Sunday, June 16, 2002
Creationists Claim Evolution Research for Themselves
Creationists are latching on to Canadian research reads the story in today's newspaper. Seems some enterprising anti-evolution folk in the U.S. are using research on the evolution of bacteria to indicate that Darwin is wrong. The work being used shows that bacteria don't just inherit characteristics from their parents but also from other bacteria. Groups such as The Discovery Institute are then pointing to this research as if to indicate that if this part of evolution isn't what was expected then the whole theory is wrong. The scientists whose research papers are being used in such a fashion of course disagree with the argument but that's secondary to the creationist's agenda as to be exepcted.
What I did find even more shocking is a little item in the article that says that over a dozen U.S. States avoid teaching evolution altogether or teach their students that the theory isn't widely accepted as true. I find this appalling and it's actually one of the reasons I've become more actively ummm, let's say open in my religious views. When Ontario caved to this creationists' lobbying and wanted to teach Creationism as a valid science I was very angry. Anyway, perhaps that's an entry for another day.
Creationists are latching on to Canadian research reads the story in today's newspaper. Seems some enterprising anti-evolution folk in the U.S. are using research on the evolution of bacteria to indicate that Darwin is wrong. The work being used shows that bacteria don't just inherit characteristics from their parents but also from other bacteria. Groups such as The Discovery Institute are then pointing to this research as if to indicate that if this part of evolution isn't what was expected then the whole theory is wrong. The scientists whose research papers are being used in such a fashion of course disagree with the argument but that's secondary to the creationist's agenda as to be exepcted.
What I did find even more shocking is a little item in the article that says that over a dozen U.S. States avoid teaching evolution altogether or teach their students that the theory isn't widely accepted as true. I find this appalling and it's actually one of the reasons I've become more actively ummm, let's say open in my religious views. When Ontario caved to this creationists' lobbying and wanted to teach Creationism as a valid science I was very angry. Anyway, perhaps that's an entry for another day.
