trying to teach students how to think, and not what to think, then we must give them relevant things to research and think about. The "elite scientists" call spending time on this "non-issue" a waste of time. Teaching students to theorize, research, think, present, and then listen to others is never a waste of time. Open your eyes, it's a beautiful world.

[Orlando_Atheist]

UNbelievable wrote:

<quoted text>
Now that is a stupid, stupid statement.
Regardless of your beliefs on evolutionary theory, to state that someone with Christian and/or anti-evolutionary beliefes is responsible for turning the U.S. into a BACKWARDS laughingstock makes absolutely no sense.
It can be argued that the greatest period in our country's history was during the time when the majority held and practiced Christian beliefs.
I would say that the road we're on now is a downhill slide -- and it's paved with negative attitudes towards others who hold different beliefs from our own.

Yes, we can thank Christians for defending slavery, the subjugation of women, and the killing of "witches". I hope we can revert to the good old days soon!

[Eye Opener]

Orlando Atheist needs a hug.

[Mason Kelsey]

Thank you for the front page article “Evolution’s role in class set to grow�. As a public school science teacher I am not impressed by the existing, watered down science standards in Florida. The corrective action of the standards committee will help move Florida students towards being more capable and informed citizens in an increasingly complex world.

In science it is not possible to base facts on faiths or beliefs of any type. Evolution is a fact because it was built from testable hypotheses and is supported by overwhelming observable evidence and reason and not because someone has faith or believes in it or wishes it to be true. Evolution is the essential core and unifying link between all modern biological sciences.

Evolution is only controversial among the unfortunately ignorant and those misled by religious and populous TV and radio demagogs.

The only controversial aspect of the committee’s recommendations is the fact that it didn’t occur over one hundred years ago. It is way over time for Florida to move into a scientific future.

[Page]

Some people really should buy a dictionary instead of a bible.

Evolution is a theory based off evidence. Religion, well, sadly, those who believe it are so delusional they'll never see the outstanding flaws.

All science changes. For crying out loud, pick up a real history book for once. You know, you religious people used to believe the sun revolved around the planet and that the Earth was flat. You used to also believe that blacks were an inferior race and that woman couldn't survive without a "man" to take care of them. So either go back to following your bible the way it was intended, or grow up.

You can believe your religion, but remember, that's YOUR belief. This is a mind-shattering concept. You have your belief, the rest of the world trusts science. Get over it. Otherwise, let's go kill all the Muslims, Hindu's, Protestant, Baptist, Presbyterians, Sikh's, Native Americans, Eskimos, and any of the MANY other religions I left out. So again, who's right? Because if we're going to revert this country to the black ages, I vote for Buddhism! I want the official religion to be be Buddhism.

*sigh* Alas, at least with science, we can repeat it over and over again and come to the same conclusion. That's what we call scientific fact. Theory, as you'll find out if you ever bother reading a dictionary and learning something, is not a fact. It's just a theory, meaning it's the most logical conclusion before it becomes fact. Heck, the "law" of gravity isn't even a law. Newton's Las was disbanded by Einstein, and even he recognized there were some unknowns to it.

Which, surprising, is where religion steps in. It tries to fill in the unknown with simple, pretty answers. Science is about finding the answers, whether they're pretty or not. Problem is, unlike religion, scientific answers are not always easy and convenient to come by. It's going to be a long long time before the theory of evolution is fully understand.

Long live the Flying Spaghetti Monster!!!!!